Does a master component edit in a linked Creative Cloud library propagate to all .xd files using its instances?
0 reputation · 06 Jul 2020, 07:52 UTC
I maintain several Adobe XD documents that share components through a linked Creative Cloud library. Before committing to a large design-system cleanup, I need to pin down the documented propagation behavior of master components in this setup, since XD is now in maintenance mode and I want to avoid relying on assumptions from older guides.
My specific goal is to understand what happens when I edit a master component in the source document that publishes the library: which instances in consuming .xd files update automatically, which require manual acceptance, and what happens to instances that have local overrides such as changed text or resized elements. I am also unsure how this interacts with documents that were last saved before the library link was established.
Assume a current XD desktop build on Creative Cloud in 2026; I can verify behavior in-app, but I want the expected semantics first.
- Do master component edits propagate to instances in other .xd files automatically on next open, or only after an explicit library update action?
- Are overridden properties on instances preserved when the master changes, and which override types block propagation?
- Given maintenance mode, is this library propagation behavior still officially documented and supported?