How to Share a Reference Folder or Board With Another Artist
There are three good ways to give a reference folder or board to another artist. Pick by one question: does the other person use refern?
- They use refern: send a refern pack. They get the files, tags, and board as their own copy.
- They only need to look: send a refern cloud link. It opens in any web browser.
- You need a fixed picture: save the board as a PNG or PDF and send that file.
Compare the options
| Option | What the other person needs | What they get | Works offline |
|---|---|---|---|
refern pack (.refernpack) | refern | A copy of the folder or board, with its files, tags, creators, groups, links, and canvases | Yes, no account needed |
| refern cloud link | A web browser | A page that shows one image or an image canvas | No, you need an account |
| PNG or PDF | Any image viewer or PDF reader | One picture of the whole canvas | Yes |
| Canvas files to a folder | A file browser | The original files placed on the canvas, without the layout | Yes |
Share only references you are allowed to pass on. A saved image is not cleared for sharing just because it is in your library.
Send a refern pack to someone who uses refern
A refern pack is one file that holds a folder, a canvas, a group, several folders, or a selection of items. It carries the files and their tags, creators, groups, links, and canvases. It needs no account and no online service, so you can send it any way you like: a USB drive, a shared drive, or a file transfer service.
To make a pack:
- Right-click a folder or canvas in the sidebar or the grid and choose Export as refern pack.... You can also select several items and use the same command from the selection menu, or use the Export section of the details sidebar.
- Read the export dialog. It lists what goes in and what is left out. Packs leave out the Trash, hidden folders, and Auto Tagger data. Saved page copies of bookmarks go in only when you turn that on.
- Save the file and send it.
To import a pack, the other artist opens Settings > Import > refern pack, or drops the file on the refern window. Both ways work on every platform.
What the other artist should know:
- The import lands in one new folder that they pick. Their existing folders stay as they are.
- Their own tags win. A tag, creator, or style they already have keeps its own settings. The pack adds only the ones that are missing.
- Items keep the tags they had. The other artist's tag rules, such as linked tags, parent tags, and folder presets, do not run on the imported items.
- Each import is a complete copy. Importing the same pack again makes a second folder. It does not update the first one, so a pack is a handoff, not sync.
- Undo is one click. Move to Trash on the import summary removes the imported folder.
- Some file types can be skipped. Before the import starts, refern names any file types that the other artist's workspace settings leave out. Programs are always refused.
A pack is not a backup of your whole library. For that, see how to back up your reference library. Packs also move a folder between two of your own workspaces, which helps if you run two libraries side by side.
Send a refern cloud link to someone with a browser
refern cloud (beta) shares one image or one image canvas as a web link. Sharing is included with a purchased refern license after you sign up for an account. The other person does not need refern or an account to view a public link.
- Open the image or canvas and click Share.
- Choose who can open it: Anyone with the link, Anyone with the link and PIN, or Only me.
- Copy the link and send it. With a PIN, send the PIN separately.
On the free plan, public links do not expire. They stay up until you remove them. PIN links and links set to Only me expire after 7 days. Your shares are listed on the Share page in refern, where you can change or remove them.
A shared canvas shows its images, text, and layout. It leaves out videos and file cards, such as PDF, folder, and canvas cards. Open the link yourself before you send it. The viewer can look at the board and, if they use refern, save their own copy into their library. There is no live co-editing: you and the viewer do not edit the same board at the same time.
Save a canvas as a PNG or PDF
A picture of the board works for anyone, in any app. Select the canvas in your library. In the details sidebar, the Export section has these commands:
- Save as image makes a PNG of the whole canvas. The longest side can be up to 8,192 pixels, depending on your graphics card.
- Save as PDF makes a one-page PDF that holds the same PNG image. It is not vector output, so check that small text stays readable.
- Export canvas files to folder copies the original files that are on the canvas into a folder you pick. Use it when the other person needs the full-size images, not the layout.
The image and PDF dialog shows a preview first. A "Made with refern.app" watermark is on by default; turn the switch off before you save if you do not want it. If one item sits very far from the rest of the board, refern can leave it out so the export stays readable, and the dialog says so.
A PNG or PDF is a snapshot. It has no tags, no links, and nothing to edit. For a client presentation, the client moodboard guide covers what to check before you send it, and the photo library moodboard walkthrough covers building the board.
Frequently asked questions
Does the other artist need refern to open a refern pack?
Yes. A refern pack (.refernpack) is a file that refern imports. It does not open in a browser. If the other person does not use refern, send a refern cloud link or a PNG or PDF of the board instead.
Do refern cloud share links expire?
Public links do not expire; they stay up until you remove them. On the free plan, PIN links and links set to Only me expire after 7 days. Sharing is included with a purchased refern license after you sign up for an account.
What happens if someone imports the same pack twice?
They get two complete copies, each in its own new folder. A second import does not update or merge into the first folder. Move to Trash on the import summary removes an import they do not want.
Does a shared canvas link show everything on the board?
No. A shared canvas leaves out videos and file cards, such as PDF, folder, and canvas cards. Images, text, and the layout come through. Open the link yourself before you send it.
Is the PDF export of a canvas a vector file?
No. Save as PDF makes a one-page PDF that holds the same PNG image of the canvas. Zoom in on the result to check that small text is still readable.