Sync a color palette to tokens

Learn how to synchronize your color palette with Penpot design tokens directly, without any manual export or import.

1

Sync to tokens

Once the palette is ready, click the Synchronize button, then select Synchronize with tokens. This creates or updates design tokens directly in Penpot using the plugin API — no manual export or import required.

Tokens are organized by source color and, if color modes have been defined, by theme. They are fully decoupled from the palette: updating the palette does not automatically update the tokens; you need to click Synchronize with tokens again to propagate changes.

Unlike local styles synchronization, token synchronization uses Penpot's native token API and can be used across any project.

2

Sync with themes

If your palette includes Color modes, each mode is reflected as a separate theme in the token set. Click Synchronize with tokens to generate or update the token sets for each theme.

Tokens without themes are placed in a single default set. Tokens with themes are placed in separate sets, one per color mode.

3

Remove tokens no longer linked to the palette

A preference option controls whether tokens that no longer exist in the palette are automatically removed from their sets after synchronization.

To enable it, go to Preferences and toggle the relevant option. When enabled, any token previously created from the palette but no longer part of it will be deleted on the next synchronization.

Use this option carefully if you have manually added tokens to the same sets — they could be removed unintentionally.