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Documentation Interface and settings Mac app settings Libraries

Libraries

Last updated on 20 Jan 2026
2 min read

This page explains how to add, manage, restore, disable, and remove Libraries in the Mac app.

If you are looking for information on how to create, share, or update library components, head over to the Libraries section.

How to add a new Library

  • To add a new Library, click the Add Local Library button in the bottom right, and select the .sketch Library document.
  • You can also enable a Library from the list of available Libraries in your Workspace.
An annotated image showing the Libraries tab of the Settings window.

The Libraries tab of the Settings window in the Mac app.

  1. Enable/Disable: Toggle Libraries on or off using the checkboxes. This is handy when you have lots of Libraries to manage.
  2. Library info shows when a Library was last updated and if it uses a starred version. If an enabled Library has an update available and automatic updates are off, you’ll see an update button.
  3. Filter Filter shows only your enabled Libraries.
  4. Control-click opens options to show a Library in Finder or the web app (depending on its type), open it, or remove it.
  5. Workspace, Third Party, and Local lists Libraries in separate categories.
  6. Automatically download and update Libraries downloads a Library update whenever one is available.
  7. Add Local Library opens the standard macOS Open dialog to add Libraries from your computer.

How to restore missing Libraries

If you see a warning in your Library settings about a missing Library, this means the Mac app can’t find that .sketch Library document. This usually happens when:

  • The original .sketch file was moved or renamed
  • An Admin removed the Library from the Workspace
  • Your access to the Workspace was revoked.
  1. Missing Library warning appears when Sketch can’t locate the Library file.
  2. Disable or Remove disables the Library to check whether it moved to a new location, or remove it and add it again from your Workspace or your Mac.

Removing and disabling Libraries

To delete a Library, control-click the Library you want to uninstall and select Remove Library. You can’t delete Workspace Libraries from Settings, but you can disable them at any time.

Note: Removing or disabling a Library doesn’t unlink its Symbols — they remain intact in your document. If you try to edit a Symbol from a missing Library, Sketch shows a dialog with options to Replace anyway (using Components from enabled Libraries) or Open settings (to re-enable the Library).

To permanently convert a Library Symbol to a local Symbol, select it, then click Unlink from Library in the Inspector.

When you disable a Library, it no longer appears in the Insert menu or Insert window. This helps keep your workflow focused by showing only the Libraries you’re currently working with. You can enable the Library again at any time, as long as you don’t delete it.