Save References From Browser to Desktop Library (2026)

By refern. Last updated: June 2026.

The fastest way to save references from a website straight into a local desktop library is with a browser extension that writes directly to disk. Install the refern extension, hover over any image to save it in one click, or open the extension panel to batch-save an entire page with tags and folder assignment, no cloud account needed.

This guide covers every method: hover save, right-click save, batch save, tagging at capture time, and how to set a default destination folder. It also explains how the major desktop tools handle browser capture differently, so you can pick the approach that fits your workflow.

Before You Start

You need two things:

1. A local desktop reference library. This guide uses refern, a $30 one-time desktop app for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It indexes your images in place without copying them, and the browser extension writes saves directly to your workspace folder on disk.

2. The browser extension. Available for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. Download from refern.app after you install the desktop app. All three extensions have feature parity: hover save, right-click save, batch save, tag on capture, and folder selection.

If you are still comparing tools before deciding, the comparison table below covers how refern, Eagle, Billfish, Allusion, and Cosmos each handle browser capture.

Step 1: Install the Extension and Connect It to Your Desktop App

Open refern and make sure a workspace is loaded (the app needs to be running for the extension to connect). Then install the browser extension:

• Chrome / Brave / Edge / Arc: Install from the Chrome Web Store via the link on refern.app.
• Firefox: Install from the Firefox Add-ons page.
• Safari (Mac): Install from the Mac App Store listing.

The extension communicates with the desktop app over a local connection on your machine. No traffic leaves your computer. Once connected, the extension icon in your toolbar shows a green dot confirming the link is live.

If you see a "not connected" state, make sure refern is open and a workspace is active. The extension polls for the desktop app automatically and reconnects within a few seconds.

Step 2: Hover Save, the Fastest Single-Image Method

Hover your mouse over any image on a webpage. A small save button appears in the corner of the image. Click it and the file is written to your library immediately, placed in your default import folder with the source URL recorded automatically.

That is the entire flow for a quick capture. No dialog, no confirmation, one click.

If you want to set a folder or add tags before saving, hold the button for a moment or use right-click save (Step 3) instead.

Default import folder. In refern Settings, you can designate any folder in your workspace as the default destination for browser saves. All hover saves land there unless you override at capture time. You can change this at any time and the setting persists across sessions.

Step 3: Right-Click Save, With Folder and Tag Selection

Right-click any image on a webpage and choose "Save to refern" from the context menu. A small dialog opens showing:

• A folder picker (your workspace folder tree).
• A tag input field with autocomplete from your existing tags.
• A preview of the image and the source URL.

Select your destination, add any tags, and click Save. The image lands exactly where you chose, with all metadata attached.

This is the method to use when you are curating actively and want references organized from the moment they arrive, not sorted later.

Step 4: Batch Save From a Page

When you are on a page with many images you want to capture (an artist's portfolio, a texture library, a mood reference grid), open the extension panel by clicking the toolbar icon.

The panel shows every image the extension detects on the current page. You can:

• Select individual images by clicking them.
• Select all with one click.
• Set a folder and tags that apply to the entire batch.
• Hit Save to write all selected images to your library at once.

All saves go through refern's import queue. The desktop app processes them in the background so your browsing is not interrupted. Large batches drain automatically as the app runs.

Per-site controls. The extension lets you configure behavior per domain, useful if you visit the same reference sites regularly and want a consistent default folder or tag set for images from that source.

Step 5: Check Your Saved References in the Desktop App

Switch to refern. New browser saves appear in your designated import folder. If you saved with tags, they are already applied. The source URL is stored in the metadata for every saved image and is searchable with the source: operator.

From here, you can:

• Search across all saves with source:artstation.com (or any domain) to pull up everything you captured from a specific site.
• Apply additional tags, ratings, or color labels in bulk.
• Drag images directly onto a canvas to start composing a moodboard.
• Use the visual similarity search to find related images you already have in your library before saving a near-duplicate.

Common Problems and Fixes

Extension shows "not connected." Make sure the refern desktop app is open and a workspace is loaded. The extension reconnects automatically once the app is running. If it still shows disconnected, try clicking the Retry button in the extension panel or restarting the browser.

Some images on a page are not detected. Lazy-loaded images that have not scrolled into view may not appear in the batch panel. Scroll down the page to trigger loading, then reopen the extension panel to refresh the image list.

Hover button does not appear on some sites. Some sites use CSS that blocks overlay elements. Use right-click save instead, which bypasses the hover UI.

Image saves but looks low resolution. Some sites serve smaller preview images in the page DOM and link to the full-size file separately. If the saved image is lower quality than expected, right-click the image directly in the browser and choose "Open image in new tab," then save from that URL using the extension on the full-resolution page.

Safari extension asks for permission every session. This is a Safari privacy setting, not specific to refern. In Safari Preferences, set the extension permission to "Always Allow" for the sites you visit most often.

How Desktop Tools Handle Browser Capture Differently

Not every desktop reference manager handles browser save the same way. Here is where the major tools stand as of 2026.

A few honest notes on each tool:

Eagle's browser extension is the most mature and covers the widest browser range (including Edge and Brave, which refern does not). Eagle's save quality and batch features are excellent. The trade-off is that Eagle copies every saved image into its proprietary .library folder, doubling your disk usage over time. Eagle's extension also has HD download mode for sites that serve multiple resolutions.

Billfish's extension works well for Chrome users and covers the same non-copying file philosophy as refern. Its browser coverage is narrower: no official Firefox or Safari extension as of mid-2026, which is a gap for users on those browsers.

Allusion had a Chrome extension until June 2023 when it was removed from the Chrome Web Store. Only the Firefox extension remains active, with 173 users as of mid-2026. The project has not had a release since February 2023 and was declared effectively unmaintained by community members in April 2025. Chrome users cannot use Allusion's web clipper from the official project.

Cosmos is a cloud-based inspiration board, not a local desktop library. Its Chrome and Safari extensions save to Cosmos servers, not your disk. If you want to own your reference files locally, Cosmos is a different type of tool. It is excellent for discovery and inspiration feeds, but your files live on their platform under a content license that survives account termination.

Next Steps

Once your browser saves are flowing into your library, a few refern features are worth knowing:

• Smart folders: Create a saved search like source:pinterest.com tag:anatomy and it auto-populates as you add matching references. Good for keeping subject areas organized without manual folder maintenance.

• Canvas from library: Drag any saved image directly onto a new canvas to start composing. The canvas supports layers, text, freehand annotations, shapes, and always-on-top transparency mode for working alongside your art application.

• Eagle import: If you are coming from Eagle and want to bring your existing library over, refern's Eagle importer reads your Eagle folders, tags, ratings, source URLs, and notes. Your browser-saved history from Eagle transfers with it. See the refern vs Eagle comparison for a full walkthrough.

• Visual similarity before saving: Before saving a new image, use "Find similar" on existing references to check whether you already have something close. This keeps your library from accumulating near-duplicates.