sketch · HeyBraza shows you
sketch symbol override not working
HeyBraza watches your screen, spots why the override won't stick, and points at the right field in the inspector.
you change a symbol's text or icon override and it won't apply - or the field isn't even there. it's almost always the layer name, a locked override, or a nested symbol of the wrong size, not a bug. here's how to find which.
or do it yourself
- 1select the symbol instance and open the inspector - overrides only appear here, never by editing the instance directly.
- 2if a text or image override is missing, edit the source and make sure that layer isn't locked or hidden; locked layers don't expose overrides.
- 3for a swap that won't take, use the 'nested symbols' tab in the inspector and pick a symbol of the same size - mismatched sizes get filtered out.
- 4to edit one instance freely instead, choose 'layer' > 'symbol' > 'detach from symbol' (cmd-shift-y).
- 5still stuck? cmd-click into the source to confirm the layer you're overriding actually exists and is named, then return to the instance.
let HeyBraza do this with you
HeyBraza is a tiny on-screen guide that points at the right buttons and talks you through it, on windows and mac.
downloadcommon questions
why don't my symbols show up in the override list?
sketch only offers symbols that match the slot's dimensions; resize the symbol you want to swap in so it matches, and it'll appear.
why does my override reset when i update the symbol?
usually the overridden layer was renamed or removed in the source - overrides bind to layer names, so a rename breaks the link.