[Download the corresponding Sketch project file here.]
Shared Styles is arguably one of the most game-changing features of Sketch, but we all have the occasional oops moment. If you’ve ever selected a layer with a Shared Style applied and spotted that little sync icon, you may have experienced a brief moment of panic, if not simply confusion.
For those who prefer reading to watching, get the step by step for this Sketch tutorial below.
The issue is simple: someone changed a property of that layer after a Shared Style was applied. If the layer is meant to be an exception to the rule, then all is well. If the layer reflects an updated version of the Shared Style, just click sync and all is well…
But when this mismatch becomes an oops moment, there’s a little trick. Hold the Option key on the keyboard, and the sync icon becomes a revert icon. With one quick click, the mistake is fixed and the rules defined in the Shared Style are reapplied.
You can call that the tiptoe method. Then there’s the bulldozer method…
If you’ve got inconsistencies all over the place, you can quickly reapply the rules of the Shared Style by selecting a “correct” layer, unchecking any attribute, syncing, rechecking the attribute, and syncing again. Because you’ve “updated” the style, every layer connected to that same shared style will get the style reapplied. This trick can be one heavy hitter with a team passing a file around.
Pro tip: Don’t use this method if your document may have intentional “exceptions” connected to Shared Styles. I highly recommend that any exceptions to a Shared Style are “disconnected” by switching the Shared Style to No Shared Style.
Looking for more Sketch tutorials?
How to override colors in Sketch
Creating infinitely scalable connection arrows in Sketch
What are you designing with Sketch? Tell us on Twitter: @InVisionApp.
Video Producer at InVision, former UI/UX designer of international in-flight entertainment, and avid automotive enthusiast.
