Save Web References Into Your Desktop Library

refern's browser extension sends supported web image and video captures to the desktop app. Keep the desktop app open with the intended workspace available. A page being visible in the browser does not guarantee that every media item can be captured.

Install and check the connection

Use the extension link provided by refern for your browser. Open the desktop app and choose the workspace and destination you want. The extension communicates with the desktop app locally; the website still needs to provide a downloadable image or video.

Try one image before a batch. Use the extension's hover-save, right-click, or popup controls available on that page. Alt+right-click is a quick save. To capture a region of the page, use region capture with Alt+Shift+S or the button beside Save. Dynamic viewers, login requirements, blocked downloads, and media loaded through unusual page code can change what the extension can retrieve.

The extension can also save direct video files and Reddit, Pinterest, and X videos with their audio. Video saving needs refern 1.10.1 or later, does not work for YouTube, and is capped at 500 MB per video.

Review before saving

Check the selected image, destination, and any tags applied at capture. Tag search in the extension works like tag search in the app. A thumbnail and the full image can be different files. On ArtStation the extension saves the 4K original, and on Danbooru, Gelbooru, and Safebooru it saves the original image. On other sites, inspect dimensions and visual detail after saving rather than assuming every capture is the site's largest original.

For a batch, inspect the selection for icons, repeated thumbnails, unrelated images, and versions you do not need. Save a relevant set instead of treating the entire page as useful reference material.

Preserve context

Check the source URL and creator information in the resulting entry. A clip can credit several creators. On pixiv the saved source is the artwork page, and on X it is the post rather than the Likes page you saved from. For Danbooru, Gelbooru, and Safebooru, a setting (off by default) adds the post's tags and artist. Add missing context manually, including the page title and why you saved the image. The page author, photographer, and image host may be different people or services.

Use your own material or content you have permission to use. A saved URL or a successful download does not establish permission to reproduce an image in a published board.

If capture fails

Check that the app is open, the extension is connected, and the destination is accessible. If the site provides an ordinary authorized download, save it using that route and add the file to your workspace. Do not assume a failed hover action means the desktop library is damaged.

File imports can create copies; normal indexing of an existing content folder reads files in place. See workspace setup for choosing the appropriate path.

For a repeatable collecting habit, use the web-reference curation guide.