Welcome to 45Flow — the secure file sharing and collaboration platform by 45Drives. This guide walks you through installing the application, connecting to your server, and using every feature from start to finish.
45Flow is available in two modes:
- Community Edition — Free unlicensed version. Includes all core file sharing, review, upload, and watermarking features (video and image).
- Pro Edition — Unlocked when your server is licensed. Adds custom branding (white label), advanced watermark customization (position, scale, opacity, rotation, presets), timecoded comments, annotations, and priority support.
The app works the same way for everyone — it starts in Community mode by default, and automatically upgrades to Pro when connected to a licensed server. No separate downloads or builds. When unlicensed, Pro features are simply hidden or disabled in the UI.
Licensing is server-side — your 45Flow license is tied to your houston-broadcaster server, not to individual user accounts. Once a server is licensed, all users connecting to it gain access to Pro features automatically.
| Feature | Community | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| File Sharing & Links | ||
| Create share links (single file or collection) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Create upload links | ✅ | ✅ |
| Combined links (share + upload) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Link expiration, password protection, user restrictions | ✅ | ✅ |
| Project-based link organization | ✅ | ✅ |
| Multi-server management | ❌ | ✅ |
| Uploads & Transfers | ||
| Local file upload to server | ✅ | ✅ |
| Remote upload links | ✅ | ✅ |
| Client-side transcoding (GPU/CPU) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Transfer Dock with progress tracking | ✅ | ✅ |
| Review & Playback | ||
| Video player with HLS streaming | ✅ | ✅ |
| Review copies (720p, 1080p) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Multi-file share navigation | ✅ | ✅ |
| Watermarking | ||
| Video watermarking (enable/disable, select image) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Image watermarking (enable/disable, select image) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Advanced watermark customization (position, scale, opacity, rotation) | ❌ | ✅ |
| Watermark presets (save & reuse configurations) | ❌ | ✅ |
| Collaboration | ||
| Timecoded comments on videos | ✅ | ✅ |
| Annotations & drawing tools | ❌ | ✅ |
| Comment export (JSON, CSV, Markdown, WebVTT, PDF, EDL) | ❌ | ✅ |
| Branding & Customization | ||
| Custom branding / white label | ❌ | ✅ |
| Custom themes & colors | ❌ | ✅ |
| Custom logos | ❌ | ✅ |
| Custom link preview metadata | ❌ | ✅ |
| Administration | ||
| User & role management | ✅ | ✅ |
| Server health monitoring | ✅ | ✅ |
| Audit logs (client & server) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Maintenance & cleanup tools | ✅ | ✅ |
| Automatic app updates | ✅ | ✅ |
| SSL certificate management (Let's Encrypt) | ✅ | ✅ |
- System Requirements
- Installation
- Getting Started — Connecting to Your Server
- Port Forwarding for External Sharing
- Projects — Organizing Your Workspace
- Dashboard Overview
- Settings
- Custom Branding (White Label) — Pro Feature
- Drag and Drop QuickShare
- Creating Links — Share, Upload, or Combined
- Upload Files Locally
- Transfer Dock
- Managing Links
- Link Details
- Editing a Link
- Accessing a Shared Link
- Video Player, Comments & Annotations
- User Management
- Role Management
- Multi-Server Management
- Automatic Updates
- View Logs
- Frequently Asked Questions
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Linux Ubuntu 20.04+, Windows 10 64-bit, macOS 11+ (Intel or Apple Silicon) | Latest LTS / latest supported release for each OS |
| CPU | Dual-core x86_64 or Apple Silicon | 4+ cores |
| RAM | 4 GB | 8 GB; 16 GB if doing client-side transcoding of large files |
| Disk | 500 MB for app install | 500 MB for app install, plus 1.5× source video size as temporary space during client-side transcodes |
| GPU | Not required; CPU transcoding works | NVIDIA GTX 1060+ with NVENC, Intel 6th-gen+ with QSV, or Apple Silicon with VideoToolbox for hardware-accelerated client-side transcoding |
| Network | LAN access to server | Gigabit LAN for large file uploads |
Note: The client app is built with Electron and is Chromium-based, so any machine that can run a modern browser should be able to run the app. Client-side transcoding is optional — if disabled, the server handles transcoding instead.
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Ubuntu 20.04+ (Focal/Jammy) or Rocky Linux 8/9 (RHEL-compatible) | Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or Rocky Linux 9 |
| CPU | 2 cores x86_64 | 4–8+ cores; transcoding is CPU-intensive, more cores allow more concurrent transcode jobs |
| RAM | 2 GB | 8–16 GB; FFmpeg transcoding uses approximately 1–2 GB per concurrent 1080p job |
| Disk | Enough storage for source media plus transcoded review copies; approximately 2–3× source size per link when review copies are generated | Fast SSD/NVMe for the database and transcode scratch space; bulk media storage on ZFS/spinning disk is fine |
| GPU | Not required | Intel QSV (6th-gen+ iGPU), NVIDIA with driver, or VAAPI for significantly faster server-side transcodes |
| Network | 1 Gbps LAN | 10 Gbps if serving many concurrent viewers/uploads |
| Node.js | 20+ | 20 LTS |
These packages are automatically installed by the houston-broadcaster software:
| Package | Purpose |
|---|---|
| ffmpeg | Video/audio transcoding and media processing |
| nginx | Web server / reverse proxy |
| sqlite3 | Local database support |
| openssl | TLS, certificates, and crypto utilities |
| avahi-daemon | Local network discovery / mDNS |
| pamtester | PAM authentication testing |
| python3 | Supporting scripts and tooling |
| dbus | System service communication |
| iproute2 | Network interface and routing utilities |
| clamav | Antivirus / malware scanning support |
| ca-certificates | Trusted certificate bundle |
| curl | HTTP requests and install/runtime utilities |
Download the latest version of 45Flow from the Releases page. Under the Assets section of the latest release, download the file matching your operating system.
| Chip | File to Download |
|---|---|
| Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4…) | 45Flow-*-mac-arm64.dmg |
| Intel | 45Flow-*-mac-x64.dmg |
- Double-click the downloaded
.dmgfile. - In the window that appears, drag the 45Flow icon into the Applications folder.
- Open 45Flow from your Applications folder or Launchpad.
Tip: If macOS warns the app is from an unidentified developer, go to System Preferences → Security & Privacy and click Open Anyway.
| File to Download |
|---|
45Flow-*-win-x64.exe |
- Double-click the downloaded
.exeinstaller. - Follow the on-screen installation wizard steps.
- Once complete, launch 45Flow from the Start Menu or Desktop shortcut.
Three package formats are available:
| Distribution | File | Install Command |
|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu / Debian | 45Flow-*-linux-amd64.deb |
sudo apt install ./45Flow-*-linux-amd64.deb |
| Rocky / RHEL / Fedora | 45Flow-*-linux-x86_64.rpm |
sudo dnf install ./45Flow-*-linux-x86_64.rpm |
| Any Linux (portable) | 45Flow-*-linux-x86_64.AppImage |
No installation required |
DEB / RPM Installation:
- Download the appropriate package file for your distribution.
- Open a terminal and run the install command above, replacing
*with the version number. - Launch 45Flow from your application menu.
AppImage (Portable):
The AppImage is a self-contained portable executable that runs on any modern x86_64 Linux distribution without installation.
- Download the
.AppImagefile. - Make it executable:
chmod +x 45Flow-*-linux-x86_64.AppImage - Double-click the file or run it from the terminal:
./45Flow-*-linux-x86_64.AppImage
The AppImage requires no root privileges and does not modify your system. It supports automatic updates — when a new version is available, the app will download and replace itself in place.
Tip: Move the AppImage to a convenient location like
~/Applications/or/opt/for easy access. You can also right-click → "Create Desktop Entry" in many file managers.
When you first open 45Flow, you'll see the Login Screen. This is where you connect the desktop client to your 45Drives server.
If your server is running the houston-broadcaster service on the same network, it will appear automatically in the "Select a server" dropdown. Each entry shows the server's hostname and IP address.
Simply select your server from the dropdown to populate the connection.
Note: If no servers appear, the houston-broadcaster service may not be running, or you may be on a different subnet. Use the manual connection method below.
If your server doesn't appear automatically:
- Find the "Connect manually via IP" field.
- Enter your server's IP address (e.g.,
192.168.1.123).
In most cases, the default ports work without changes. If your server uses non-standard ports, click "Configure Ports" to expand the port settings:
| Port | Default | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| SSH | 22 | Secure shell communication |
| API | 9095 | Server communication and link management |
| HTTPS | 443 | Share links, upload links, external access |
Important: For external sharing the HTTPS port (443 by default) must be open/forwarded on your router. See Port Forwarding for details.
- Enter your server Username (e.g.,
root). - Enter your Password.
- Click "Connect to Server".
The app will display status messages as it connects:
- "Preparing SSH…"
- "Bootstrapping…"
- "Checking server health…"
On success, you'll be taken to the Dashboard.
After connecting to your server, 45Flow automatically checks the server's license status in the background. Login is never blocked — you can start using the app immediately, even if the server is unlicensed.
- Unlicensed server — The app runs in Community mode. Pro features (custom branding, advanced watermarks, comments, annotations) are hidden or disabled. The window title shows "45Flow (Community Edition)".
- Licensed server — The app automatically upgrades to Pro mode. All Pro features become available. The window title shows "45Flow (Pro Edition)".
- Trial license — If your server has an active trial license, the app shows "Pro Trial — X days left" in the header. When the trial expires, the app reverts to Community mode.
- Pro — Legacy (expired license) — If your server was previously licensed but the license has since expired, the app enters a "Pro — Legacy" state. In this mode:
- All Pro features you had at the time of expiry remain accessible (branding, watermarks, comments, annotations — whatever was available in the version you last updated to)
- The window title shows "45Flow (Pro — Legacy)"
- Automatic updates are disabled — you will not receive new app versions, bug fixes, or future Pro features until the license is renewed
- Any new Pro features released after your license expired will not be available until you re-activate
- You can re-activate a license at any time in Settings → Go Pro to restore full Pro status, unlock any new features, and resume receiving updates
Note: Legacy mode ensures you are never abruptly locked out of features you already paid for. Think of it as: you keep everything your license covered, but the clock stops — no new features or updates until you renew. An active license means continuous access to every new feature and improvement as it's released.
If your server is unlicensed, you can activate a license at any time:
- Open Settings from the Dashboard.
- Navigate to Go Pro in the left sidebar.
- Enter your License Key provided by 45Drives.
- Click "Activate License" to validate and activate.
Once activated, the app immediately upgrades to Pro mode and all Pro features unlock.
Note: Licenses are tied to the server, not individual users. Once a server is licensed, all users connecting to it automatically gain Pro features.
If you don't have a license key yet, you can start a 30-day free trial directly from the Go Pro settings section. Trials give you full access to all Pro features for evaluation.
After successful login, you'll be directed to the Projects screen (or directly to the Dashboard if Project Mode is disabled).
If you plan to share links over the internet (externally), complete this step before creating any external links. Port forwarding is not required for sharing within your local network (LAN/VPN), but it is essential for allowing anyone outside your network to access share links, upload links, or review pages.
To share files externally (over the internet), HTTPS port 443 (or your custom HTTPS port) must be forwarded from your router to your server.
What is port forwarding?
Port forwarding tells your router to direct incoming traffic on a specific port to your server's local IP address, allowing people outside your network to access your share links.
General Steps:
- Log into your router's admin panel (usually at
192.168.1.1or192.168.0.1). - Find the Port Forwarding or NAT settings section.
- Create a new rule:
- External port: 443 (or your custom HTTPS port)
- Internal IP: Your server's local IP address
- Internal port: 443 (or your custom HTTPS port)
- Protocol: TCP
- Save the rule and test using the "Check Port" button in the 45Flow link creation screen.
Note: Port forwarding configuration varies by router manufacturer and model. Some ISPs or shared building networks may restrict port forwarding. If you're unsure whether your network supports it, contact your ISP or network administrator.
Tip: After setting up port forwarding, configure your external URL in Settings → URLs & Access to ensure links are generated correctly.
Important: If you only plan to share files within your LAN or VPN, you can skip this step entirely. Links shared locally do not require port forwarding.
After logging in, the Dashboard presents the Projects list. This is your primary workspace organizer — click a project to view its links, or create a new one to start organizing.
A project is a named workspace that:
- Groups related links — Keep all links for a client, campaign, or workflow together in one place.
- Has a root directory — Each project points to a specific folder on your server. When creating links within a project, the file browser starts from that root.
- Tracks link counts — See at a glance how many active, expired, or disabled links each project has.
- Scopes your view — When you select a project, only that project's links are displayed.
- Can be archived or deleted — Archive completed projects to hide them without deletion, or permanently delete projects you no longer need.
Below the project list on the Dashboard, a collapsible "Unassigned Links" section shows all links that are not assigned to any project. This includes:
- Links created via QuickShare without a Project selected
- Links whose project was deleted
- Links explicitly created without a project assignment
Click the disclosure arrow to expand or collapse this section. Unassigned links are managed the same way as project links — you can view details, edit, disable, or delete them.
The typical flow is:
- Log in to 45Flow.
- Select a project (or create a new one) from the Dashboard project list.
- The project detail view loads showing only that project's links.
- Create, manage, and share links — all within the context of the selected project.
- Click "Projects" in the breadcrumb to return to the project list.
To switch to a different project, click the breadcrumb or close the current project.
From the Projects screen, click "New Project" to create a new project:
- Enter:
- Project Name — A descriptive name (e.g., "Acme Corp Review", "Q1 Marketing Assets").
- Root Directory — The absolute path on the server where this project's files live (e.g.,
/tank/projects/acme). - Description (optional) — Notes about the project's purpose.
- Click "Create Project".
The new project appears in the projects list and is immediately available to select.
Viewing Projects:
The Projects screen shows all active projects as cards in a responsive grid layout with:
- Project name
- Root directory path
- Link count badges: Total, Active (green), Expired (amber), Disabled (red)
- Server name (when connected to multiple servers)
- Description (if provided)
Projects are paginated when you have many — use the Previous/Next controls at the bottom to navigate pages.
Project Card Actions:
Each project card has action buttons in the top-right corner (click without opening the project):
| Button | Description |
|---|---|
| Archive | Deactivates all links and hides the project from the default view. Available on active projects. |
| Unarchive | Restores an archived project and re-enables its links. Available on archived projects. |
| Delete | Permanently removes the project (see below). |
Editing a Project:
Click on a project card to open it, then click "Edit Project" in the breadcrumb bar. The edit modal lets you update the project name, root directory, and description. It also provides Archive/Unarchive and Delete buttons.
Archiving a Project:
Click "Archive" on a project card, or open the project and use the Edit modal's Archive button. A confirmation dialog explains what archiving does:
- All active links in the project are disabled (become inaccessible)
- The project is hidden from the default project list
- No files or links are deleted
- You can unarchive at any time to restore everything
Restoring an Archived Project:
Archived projects appear dimmed (reduced opacity) with an "Archived" badge. Click "Unarchive" on the card or in the Edit modal to restore the project and re-enable its links.
Deleting a Project (Hard Delete):
Click "Delete" on a project card or in the Edit modal. A confirmation dialog warns:
- The project record is permanently removed
- Links associated with the project become unassigned (they are not deleted)
- This action cannot be undone
You must type the project name to confirm deletion.
If you prefer a flat list of all links without project grouping, you can disable Project Mode:
- Go to Settings → Project Root.
- Toggle "Enable Project Mode" off.
When Project Mode is disabled:
- The Projects screen is skipped entirely after login.
- You go directly to the Dashboard, which shows all links regardless of project.
- Links can still be created and managed normally, just without project grouping.
- You can re-enable Project Mode at any time — existing links retain any project associations.
Tip: Project Mode is ideal for teams managing multiple clients or campaigns. If you only have one use case or a small number of links, disabling it keeps the workflow simpler.
The Dashboard (also called the Control Center) is your central hub for managing all file sharing operations. When Project Mode is enabled, the Dashboard shows the project list, and clicking a project opens its links in a detail view with breadcrumb navigation. Below the projects, the Unassigned Links section shows links not belonging to any project. When Project Mode is disabled, the Dashboard shows all links in a flat list.
At the top of the Dashboard, you'll find quick-access buttons:
| Button | Description |
|---|---|
| Manage Access | Open user management to create accounts, assign roles, and manage access |
| View Logs | Open the log viewer to inspect application activity and diagnose issues |
| Settings | Configure application-wide defaults for links, URLs, and server behavior |
| Notifications (bell icon) | View notification history (see below) |
The notification bell in the top navigation provides a central history of all application notifications. A red badge shows the count of unread notifications (displays "9+" when more than 9).
Click the bell to open the notification panel. Each notification shows:
- Color-coded severity dot — Red (error), amber (warning), blue (info), green (success)
- Title — Brief description of what happened
- Body — Detailed message (click any notification to expand its full text)
- Timestamp — Relative time (e.g., "2m ago", "1h ago")
Notifications are displayed in reverse chronological order (newest first). The panel stores up to 50 notifications. Click "Clear all" to dismiss the entire history.
Tip: Click on any notification in the list to expand or collapse its full message text. This is useful for longer messages that are truncated by default.
Two large action buttons let you perform the core tasks:
| Button | Description |
|---|---|
| Create Link | Create a link for sharing files, uploading files, or both (combined mode). Configure all link settings in one unified interface. |
| Upload Files | Transfer files from your workstation directly to the server |
Below the action buttons, the Dashboard displays a table of links for the current project (or all links if Project Mode is disabled), with search/filter tools and at-a-glance status information. See Managing Links for full details.
Click "Log Out" at the bottom of the Dashboard to disconnect from the server and return to the Login Screen.
Configure application-wide defaults and server settings. Access Settings from the Dashboard by clicking "Settings".
The Settings panel is organized into sections via the left-hand navigation sidebar:
- Link Sharing — URLs & Access, Certificate, Public Sharing, Link Options, Project Root
- Branding — White Label (see Custom Branding)
- Application — Preferences, Server Health, Maintenance
- Help — Guides
Toggle between Internal and External as the default network access mode for new links:
- Internal — New links default to LAN/VPN routing.
- External — New links default to public/internet routing (requires port forwarding).
External Share URL (Public):
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Auto-detect (WAN IP) | Enable to automatically detect and use your public IP address. Disable to enter a custom domain. |
| External base | Your public hostname or IP (e.g., https://example.ddns.net). No path — hostname only. |
| External HTTPS port | Port users will use in their browser. Default is 443. |
Note: Using a custom domain requires a valid SSL certificate for that domain. See SSL Certificate Management below.
Example:
Without a domain: https://203.0.113.10/s/<token>
With a domain: https://yourcompany.com/s/<token>
Internal Share URL (LAN / VPN):
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Auto-detect (LAN IP) | Enable to automatically detect and use your local server IP. |
| Internal base | Private IP or internal hostname (e.g., http://192.168.1.123). |
A Preview section shows the currently active external and internal URLs so you can verify your configuration.
The Certificate tab lets you upgrade from the default self-signed certificate to a trusted Let's Encrypt certificate for your custom domain. A trusted certificate eliminates browser security warnings when clients open share links.
Certificate Status:
The top section shows your current certificate state:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Type | Self-Signed (default) or Trusted (Let's Encrypt) |
| Domain | The domain the certificate is issued for |
| Expires | Expiration date with days remaining |
| Auto-renewal | Whether automatic renewal is active (Let's Encrypt certificates auto-renew before expiry) |
Setting Up a Trusted Certificate:
- Configure your domain — Enter your custom domain name (e.g.,
yourcompany.com). This auto-syncs from the External Base if already set. - Add a contact email — Let's Encrypt sends renewal notices to this address.
- Create a DNS A record — At your domain registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, etc.), create an A record pointing your domain to your server's public IP address.
- Verify DNS — Click "Verify DNS" to confirm the record is active.
- Install certificate — Once DNS is verified, click "Install Trusted Certificate" to automatically obtain and install the Let's Encrypt certificate.
Reverting to Self-Signed:
If you need to remove the trusted certificate (e.g., domain change), click "Revert to Self-Signed". This instantly switches back to the self-signed certificate.
Important: Port 80 and 443 must both be accessible from the internet for Let's Encrypt validation to succeed. Ensure your firewall and port forwarding rules allow both ports.
The Public Sharing section provides a consolidated status overview of your server's readiness for external (internet) sharing. It shows at a glance whether all the components needed for public link access are correctly configured.
Status Summary:
A color-coded status card shows the overall state:
- Green (Ready) — All components are properly configured for public sharing.
- Yellow (Warning) — Some components need attention (e.g., missing trusted certificate, firewall ports closed).
- Red (Error) — Critical issue (e.g., web routing not working).
Status Rows:
| Row | Description |
|---|---|
| Share URL | The public URL recipients use to access your shared content. |
| HTTPS | Certificate type (Trusted/Self-Signed) and validity status. |
| Web routing | Whether nginx is running and properly configured. |
| Firewall | Whether HTTP (80) and HTTPS (443) ports are open for external access. |
| Last setup | When Houston last configured public sharing (timestamp). |
Actions:
- Check Public Sharing — Re-checks all status components.
- Repair Public Sharing — Attempts to automatically fix common issues (restarts nginx, regenerates configs).
- Install Trusted Certificate — Navigates to the Certificate section for Let's Encrypt setup.
These defaults are applied automatically when creating new links, but can be changed per link:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Restrict access to users | New links default to restricted (invited users only) mode. |
| Allow comments on open links | Enable comments by default on open (unauthenticated) links. Pro feature only. |
| Generate review copies by default | Automatically enable review copy generation for new links. |
| Default watermark settings | Configure default watermark image and settings for new links. See Watermark Settings — Video and Image Support for details on Community vs Pro watermark features. |
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Ignore ZFS pools | Check to skip the pool selection step and always use the configured project root. |
| Project root path | Absolute path used as the default starting directory when creating shares or uploads. |
Display:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Time format | Toggle between 24-hour and 12-hour time display throughout the app. |
Performance:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Client-side transcoding | When enabled, videos are processed on your computer before upload — using your local CPU or GPU. This creates review copies faster and reduces load on the server. When disabled, the server handles all video processing after files are uploaded. |
| Hardware Acceleration | Uses your GPU (NVIDIA NVENC, Intel Quick Sync, AMD AMF, Apple VideoToolbox) for faster transcoding. Falls back to CPU-only when no compatible GPU is detected. |
| Encode Quality | Choose between Fast (quicker encode, larger file), Balanced (good tradeoff), or Quality (slower encode, best visual fidelity). |
| Detected Encoders | Shows which hardware encoders passed verification on your system. |
- Minimum: Any modern multi-core CPU (4+ cores recommended)
- Recommended: Dedicated GPU with hardware encoding support (NVIDIA GTX 1060+ / Intel 6th-gen+ / Apple Silicon)
- Storage: Temporary disk space equal to ~1.5× the size of the source video during transcode
- FFmpeg is bundled with 45Flow — no separate installation is needed
Tip: If client-side transcoding fails (e.g., insufficient GPU memory or unsupported codec), you can disable it in Settings → Preferences. The server will handle transcoding instead — it just takes longer.
The Server Health section provides real-time resource statistics from your connected server.
Server Health auto-loads when you navigate to the section and shows the following:
| Section | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Version | The installed houston-broadcaster version |
| Uptime | Process uptime (how long the server has been running) and system uptime (total OS uptime) |
| CPU | Number of CPU cores and load averages (1-minute, 5-minute, 15-minute) |
| Memory | System total/free RAM and process RSS (resident set size) |
| Disk (Share Root) | Visual progress bar showing disk usage on the share root volume, with used/free/total bytes |
| Transcode Queue | Number of transcode jobs currently queued, running, completed, or failed |
| Links & Connections | Count of active/total links and current WebSocket connections |
The disk usage bar changes color based on usage:
- 🔵 Blue — under 75% used
- 🟡 Amber — 75%–90% used
- 🔴 Red — over 90% used
Click "Refresh" to fetch the latest stats from the server.
Note: Server Health requires admin (PAM) access. If you're logged in with a non-admin user or an environment token, you'll see an access denied message.
For administrators to manage server health:
- Delete orphan transcode directories — Remove transcode output folders that no longer have associated links.
- Prune DB rows for missing source files — Clean up database entries where the original files no longer exist on disk.
- Configure orphan min age (hours) and max missing file checks to control scan scope.
- Click "Run Scan" to preview what would be cleaned, then "Apply Cleanup" to execute.
- Use "Export JSON" to save scan results.
The Guides section provides:
- Open User Guide — Opens this documentation in your browser.
- Disable guided tours — Turn off all onboarding walkthroughs and first-time guides.
- Re-enable guided tours — Reset onboarding walkthroughs so they show again on each page.
- Click "Save settings" to apply all changes. New links will use the updated defaults.
- Click "Reload" to discard changes and reload current settings from the server.
Important: Settings changes affect only newly created links. Existing links are not modified retroactively.
The Go Pro section appears in Settings when your server is unlicensed or running on a trial license. Use this section to activate a full license or start a free trial.
License Activation:
- Enter your License Key in the input field.
- Click "Activate License".
- The app validates your key with the licensing server.
- On success, your server is permanently licensed and the app immediately upgrades to Pro mode.
Start a Free Trial:
If you don't have a license key yet:
- Click "Start Free Trial".
- Enter your email address.
- A 30-day trial license is generated and activated automatically.
- You'll receive a confirmation email with trial details.
Trial Status:
When running on a trial license, this section shows:
- Trial expiration date
- Days remaining
- Option to upgrade to a full license before the trial expires
When a trial expires, the app reverts to Community mode and Pro features are disabled until a full license is activated.
Note: The Go Pro section is hidden once your server has a full Pro license (not trial). To view license details, go to Settings → Application → Server Health.
Custom branding requires a Pro license. This feature lets you customize how share links, upload pages, and review pages appear to your clients and collaborators. When enabled, recipients see your company's branding instead of the default 45Flow identity.
Access branding configuration from Settings → White Label.
Toggle the "Enable white-label branding" switch at the top of the Branding section. When disabled, all share pages display the default 45Flow branding.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Company name | Your company or studio name (max 200 characters). Displayed on share pages below the logo. |
Control the visual theme applied to all share/upload pages that recipients see:
Enforced Theme:
Choose from 22+ built-in themes or select "Custom" to define your own brand colors:
- Built-in themes — Pre-designed color palettes (dark, light, and specialty themes) applied automatically to all share pages.
- Custom — Define your own primary and secondary brand colors.
When Custom is selected, two color pickers appear:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Primary color | Main brand color used for buttons, links, and accent elements (e.g., #D92B2F). |
| Secondary color | Supporting color used for gradients, hover states, and secondary elements (e.g., #b02428). |
A gradient preview shows how your colors will render together. The editor also provides a WCAG contrast warning if your color combination may have accessibility issues with text readability.
Note: When an enforced theme is set, recipients cannot change the theme on share pages — the theme picker is hidden from their view. This ensures consistent brand presentation.
Upload your company logo to replace the default 45Flow logo on all share and upload pages.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Default logo | A single logo used for both light and dark backgrounds. Upload a PNG, JPEG, SVG, or WebP file (max 2 MB). |
| Split logos (light/dark) | Toggle to upload separate logos optimized for light and dark backgrounds. Useful when your logo doesn't work on both. |
After uploading, a preview shows the logo with its dimensions and file size. Click the trash icon to remove an uploaded logo.
Tip: For best results, use a transparent PNG or SVG with adequate padding. Logos are displayed at a reasonable size — overly large images will be scaled down.
Add your company's support details to share pages, so recipients know who to contact:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Support email | Displayed as a clickable mailto link on share pages (max 200 characters). |
| Support URL | A link to your help desk, FAQ page, or support portal (max 500 characters). |
These appear on password-protected pages, expired link pages, and in the footer of upload pages.
Customize how your share links appear when pasted into social media, Slack, Teams, email clients, or any platform that renders Open Graph (OG) previews:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Link preview title | The title shown in social cards and link unfurls (max 200 characters). |
| Link preview description | The description text shown below the title in link previews (max 500 characters). |
Example: When someone pastes a share link into Slack, instead of showing "45Flow — Secure file sharing", it could show "Acme Studios — Review your project files securely".
The branding panel includes a live preview section showing miniature mockups of how your branding will appear:
- Protected Link page — What recipients see when a link requires a password.
- Review Page — The video player / file viewer page.
- Upload Page — The drag-and-drop upload page.
These previews update in real-time as you change settings, giving you immediate visual feedback before saving.
Click "Clear branding" at the bottom of the section to reset all branding fields to their defaults. This removes all custom logos, colors, company name, and support info — restoring the default 45Flow appearance on all share pages.
When branding is enabled, recipients viewing your share links will see:
- Your logo instead of the 45Flow logo (respects light/dark mode if split logos are configured)
- Your company name displayed below the logo
- Your brand colors applied to buttons, links, gradients, and backgrounds
- Your support contact on password pages and expired link pages
- "Powered by 45Flow" attribution shown as a subtle footer (required)
- Your enforced theme — recipients cannot change the color theme
Important: Branding is tied to your server's license. If the license expires or is revoked, share pages will revert to default 45Flow branding.
The QuickShare feature provides the fastest way to create a share link. Drag files from your desktop or file manager directly into 45Flow, configure a few options, and generate a shareable link in seconds.
- Drag Files: From anywhere on your computer, drag one or more files directly into the QuickShare drop zone.
- Choose Destination: Select the folder on the server where your files will be stored.
- Configure Options: For video files, choose review copy qualities and watermark settings. Set link expiry, title, and access controls.
- Generate Link: Click "Share" to upload, transcode, and generate a shareable link.
Video Processing: When client-side transcoding is enabled (Settings → Performance), video files are transcoded on your machine before upload — this generates both a Stream (HLS for browser playback) and Review Copies (downloadable MP4s). With server-side mode, files upload first and the server handles processing.
QuickShare lets you configure:
- Destination folder — Where files are stored on the server
- Link expiration — How long the link remains active (default: 7 days)
- Access mode — Open (anyone with link), password-protected, or invited users/groups
- Review copy qualities — 720p, 1080p, and/or full resolution (for video)
- Watermark — Overlay a watermark on video and image files (Pro: full positioning; Community: basic)
- Network mode — Local (LAN/VPN) or External (port-forwarded)
These defaults can be customized in Settings under Default Link Options.
Once generated, the share link is:
- Automatically copied to your clipboard — ready to paste into email, chat, or wherever you need
- Displayed on screen — for immediate viewing and verification
- Added to your Active Links table on the Dashboard for management
From the Dashboard, you can find your QuickShare link and:
- Edit settings (change expiration, access mode, etc.)
- Copy the link again
- View access logs
- Delete the link
Tip: QuickShare is perfect for ad-hoc file sharing when you don't need custom settings. For more control over link configuration, use the full file share workflow instead.
45Flow uses a unified link system — every link can be configured to support file sharing (review/download), upload, or both simultaneously. You no longer need to create separate "share links" and "upload links" — a single link can do both.
Click "New Link" from the Dashboard to begin.
First, choose where the link will operate:
For share links (or combined):
- Select a Project if you're organizing links into projects.
- Or select a ZFS pool or root directory to browse the full filesystem.
For upload-only links:
- Choose the destination folder where uploaded files will be saved.
The screen displays your available ZFS pools (storage locations) such as /media, /projects, etc. Click "Select" next to the pool you want to use. Alternatively, check "Show entire directory tree from root" to browse the full filesystem.
Tip: You can set a default project root in Settings → Project Root to skip this step for future links.
Click "Return to Dashboard" at any time to cancel.
After choosing a location, you'll see the link configuration screen.
45Flow links support three modes:
| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| Share only | Recipients can view, download, and comment on files. You select which files to share. |
| Upload only | Recipients can upload files to a specified destination folder. No files are pre-selected. |
| Combined (Share + Upload) | Recipients can both review your shared files AND upload their own files to the same location. Perfect for collaborative workflows. |
Toggle "Enable file sharing" and "Enable uploads" to choose the link mode.
When file sharing is enabled:
- Use the file browser to navigate folders and select individual files or entire folders.
- Selected files appear in the "Selected files" panel with a count badge.
- Click "Show list" to review your selection, and use the ✕ button to remove individual files.
- Click "Clear all" to start over.
Expiration:
- Set how long the link stays active using the "Expires in" field.
- Use the number and time unit (hours, days, weeks) or choose a quick preset: 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, or Never.
- Once expired, the link becomes inaccessible automatically.
Network Access:
- Share Locally (Over LAN) — Link accessible only within your local network or VPN.
- Share Externally (Over Internet) — Link accessible from anywhere. Requires port forwarding to be configured.
- Use the "Check Port" button to verify your external port forwarding is working.
Link Title (optional):
- Give the link an internal name to help you identify it later on the Dashboard.
Project Assignment (optional):
- Assign the link to a Project for organization. Select from the dropdown or leave unassigned.
Choose who can access the link:
| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| Anyone with the link | No login required. Anyone with the URL can access the files. You can optionally enable the "Allow comments" toggle so visitors can leave a name and comment. |
| Anyone with the link + password | Requires a shared password. Enter a password in the field that appears. The same password is used by all recipients. |
| Only invited users | Requires each user to log in with their own credentials. Click "Invite users…" to select which users can access. Permissions are controlled by their assigned roles. |
When sharing video files, expand the "Advanced video options" section for additional controls:
Use Review Copies:
- When enabled, the system generates lower-resolution review copy versions of your videos (720p, 1080p).
- Shared links serve the review copies instead of the originals, providing faster playback and reduced bandwidth.
- Select which qualities to generate: 720p, 1080p, Original, or any combination.
45Flow supports watermarking for both video files and image files. When enabled, watermarks are applied to review copies (for videos) or directly to the shared image (for images).
Enable Watermark:
- Toggle "Apply watermark" to enable watermarking.
- Upload a watermark image or choose from built-in presets.
Community vs Pro Watermarking:
| Feature | Community | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Video watermarking (enable/disable, select image) | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Image watermarking (enable/disable, select image) | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Position control (9 anchor points) | ❌ Bottom-right only | ✅ Full control |
| Scale, opacity, rotation | ❌ Fixed defaults | ✅ Customizable |
| Watermark presets (save & reuse) | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
Watermark Position & Style (Pro):
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Position | Nine anchor points: Top-Left, Top-Center, Top-Right, Center-Left, Center, Center-Right, Bottom-Left, Bottom-Center, Bottom-Right. |
| Scale | Size of the watermark relative to the frame (percentage). |
| Opacity | Transparency level (0% = invisible, 100% = fully opaque). |
| Rotation | Angle in degrees (e.g., 45° for diagonal placement). |
Watermark Presets (Pro):
- The preset dropdown shows all available watermark images with saved settings.
- Select a preset to instantly apply a predefined watermark configuration.
- Upload your own watermark image by clicking "Upload custom watermark".
- Presets can be saved and reused across multiple links.
Note: In Community mode, watermarks (video and image) are applied at a fixed bottom-right position with default scale/opacity. Upgrade to Pro for full customization (position, scale, opacity, rotation) and reusable presets.
- Verify all your settings are correct.
- Click "Generate Flow link".
- The generated URL will appear — use the "Copy" button to copy it to your clipboard, or "Open" to view it in your browser.
- The link is now visible on your Dashboard for ongoing management.
Use this feature to transfer files from your workstation directly to the server. This is ideal for getting new media onto the server for sharing later.
Click "Upload Files Locally" from the Dashboard to begin. A three-step wizard will guide you through the process.
- Click "Choose Files" to select individual files, or "Choose Folder" to add an entire folder's contents.
- Selected files appear in a table showing Name, Size, and a Remove button.
- A summary shows the total number of items and combined size.
- Use "Clear" to remove all selected files and start over.
- Click "Next" to proceed.
Note: You can select multiple files at once in the file chooser dialog.
- Select a ZFS pool (storage location) or check "Show entire directory tree from root" for full filesystem access.
- Navigate the folder browser:
- Single-click a folder to select it as the destination.
- Double-click a folder to enter it and browse deeper.
- Click "New Folder" to create a new directory at the current location.
- The selected destination path is shown at the top.
- Click "Change Project Directory" to go back and select a different pool.
- Click "Next" to proceed, or "Back" to return to file selection.
Before Uploading:
If you're uploading video or image files, you can configure Advanced Options before starting:
- Use Review Copies — Enable to generate review copy versions (720p, 1080p) of your videos during upload. These review copies are used when you share the files later via links.
- Watermark Media — Apply a watermark overlay to uploaded videos and images (Pro: images supported with full customization; Community: videos only with basic positioning).
Click "Start Upload" to begin transferring files.
Note: Filenames are automatically sanitized during upload for cross-platform compatibility. Special characters such as apostrophes (
'), colons (:), and other non-standard characters are replaced with underscores (_). If a file is renamed, a notification will appear showing the new filename.
During Upload:
The upload table shows each file with real-time status:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | File name with upload percentage |
| Size | File size |
| Speed / Time | Transfer speed during upload, or total time after completion |
| Status | Current state — Queued, Transcoding (local), Uploading, Done, Canceled, or Error |
| Action | Cancel button (available during active transcode or upload) |
A progress bar at the top shows overall completion across all files.
When client-side transcoding is enabled (Settings → Performance), video files go through a two-phase workflow:
- Transcode — The video is processed on your machine using hardware acceleration (GPU) if available. This generates both the Stream (HLS adaptive bitrate for browser playback) and Review Copies (downloadable MP4 files at your chosen qualities). Shown as "Transcode XX%" in the table.
- Upload — The raw source file is transferred to the server for archival. Shown as "Upload XX%".
This offloads video processing from the server to your workstation, typically completing much faster with hardware-accelerated encoding.
If client-side transcoding is not enabled, the workflow is reversed:
- Upload — The raw file uploads to the server first.
- Server Transcode — The server queues and processes video encoding in the background.
You can monitor both modes in the Transfer Dock.
After Upload:
When all files are complete, click "Finish" to return to the Dashboard.
Tip: If any uploads fail, the error message will appear below the file entry. You can address the issue and re-upload those files.
The Transfer Dock is a persistent overlay that tracks all active and recently completed transfers — uploads, transcodes, and review copy generation. It remains visible across all screens so you can continue working while monitoring progress.
The Transfer Dock appears at the bottom of the screen whenever a transfer is in progress. It shows:
- Active transfer count — e.g., "Transfers (2 active)"
- Link grouping — Transfers are grouped by the link they belong to, with the server name and link URL displayed.
- Clear finished — Remove completed transfers from the dock.
- Close — Collapse the dock (transfers continue in the background).
When collapsed, a minimal indicator remains visible showing active transfer count. Click it to expand the dock again.
Each file in the Transfer Dock shows:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| File name | The name of the file being transferred. |
| Destination | Server-side path (e.g., tank/Local Uploads/video.mp4). |
| Status | Current state: Running, Complete, Queued, Canceled, or Error. |
| Progress | Percentage bar for the active phase. |
| Speed | Transfer or encode speed (e.g., 95.23 MB/s for uploads, 1.05x for transcodes). |
| ETA | Estimated time remaining. |
| Action | Cancel or Dismiss button. |
When review copies or streaming proxies are being generated, each transcode entry shows:
- Stream — The HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) adaptive bitrate output used for browser-based video playback. This is what link recipients see when they click play.
- Review Copy — Downloadable MP4 files at specific qualities (720p, 1080p, or full resolution). These are used for offline review and download. When multiple qualities are selected, they appear as "Review Copy (Multiple Resolutions)" with per-quality progress.
- Awaiting Transcode… — The upload task is waiting for client-side transcoding to complete before uploading the raw file.
Each transcode entry also shows:
- Transcode source —
ClientorServer, indicating where the processing is running. - Encoder — The hardware/software encoder in use:
GPU (QSV)— Intel Quick Sync VideoGPU (NVENC)— NVIDIA hardware encoderGPU (AMF)— AMD hardware encoderGPU (VideoToolbox)— macOS hardware encoderCPU— Software encoding (libx264)
- Speed multiplier — e.g.,
1.05xmeans encoding at 1.05× real-time. - Progress — Percentage complete with ETA.
A typical transfer entry for a QuickShare might show multiple sub-items:
Review Copy (Full Res) Client · GPU (QSV) 1.05x ETA 2:08 31%
Stream Client · GPU (QSV) 100%
Upload 95.23 MB/s ETA 0:14 100%
Tip: If client-side transcoding is enabled (Settings → Performance), video processing happens on your machine before upload. The Transfer Dock shows both the transcode and upload phases separately so you can track each step.
All links you create — whether Share, Upload, or Combined — appear on the Dashboard in the links table. This is your central view for monitoring and managing all active, expired, and disabled links.
At the top of the table:
- Search bar — Filter links by title, directory, or file name. Results update as you type.
- Type filter — Show only specific link types: All types, Upload, Share, or Combined.
- Status filter — Show only links with a specific status: All status, Active, Expired, or Disabled.
- Refresh — Manually reload the link list from the server.
Summary badges show the count of Total, Active, Expired, and Disabled links.
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Title | Internal name of the link. Click the edit icon to rename it inline. Click the title to open Link Details. |
| Type | Badge showing Upload, Share, or Combined (share + upload enabled). |
| Link | The public URL. Click to open in browser, or use the Copy button. |
| Expires | Time remaining (e.g., 23 Hours, 6d 22h, Never). Shown in red when less than 24 hours remain. Click Edit to change the expiration. |
| Status | Current state: ACTIVE (green), EXPIRED (amber), or DISABLED (gray). |
| Access | Access mode: Open (green), Password (amber), or Users only (rose). Hover for details. |
| Created | Date and time the link was created. |
| Actions | Action buttons (see below). |
Each link row provides these actions:
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Details | Opens the full Link Details view with configuration, activity log, and file list. |
| Open | Opens the link in your browser to preview what recipients will see. |
| Disable / Enable | Immediately deactivates or reactivates the link. Disabling blocks access without deleting the link. |
| Archive / Unarchive | Soft-hides the link without deleting. Archived links can be restored. |
| Delete | Permanently deletes the link (see below). |
Clicking "Delete" opens a confirmation modal with a detailed preview of what will be removed:
The delete preview shows:
- Total files associated with the link
- Shared files — files also used by other links (these are kept)
- Option: Delete generated files — Remove review copies, transcodes, and streaming proxies. Shows how much disk space will be freed.
- Option: Delete original source files — Remove the original uploaded files. This is destructive — only enable if you're sure the originals are no longer needed.
You must type "DELETE" to confirm permanent deletion. This action cannot be undone.
Click "Details" on any link (or click its title) to view comprehensive information.
The details view displays:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Primary Link | The full URL with a Copy button. |
| Access | Current access mode (Open / Password / Users only). |
| Review Copies | Whether review copy generation is enabled or disabled. |
| Watermark | Whether watermarking is enabled or disabled (shows "Video + Image" for Pro, "Video only" for Community). |
| Type | Share, Upload, or Combined. |
| Status | Active, Expired, or Disabled. |
| Created | Creation date and time. |
| Expires | Expiration date/time or "Never". |
| Title | Internal name. |
| Project | Associated project (if assigned). |
| Notes | Optional internal notes. |
A table of all files associated with this link, showing:
- Name — File name
- Size — File size
- MIME — File type (e.g., video/mp4, image/jpeg)
View a log of all actions taken on this link:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| When | Date and time of the activity. |
| Action | What happened — e.g., Playback requested, Download, Upload, Expiry updated. |
| Actor | Whether the access was from a Guest or an Authenticated user. |
| Source | IP address and browser information. |
| Summary | Details of the action performed. |
If file versioning/snapshots are available, this section shows:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Version | Version identifier (e.g., v1, v2). |
| Created | When the version was created. |
| Snapshot | Snapshot reference. |
| Size | File size at that version. |
| Restore | Restore this version, replacing the current file. |
| Delete | Remove this version (if permitted). |
From the Link Details view, click the "Comments" button to review and manage all comments on a link.
Reviewing Comments:
- View all comments across all files in a link in one place.
- Filter by file, by resolved/unresolved status, by user, or by version.
- Resolve/Unresolve individual comments or bulk-resolve all.
- Sort by timecode, date, author, status, or version.
- Each comment shows its timecode, author, annotation indicator, tags, and the version it was made on.
- If a comment has an annotation, click "View Annotation" to see the drawing overlaid on the video frame at that timecode.
Version Tracking:
Comments are automatically tagged with the file version that was being reviewed when they were posted. This lets you:
- See which notes belong to V1, V2, V3, etc.
- Filter the review panel to show only comments from a specific version.
- Track which feedback has been addressed across revisions.
Exporting Comments:
Export comments in multiple formats for use in external tools:
| Format | Description |
|---|---|
| JSON | Structured data with all fields — timestamps, authors, annotations, tags, resolved status, version info. |
| CSV | Spreadsheet-compatible tabular export. |
| Markdown | Human-readable formatted list, suitable for reports or emails. |
| WebVTT | Subtitle/caption format — timecoded comments as VTT cues for use in NLEs or other players. |
| Styled report with comments grouped by file and version, resolved status checkmarks, and tags. | |
| EDL | Edit Decision List (CMX 3600) with markers — import directly into Premiere, Resolve, or Avid to see notes as timeline markers. |
Click "Edit" at the top of the Link Details view to modify the link's settings (see next section).
From the Link Details view, click "Edit" to modify an existing link's configuration.
You can modify:
- Title and Notes — Update the internal name and documentation.
- Project Assignment — Assign or change the project this link belongs to.
- Link Type — Toggle "Enable file sharing" and "Enable uploads" to change between Share, Upload, or Combined mode.
- Restrict Access to Users — Toggle between open and restricted access.
- Allow Comments — Enable or disable commenting on shared files (Pro feature).
- Password Required — Enable or disable password protection, and set the password.
- Generate Review Copies — Enable/disable review copy generation and select qualities (720p, 1080p, Original).
- Apply Watermark — Enable/disable watermark overlay with full customization controls (position, scale, opacity, rotation, presets — Pro for full control).
- Auto-watermark uploaded files — When enabled on upload or combined links, files uploaded through this link automatically have the link's watermark settings applied.
- Files for This Link — Add or remove files associated with the link using "Manage Files".
Click "Save Changes" to apply. All changes take effect immediately.
Click "Cancel" or "Close" to discard changes and return to Link Details.
Important: Changes to access settings, passwords, and file lists take effect immediately for anyone accessing the link.
When someone opens a share link you've created, their experience depends on the access mode you configured. This section explains what recipients see when accessing links with different restriction levels.
For open access (Anyone with the link) share links, recipients can immediately browse files, play videos, or download content without any login or password.
When you protect a link with a password (Anyone with the link + password), recipients must enter the correct password before accessing the content.
After entering the correct password, they'll have full access to the shared files according to the permissions you set (view, download, comment, etc.).
For links restricted to specific users or invited users only, recipients must log in with their credentials:
- Click "Sign In" on the access screen.
- Enter their username and password.
- If authenticated and authorized, they'll be granted access to the content.
Note: Users must have been invited to the link (or have appropriate role permissions) to access user-restricted content. See User Management for details on creating and managing user accounts.
When someone opens a share link containing video files, they see the 45Flow Video Player — a browser-based player with collaboration features.
The player supports standard media controls:
- Play / Pause
- Seek bar with timeline scrubbing
- Volume control
- Fullscreen toggle
- Playback rate adjustment (speed up or slow down)
If review copies were generated, viewers can choose their preferred quality:
- Auto — Automatically adapts to available bandwidth
- 720p — Lower resolution, faster loading
- 1080p — Full HD
- Original — Full quality source file (if included)
The player uses HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) for adaptive bitrate delivery.
If comments are enabled on the link, a Comments Panel appears alongside the player:
- Viewing comments: Comments are displayed with the author's name, timecode, and color-coded indicator. Click a timecode to jump to that point in the video.
- Adding comments: Click the comment input area, type your message, and submit. The comment is automatically tagged to the current playback position and the file version being viewed.
- Replies: Click on any comment to reply, creating threaded conversations.
- Timecode markers: Visual markers appear on the seek bar indicating where comments exist.
- SMPTE timecodes: Comments display professional SMPTE timecodes (HH:MM:SS:FF) when the video's frame rate is detected.
- Previous Version Notes: If a file has multiple versions and earlier versions have comments, a collapsible "Previous Version Notes" section appears below the comments list. This shows all notes from prior versions with their resolved/unresolved status, letting reviewers see what was addressed without switching versions.
Note: Commenting availability depends on the link's access mode and whether comments were enabled when creating the link.
Pro Feature. 45Flow includes built-in annotation tools for drawing directly on video frames. Annotations are created alongside comments in the review player.
Creating Annotations:
- Pause the video at the frame you want to annotate.
- Click the annotation/draw tool in the comment area.
- Use the available tools:
- Freehand — Draw freeform paths
- Rectangle — Draw rectangular highlights
- Circle/Ellipse — Draw circular highlights
- Arrow/Line — Draw directional arrows or straight lines
- Choose a color for your annotation.
- Submit the comment — the annotation is saved alongside the timecoded comment.
Viewing Annotations:
- In the review player — Navigate to a comment with an annotation and the drawing renders on top of the video at the correct timecode.
- In Link Details → Comments — Click "View Annotation" on any comment that has one. The Annotation Viewer modal shows a full-size view of the annotated frame with all drawing data rendered.
For collection links (multiple files), a sidebar file browser appears on the left. Click any file to load it in the player. Version selection is available if multiple versions exist.
Users are required for the "Only invited users" access mode and allow role-based permissions on restricted links. Access user management from the Dashboard by clicking "Manage Access".
The top section lists all currently created users with:
- Name and Username
- Email (if provided)
- Company and Tags (if provided)
- Assigned role
- Color dot indicating their comment color
Use the search bar to filter users by name, username, email, company, or tags.
Click "Create new user" to expand the creation form.
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes | Display name shown in comments and activity logs. |
| Username | Yes | Login identifier. Must be unique. |
| Temporary Password | Yes | Initial password (4–64 characters). Click "Generate password" to auto-generate one. Share this securely with the user. |
| Confirm Password | Yes | Must match the temporary password. |
| No | Email address for identification. | |
| Company | No | Company affiliation. |
| Tags | No | Comma-separated tags (e.g., finance, vip, internal). |
| Default Role | — | The role automatically assigned when this user is added to restricted links. |
| Comment Color | — | Hex color used to visually distinguish this user's comments. Use the color picker or type a hex value (e.g., #94ebc8). |
Click "Create User" to save. The user will appear in the existing users list and can now be invited to restricted links.
Groups allow you to organize users into logical collections (e.g., Editors, Clients, Reviewers) for easier permission management.
Creating a Group:
- Click "Create Group" in the User Management screen.
- Enter a group name and optional description.
- Click "Save".
Adding Users to a Group:
- Open the group's detail view.
- Click "Add Users".
- Select users from the list and confirm.
Using Groups for Link Access:
When creating a user-restricted link, you can invite an entire group instead of adding users individually. All group members will automatically have access to the link.
Tip: Use groups to streamline link permissions when sharing with the same team repeatedly. Add new members to the group once, and they'll inherit access to all links shared with that group.
- Click the pencil icon on any user to edit their name, email, company, tags, comment color, default role, or to reset their password.
- Click the red X to delete a user. A confirmation dialog will appear — this action cannot be undone.
Roles define what users can do when accessing restricted links. Access role management from Manage Users → Manage Roles.
45Flow includes three built-in roles that cannot be deleted:
| Role | View | Comment | Download | Upload |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Editor | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Feedback | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Viewer | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Permission | What It Allows |
|---|---|
| View | See files, open media, browse directory contents |
| Comment | Leave timecoded comments and participate in threads |
| Download | Download files to their device |
| Upload | Upload files (on upload-enabled links) |
- Enter a Role name (e.g., "Client", "Uploader").
- Check the permissions you want to grant.
- Click "Create".
- Click Edit on any custom role to modify its name or permissions, then click Save.
- Click Delete to remove a custom role (only if it's not currently assigned to users).
- System roles (Editor, Feedback, Viewer) cannot be deleted or modified.
Important: Role changes apply immediately to all users assigned that role. Removing a permission instantly restricts affected users.
45Flow supports connecting to and managing multiple servers simultaneously.
- From the connection screen, connect to any server using auto-discovery or manual IP.
- Once connected, use the Connection Manager (accessible from the server switcher dropdown in the header) to add additional servers.
- Each server maintains its own JWT token, SSH credentials, and license status.
The active server is displayed in the header bar. Click the dropdown to switch between connected servers. The active server is where all your actions take effect — creating links, uploading files, managing users, etc.
When multiple servers are connected, the "Show links from" filter appears on the Dashboard:
- All Servers — Aggregates links from every connected server. Each row shows which server the link belongs to.
- Specific server — Shows links only from the selected server.
This is useful for managing links across multiple servers from a single view.
45Flow includes built-in automatic update detection and installation. When a new version is available, a banner appears at the top of the application window.
Update eligibility is tied to your license status:
- Active Pro license — Automatic updates are enabled. You receive new versions as they're released.
- Pro — Legacy (expired license) — Updates are disabled. The Pro features you had at the time of expiry continue to work, but you won't receive new app versions or any Pro features released after expiration until the license is renewed.
- Community (unlicensed) — Updates are disabled.
When a new version is detected:
- An update banner appears showing the new version number.
- Click "Download" to begin downloading the update in the background.
- A progress indicator shows the download status.
If you're already on the latest version, you'll see a "You're up to date" message when the app checks for updates.
Note: Updates are checked automatically on launch and periodically while the app is running. No manual check is needed.
Once the download completes, the banner changes to show an "Install & Restart" button:
- macOS and Windows: Click "Install & Restart" to quit the app, apply the update, and relaunch automatically.
- AppImage (Linux): Click "Install & Restart" — the AppImage self-updates in place and relaunches.
The update process is quick (typically a few seconds) and preserves all your settings and server connections.
On Linux systems using .deb or .rpm packages, automatic installation requires administrator privileges. Instead of auto-installing, 45Flow shows manual installation instructions:
- The update is downloaded to your Downloads folder.
- A yellow instruction box shows the exact command to run:
- Debian/Ubuntu:
sudo apt install /path/to/45Flow-x.x.x-linux-amd64.deb - RHEL/Rocky/Fedora:
sudo dnf install /path/to/45Flow-x.x.x-linux-x86_64.rpm
- Debian/Ubuntu:
- Open a terminal, paste the command, and enter your password.
- Relaunch 45Flow after the package is installed.
Tip: Using
apt installordnf install(instead ofdpkg -iorrpm -Uvh) ensures that dependencies are resolved automatically.
The Log Viewer lets you inspect application activity, identify errors, and troubleshoot issues. Access it from the Dashboard by clicking "View Logs".
The Log Viewer has two tabs: Client Logs and Server Logs.
The Client Logs tab shows parsed entries from the local application log file stored on your computer.
At the top, you'll see:
- Log file — The name of the currently loaded log file (e.g.,
45flow-premium-client-2026-05-27.json). - Directory — The file path where logs are stored on your system.
- Entries loaded — Total number of parsed log entries.
Severity counts are shown as colored badges:
- 🔴 Errors — Failures, unhandled exceptions, critical issues
- 🟡 Warnings — Non-critical issues, network retries
- 🔵 Info — General operational events (uploads started, links created)
- ⚪ Debug — Low-level diagnostic data
The Server Logs tab retrieves structured audit log entries from the connected server. These entries record every significant action taken on the server — link creation, file changes, transcode operations, user actions, branding updates, license activations, and more.
At the top, you'll see:
- Log file — The ops.log file name on the server (e.g.,
ops.log). - Directory — The server-side log directory path (e.g.,
/var/log/houston-broadcaster). - Database — The SQLite database path where structured audit entries are stored.
- Entries loaded — Total number of audit log entries in the database.
Each server log entry shows:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Time | Timestamp of the server event. |
| Level | Severity: INFO, WARN, or ERROR. |
| Action | The audit event name (e.g., link.files_updated, annotation.created, transcode.cancelled). |
| Actor | Username of who performed the action. |
| Resource | The resource type and ID affected (e.g., link/17, annotation/42). |
| Details | Expandable JSON payload with additional context. |
Server logs support pagination — use the Previous/Next buttons at the bottom to navigate through pages of results.
When connected to multiple servers, a server selector dropdown appears in the Server Logs tab. This lets you choose which server's audit log to view without disconnecting or switching your active server.
| Control | Description |
|---|---|
| Search | Filter by event name, summary text, details, actor, or resource. |
| Level filter | Show only a specific level: All levels, Error, Warn, Info, or Debug (client only). |
| Errors/warnings only | (Client tab) Quick toggle to show only error and warning entries. |
| Group related events | (Client tab) Groups similar events together to reduce visual duplication. |
Note: Server Logs require admin (PAM) access. If you're logged in with a non-admin account, you'll see a message indicating that admin access is required.
Tip: If you're experiencing connection or upload issues, check the Client Logs for
ERRORentries. For server-side issues (transcodes failing, links not updating), check the Server Logs tab.
Q: What's the difference between Community and Pro editions?
A: There is only ONE 45Flow app. It works as Community Edition (free) by default, and automatically upgrades to Pro when connected to a licensed server. You don't download separate apps — Pro features simply unlock when the server has a valid license. Community includes all core file sharing, watermarking (video and image), uploads, and review features. Pro adds custom branding, advanced watermark customization (position, scale, opacity, rotation, presets), timecoded comments, annotations, and priority support.
Q: How do I upgrade from Community to Pro?
A: Activate a license on your server. Go to Settings → Go Pro, enter your license key, and click "Activate License". Once activated, all users connecting to that server immediately gain Pro features. You can also start a free 30-day trial from the same section.
Q: Do I need a separate license for each user?
A: No. Licenses are tied to the server, not individual users. Once a server is licensed, all users connecting to it automatically get Pro features. You only need one license per server.
Q: What happens when my trial expires?
A: When a trial license expires, the server reverts to Community mode. Pro features (custom branding, advanced watermarks, comments, annotations) are disabled. All existing links remain accessible, but you can't use Pro features until a full license is activated.
Q: What happens when my full Pro license expires?
A: The app enters Pro — Legacy mode. All the Pro features you had at the time of expiry remain fully functional — you keep what you paid for. However, automatic app updates stop, and any new Pro features or improvements released after your license expired will not be available to you. Renew your license at any time in Settings → Go Pro to unlock everything new and resume receiving updates.
Q: What are Projects and do I need to use them?
A: Projects are the primary workspace organizer in 45Flow. After login, you select or create a project, and the Dashboard shows only that project's links. Each project has its own root directory and tracks link counts. If you prefer a flat list of all links without grouping, you can disable Project Mode in Settings → Project Root — you'll skip the Projects screen and go directly to the Dashboard with all links visible.
Q: How do I create a link that supports both sharing and uploading?
A: When creating a link, enable both "Enable file sharing" and "Enable uploads" toggles. This creates a Combined link where recipients can view/download your shared files AND upload their own files to the same location. Perfect for collaborative review workflows.
Q: Can I watermark images, or just videos?
A: Both! Watermarking for video and image files is available in both Community and Pro editions. In Community mode, watermarks are applied at a fixed bottom-right position with default settings. Pro unlocks full customization — position (9 anchor points), scale, opacity, rotation, and the ability to save/reuse watermark presets.
Q: My server doesn't appear in the auto-discovery dropdown. What do I do?
A: The houston-broadcaster service must be running on the server. Try connecting manually using the server's IP address via the "Connect manually via IP" field.
Q: External share links aren't working. What should I check?
A: Ensure port 443 (or your custom HTTPS port) is forwarded on your router. Use the "Check Port" button when creating a link to verify. Also confirm your external URL is correctly configured in Settings.
Q: What file types are supported for upload?
A: 45Flow supports a wide range of media file types including:
- Video: MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, WebM, BRAW, R3D, and more
- Image: JPG, PNG, TIFF, EXR, DPX, PSD, and more
- Audio: MP3, WAV, FLAC, AAC, AIFF, and more
- Cinema/VFX: DPX, CIN, EXR, HDR, DNG, RAW camera formats
- Archives: ZIP, TAR, GZ, 7Z, RAR
- Documents: PDF, SRT, VTT (subtitles), XML, CSV
Q: What do review copies do?
A: Review copies are lower-resolution versions (720p, 1080p) of your videos. When enabled, shared links stream the review copy instead of the original, resulting in faster playback, reduced bandwidth usage, and protection of your original high-resolution files.
Q: Can I change a link's settings after creating it?
A: Yes. Open the link's Details from the Dashboard and click "Edit". You can change access mode, password, expiration, review copy/watermark settings, and the files attached to the link. Changes take effect immediately.
Q: What happens when a link expires?
A: Expired links become inaccessible to anyone who tries to open them. The link remains in your Dashboard with an "Expired" status, so you can view its history or adjust its expiration to reactivate it.
Q: Can I disable a link without deleting it?
A: Yes. Click "Disable" in the link's action column on the Dashboard. This immediately blocks access. You can re-enable it later with the "Enable" button.
Q: How do I permanently delete a link?
A: Click "Delete" in the link's action column. A confirmation modal shows a preview of associated files and lets you choose whether to also delete generated files (review copies, transcodes) and/or original source files. Type "DELETE" to confirm. This action cannot be undone.
Q: What happens to links when I delete a project?
A: When you delete a project, its links are not deleted — they become "unassigned" and appear in the Unassigned Links section below the project list on the Dashboard. You can reassign them to another project later via the link edit screen.
Q: How are uploaded files scanned for security?
A: All uploaded files go through a quarantine process with malware scanning before being moved to the destination folder. Files that fail the scan are rejected.
Q: Where are my logs stored?
A: Client logs are stored in your local application data directory (shown in the Log Viewer's Client tab). Server logs (audit entries) are stored on the server in both a SQLite database and the ops.log file. You can view both from the Log Viewer — use the Client/Server tabs to switch.
Q: I can't see Server Logs — it says "Admin access required". What do I do?
A: Server logs require a system (PAM) account login. If you logged in using an environment token or open access, you won't have admin privileges. Log in with your server's system username and password to access server logs and health stats.
Q: How do I connect to multiple servers?
A: 45Flow supports multiple simultaneous server connections. After connecting to your first server, use the Connection Manager (from the server switcher dropdown in the header) to add additional servers. Each server maintains its own authentication and license state.
Q: Can I view annotations created by other users?
A: Yes. All annotations are visible to anyone with access to the link. They appear as overlays on the video frame at the timecoded position where they were created.
For additional support, contact your 45Drives representative or visit 45drives.com.