GUI and libs installation
KiKit Symbol and Footprint Libraries
From v6 onwards KiCad comes with a "Plugin and Content Manager" (PCM) which can be used to add the KiKit symbol and footprint libraries used in multi-board workflows. The PCM is new functionality for KiCad though, and only does part of the installation in v6. To install the libraries using the PCM:
- Open KiCad
- Open the
Tools
menu and selectPlugin and Content Manager
- Select the
Libraries
tab and scroll down toKiKit Library
- Press
Install
and thenApply Changes
- Close the Plugin and Content Manager
The following steps are only required in KiCad 6, they are automated in KiCad 7:
- Back in the main KiCad window, open the
Preferences
menu and selectManage Symbol Libraries
- Select the
Global Libraries
tab, and click the+
icon towards the bottom of the window then enterkikit
(all lowercase) as the nickname, and${KICAD6_3RD_PARTY}/symbols/com_github_yaqwsx_kikit-library/kikit.kicad_sym
as the Library Path. - Press
OK
- Back in the main KiCad window, open the
Preferences
menu and selectManage Footprint Libraries
- As before, add a row to the table in the
Global Libraries
tab, with a nicknamekikit
(all lowercase again), and this time enter${KICAD6_3RD_PARTY}/footprints/com_github_yaqwsx_kikit-library/kikit.pretty
for the Library Path. - Press
OK
- From now on, you can find the KiKit symbols and footprints under
kikit
alongside all the others.