FrameRef is the ultimate reference image organizer for artists, designers, and creative professionals. Let's install FrameRef, create our first board, and learn the basic controls!
Installing FrameRef
Section titled “Installing FrameRef”System requirements
Section titled “System requirements”FrameRef runs efficiently on most modern Windows systems, and we support macOS Monterey or later.
Installation steps
Section titled “Installation steps”-
Download the installer for your platform:
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Double-click the installer file and follow the on-screen setup instructions.
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Once installed, launch FrameRef from the desktop shortcut, Start Menu, or Search.
First launch
Section titled “First launch”On first launch, you will be greeted by a license window. Here you can create a free trial license or activate your paid license. Once a license has been activated, you will be taken to the FrameRef homepage, where you can create your first board.
Creating your first board
Section titled “Creating your first board”New board
Section titled “New board”From the homepage, you can open an existing board or create a new one. When creating a new board, you can choose where to place it and what to name it. Once your new board has opened, you will be greeted by an empty canvas — this is your first FrameRef board.
Adding images, videos, or PDFs
Section titled “Adding images, videos, or PDFs”Add images, videos, GIFs, and PDFs in one of two ways:
- Drag & drop — From your desktop or browser directly onto the canvas. You can even drop an entire folder.
- Paste — Copy an image (
Ctrl+C) and paste it (Ctrl+V) directly into FrameRef. This also works with image URLs.
Arranging and resizing
Section titled “Arranging and resizing”- Click and drag with the left mouse button on any image to move it.
- Use the corner handles to resize.
- To arrange multiple images neatly, select them (
Ctrl+ click each, or drag with the left mouse button) and use the arrange button from the toolbar (5).
The toolbar
Section titled “The toolbar”In the top middle of FrameRef, you will see your toolbar with the 5 most used actions and the search bar. These 5 actions correspond to 1–5 on your keyboard.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Create Line |
| 2 | Create Text |
| 3 | Start Drawing |
| 4 | Crop |
| 5 | Arrange |
This toolbar can be hidden with Shift and customized with the gear icon.
Saving your first board
Section titled “Saving your first board”When your board looks the way you want:
- Click File → Save or press Ctrl + S. Use Ctrl + Shift + S to choose a new save location.
- You can reopen the board from the FrameRef homepage, or by browsing to its saved location on your PC.
Basic navigation
Section titled “Basic navigation”Moving around the canvas
Section titled “Moving around the canvas”You can move freely around your infinite canvas:
- Pan — Hold the middle mouse button and drag, or drag two fingers on the touchpad.
- Move the FrameRef window in Frameless Mode — Hold the right mouse button and drag, or press and drag two fingers on the touchpad.
- Drag select — Hold and drag the left mouse button to select several objects.
Zooming in and out
Section titled “Zooming in and out”Zoom in and out smoothly with:
- The mouse scroll wheel.
- A trackpad pinch gesture.
Focusing on an image or area
Section titled “Focusing on an image or area”You can focus on any selection by pressing Space or double-clicking with the left mouse button.
- Press Space or double-click again to go back to the previous view.
Search
Section titled “Search”FrameRef comes with a really useful search function. Open it with Ctrl + F or from the toolbar. Here you can search for any FrameRef action, all your groups, and all your images through the tag system. Selecting a group or an image tag brings it into focus instantly.
Context menus
Section titled “Context menus”Besides finding features, tools, and actions by search or in the main top menu, FrameRef also has context menus. Right-click any item to see the most relevant options for easy access.
Saving your work
Section titled “Saving your work”Projects & file formats
Section titled “Projects & file formats”Each FrameRef board folder contains your actual images in a content folder and a .frameref JSON file that holds the rest of the data. There is no complex file structure: boards, or just the images, can be shared with other FrameRef users or anyone who needs your images. Your board’s data can also be backed up to cloud storage easily.
DirectoryMyBoard/
Directorycontent/
- reference-01.png
- reference-02.jpg
- MyBoard.frameref
Save, Save As, and Autosave
Section titled “Save, Save As, and Autosave”| Action | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Save | Ctrl + S | Updates your current board save. |
| Save As | Ctrl + Shift + S | Creates a new copy of your board file at a specified location. |
| Autosave | — | Enabled by default; saves your progress periodically after a change. Adjust the timing in Settings → General. |
Opening recent boards
Section titled “Opening recent boards”To reopen a previous board, you have 3 options:
- If already in a board, go to File → Open Recent.
- From the homepage, browse or search for your boards.
- Open them directly in Windows Explorer.
Next steps
Section titled “Next steps”Now that you’ve created and saved your first FrameRef board, you’re ready to explore further: