How to get client feedback on a design

A designer sends three logo directions and a set of social templates. The client replies with a screenshot covered in red arrows, a note saying “the green feels off”, and a request to “make the second one pop more”. Which green, and which part of the second one, takes another email to find out, and by then the client has forwarded the files to a colleague who has different notes.

This guide covers how designers usually collect client notes, where those methods lose detail, and how to share design exports in Fabric so the client can draw on the image, attach a comment to the drawing, and see each note marked as handled.

How designers usually collect client notes

Email with attached PNGs or a PDF presentation is the most common route. Most clients know how it works. The notes come back in prose, or as screenshots the client has marked up in whatever tool they have to hand, and the designer has to work out which version of the file the screenshot was taken from.

Sharing the design tool’s own file, such as a Figma link, puts comments right on the work, and many design teams use it daily. Some clients find a design tool unfamiliar, and studios often prefer not to give clients access to working files with every layer and abandoned idea in view.

Chat threads in Slack or WhatsApp are quick for small changes. Over a long project, decisions scatter across messages, and finding the moment a client approved a particular color means scrolling back through weeks of conversation. Printed proofs marked up by hand still work for packaging and print, though they add a scan or photo step before the notes reach the designer.

Step 1: Export review files and add them to the client’s space

Create a space for the client and a folder for the round. When you share the space, the client sees only that space. Export the designs as images (PNG or JPG) for single screens, logos, and social posts, or as a PDF for multi-page layouts. Design file formats explained covers which export suits which job.

Drag the exports into the folder or click Upload a file. Name each file so the client can refer to it, such as “Logo direction B, round 2”. Keep working files in a separate folder that you don’t share.

Step 2: Share the round with commenter permission

Click Share and give the client the commenter role. Fabric’s roles and permissions (viewer, commenter, editor, admin) let them mark up the exports without moving, renaming, or deleting anything. External people can use shared links without signing up, which helps when the person signing off is a client’s director who rarely uses design tools.

For campaigns under embargo, password protection is on the Pro and Team plans. A password on a folder also covers files you add to it later, so each new round is protected without extra steps.

Feedback needs a shared link. Published links are view only (plus download if you allow it) and don’t take comments.

Step 3: Let the client draw on the design and comment

On images, a commenter can draw on the image and attach a comment to the drawing. So “make it pop” becomes a circle around the headline with a note saying it needs more contrast against the background. On PDF layouts, reviewers can highlight text and comment on it, which suits copy changes. The annotations page shows both.

Several people on the client side can comment on the same files, and their replies thread under each comment. That keeps the marketing manager’s note and the founder’s reply on the same element, where you can see the outcome before you change anything.

Step 4: Make the changes, with search to help

Work through the comments and mark each one completed when the change is in. The comments then work like a checklist, and the client can see what’s been handled before the next round.

Color notes are common in design feedback. If the client says “use the green from last spring’s campaign”, Fabric search can find it: paste a HEX code or pick a color with the color picker, and images with that color come up. When a client points at one reference and asks for “more like this”, select it and use similarity search, which for images covers composition, color, and subject.

Over many projects, the client’s approved assets become a library in their own right. How to manage brand assets has more on keeping logos, colors, and templates in order.

Step 5: Deliver the approved files

Move the approved exports into a Final folder and publish it as a link. Click Share, open the Publish tab, click Create link, name it, and turn on allow downloads so the client can save the files. Downloads are available on every plan, and a folder publishes as a web page. On the Pro plan you can publish on your own domain, so the delivery link carries the studio’s name.

Agencies handling many clients at once can set up a space for each one and keep review rounds, finals, and briefs together. Digital asset management for agencies looks at that setup more broadly, and team plan details are on the teams pricing page.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get clients to show exactly what they want changed in a design?

Share the export with the client as a commenter. They can draw on the image and attach a comment to the drawing, so the note sits on the exact spot.

Can clients review designs without a Fabric account?

Yes. External people can use shared links without signing up.

What file format should I send clients for design feedback?

Images such as PNG or JPG suit single designs, since commenters can draw on them. PDFs suit multi-page layouts, where reviewers can highlight and comment on text.

Can clients comment on a published design link?

No. Published links are for viewing and, if you allow it, downloading. Review needs a shared link with commenter permission.

How do I track which design changes are finished?

Mark each comment completed once the change is made. Completed and open comments show the state of the round at a glance.

Can I find a past design by its color?

Yes. In search, paste a HEX code or use the color picker, and Fabric finds images with that color.

Can I keep each client’s designs separate from other clients?

Yes. Create a space for each client and share only that space. They see that space and nothing else.

Can I deliver final design files on my studio’s own domain?

Yes, on the Pro plan. Add a custom domain from the domain selector in the publishing screen, then choose it when you create the link.