Importing the Digi Key KiCad Library

There are several different ways to manage third party libraries like this one. Using git clone is a great way to keep it up to date.

How you decide to manage the library(s) within KiCad is open to debate, but the way I prefer to use them is to pull them in to the Project Libraries, that way they are managed separately from the default libraries, this can be done as such:

1. git clone https://github.com/Digi-Key/digikey-kicad-library.git into your preferred directory

2. Open KiCad

3. Import the symbols:

   A. Open Symbol Editor or Schematic editor

   

   B. Click on Preferences then on Manage Symbol Libraries...

   

   C. Click on the Project Specific Libraries tab:

   

   D. Click on the Add existing library to table button:

   

   E. Navigate to the directory where you cloned the Digi-Key KiCad Library

   F. Navigate to the digikey-symbols folder within digikey-kicad-library folder

   

   G. At this point you can add one library at a time or all of the libraries. To add all of the libraries click on any one of the the libraries and then press Ctrl+a. This will select all of the libraries, then click the Open button.

   H. You should now see the libraries in the table:

   

4. Import the footprints(similar process to symbols):

   A. Open Footprint editor or PCB Layout

   

   B. Click on Preferences then on Manage Footprint Libraries...

   

   C. Click on the Project Specific Libraries tab:

   

   D. Click on the Add existing library to table button:

   

   E. Navigate to the directory where you cloned the Digi-Key KiCad Library

   F. Expand the digikey-kicad-library folder and select digikey-footprints.pretty

   

   G. Click OK

   H. The digikey-footprints should now show in your library table