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Guides & reference

Troubleshooting and FAQ

Fix common problems across every studio: saving and storage, sync, offline use, sign-in, plans, AI limits, rendering, exports, billing and browsers, plus a long FAQ.
Sculptural study of connected forms and structured ideas

This page is the first place to look when something in flowss does not behave the way you expect. It explains where flowss tells you about a problem, what each of the common messages means and what to do about it, how to protect and recover your work, which browsers and devices are supported, and how to reach a person when the answer is not here. Every studio also has its own troubleshooting table for messages that only appear in that studio; the Troubleshooting section near the end of this page links to each of them. The page closes with a long list of frequently asked questions.

At a glance

If you see or suspectFirst thing to tryRead more
A red Not saved pill, or "Storage is full — changes are no longer being saved on this device."Export the open document now, then free space from the Library's storage panelSaving, browser storage and lost work
A screen headed "Something went wrong"Choose Try again; if it repeats, reload and note the digest codeWhen a page crashes
"You're offline." at the bottom of the screenKeep the tab open and reconnectWorking offline and app updates
Work missing on another deviceSign in with the same account on both, then reloadCloud sync and several devices
A sign-in, confirmation or code errorUse the newest email, check spam, and use the same sign-in method you signed up withSigning in and account access
A pricing page that says a studio "is part of Starter"Use the Studio or Sketch, or upgradePlans, locks and limits
An AI request refusedRead the message: it names your plan and the way past the limitAI requests that are refused
A diagram that will not drawRead the Render error box and use Go to line or Explain & fixDiagrams that will not render
An export, copy or share link that failsExport SVG as a fallback; use the export rather than the clipboardExporting, copying and sharing
A checkout or billing messageDo not pay twice; open Manage billing on your account pagePayments and billing
A feature that does nothing in your browserUse a current Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari over httpsBrowser and device support
Still stuckOpen /support or send a request from /contactGetting help

First steps for any problem

Most problems are solved by one of these steps. Work through them in order:

  1. Read the whole message. flowss messages are written to say what happened, whether anything was lost or charged, and what to do next. Many end with a sentence such as "Nothing has been charged" or "Your work is still in this tab" that tells you how urgent the problem is.
  2. Check the save state. Look at the document status badge in the identity island at the top left of the studio. If it shows Not saved, export your work before doing anything else, including reloading.
  3. Check your connection. If the amber "You're offline." notice is showing at the bottom of the screen, AI, cloud saves and sharing will not work until you reconnect.
  4. Check the service status. Open the status page: it names the release that is running and shows everyone how many configuration checks are degraded (only an administrator sees which). It is not an outage detector — the database, billing and AI providers are not checked by its badge — so a green badge does not rule out a problem with one of them. See Reliability, status and support.
  5. Reload the page. Many temporary problems clear on a reload. Only do this when the save state is not Not saved, or after you have exported.
  6. Check your plan. A lock icon, the words "Part of Starter" or a message naming your plan means the feature belongs to another plan. See Plans and what they include.
  7. Try another current browser. Browser extensions, private windows and older browsers cause a share of problems. See Browser and device support.
  8. Ask for help. If none of the above works, see Getting help for what to send so the problem can be fixed quickly.

Where flowss tells you about problems

Notifications (toasts)

Short notifications appear briefly near the edge of the screen. They come in four kinds: success, information, warning and error.

KindHow long it staysScreen reader behaviour
Success and informationAbout 3 secondsAnnounced politely, after whatever is being read
Warning and errorAbout 5 secondsAnnounced immediately

Hovering over a notification, or moving keyboard focus onto it, pauses its timer, so you can read a long message at your own pace. Each one has a Dismiss notification button. Some carry an action button, such as Undo after you delete a figure or move Library documents to the trash. A notification that is raised just before the page navigates is kept for up to 15 seconds and shown on the next page, so it is not lost.

The document status badge

The studios show a status badge in the identity island at the top left. It combines the save state with a count of problems found in the document. Select it, or press ⇧⌘M (Ctrl+Shift+M on Windows and Linux), to open its detail.

Badge readingWhat it meansWhat to do
Saved (a tick)The latest change is storedNothing
Saving (a spinner)A save is in progressWait a moment
Saved in this browser only (a drive icon)Stored in this browser but not backed up to your accountSign in, or keep an exported copy
Not saved (red, a crossed-out cloud)The latest change has not been storedExport now, then fix the cause
Not saved — this browser is not keeping itThe browser is refusing to store anything for this siteExport now; leave private browsing or allow site data
Not saved — the last save failedA save attempt failedExport now; see Saving, browser storage and lost work
A number with a warning or error iconThe document has errors, warnings or notesOpen the badge to see each finding

Not saved always outranks the finding count: a document that is losing work never hides that behind a tidy count of warnings. On a phone-width screen the red pill shows only the crossed-out cloud; the words are still read out by screen readers. Open the badge (or hover the red pill) to read the reason, for example "This browser refused the last write — it is full, or site data is blocked. Your work is still in this tab; export it before reloading."

When you are signed out, the badge's detail also explains the local-only risk, for example "Work you make while signed out is saved in this browser only. It is not backed up, and it does not follow you to another device." If the browser has not agreed to keep the data, the label becomes "Saved in this browser only, which may delete it", and the detail adds that the browser "may delete it to free space, and Safari can clear it after 7 days without a visit."

The render error box (Studio)

When a diagram's source cannot be drawn, the Studio canvas shows a Render error box with the engine's own message. Depending on the error it offers Go to line followed by a number, which jumps the code editor to the failing line, and Explain & fix, which asks the flowss Studio Agent to explain and repair the problem. When there was a successful drawing before the error, the canvas keeps showing it under the label "Last good render — not the current source", so you can see what you had while you fix the source. See Diagrams that will not render.

The sync banner and the storage panel

Problems with cloud backup appear in a banner across the studio, for example "Cloud backup is failing — your work is saved on this device only." Problems with this browser's own storage are summarised in the Library's Storage panel. Both are described below.

When a page crashes

Occasionally a page fails outright. flowss catches the failure and shows one of these screens. Every error screen carries the small heading "Something went wrong".

ScreenWhat it saysYour options
A page or area error"This page hit an unexpected error", or the area's name: "Studio hit an unexpected error", "Weave hit an unexpected error", "Science Studio hit an unexpected error", "Lab hit an unexpected error", "BPMN hit an unexpected error", "Figure hit an unexpected error", "Sketch hit an unexpected error", "Evidence hit an unexpected error", "Live hit an unexpected error" or "Your dashboard hit an unexpected error". Below it: "The rest of flowss is fine and your local work is saved. Click Try again to re-render, or head back and reopen it."Try again re-renders the page. Library takes you to the Library (on the dashboard error, Studio takes you to the Studio instead)
The Studio editor itself failed"The studio hit an unexpected error" and "Your last diagram is still saved locally — nothing was lost. Click Try again, or reload the page if the error persists."Studio reopens the Studio, Try again re-renders it, Reload page reloads the browser tab. Technical details opens the message, with a Copy button for your support request
The whole app failed"flowss hit an unexpected error" and "The app failed to load. This error does not delete work that was already saved. Work saved while signed out is kept only in this browser, and is not backed up anywhere else unless it has since synced to your account. Try again, or reload the page."Try again, or Home, which reloads the site from scratch
Page not found"404", "This canvas is blank." and "We couldn't find that page. Try one of the workstations instead."Links to the home page, Studio, Weave, Science, Lab, BPMN and Sketch, plus "Looking for something specific? Try the status page."

The page, area and whole-app error screens show the technical message in a small box and, when there is one, a line starting digest: followed by a code. Copy that code into your support request: it lets the team find the exact failure. Crashes are also reported automatically; see Privacy and your data for what a crash report contains.

If Try again brings the same screen back:

  1. Do not clear your browser's site data. That is where unsynced work lives.
  2. Reload the page with your browser's refresh button.
  3. If it still fails, open the Library and reopen the document from there.
  4. If one document always crashes the studio, export it from the Library if you can, and send a support request with the digest code.

Saving, browser storage and lost work

How saving works

Every studio saves your work to this browser's own storage as you go. When you are signed in, flowss also backs your work up to your account in the cloud, so it follows you to other devices. If you were signed out when you made something, it is kept only in this browser: browsers can delete that storage to free space, and Safari can clear it after 7 days without a visit. The badge then reads "Saved in this browser only", and its detail explains the risk. See Cloud sync, offline work and devices for the full picture.

When the browser runs out of space

Browsers give each site a small, fixed amount of this kind of storage — typically around 5 MB. When flowss can no longer write to it you see:

  • the red Not saved pill on the open document;
  • a notification and banner reading "Storage is full — changes are no longer being saved on this device." with "Open the Library's storage panel to export a backup, then clear space. Your work is still here until then."

Your work is still on screen at that point, but it will not survive a reload. Recover like this:

  1. Export the open document first. Use the studio's export menu to save the source or project file. Do not reload until you have.
  2. Open the Library. For a copy of everything at once, open Library options and choose Export library… under Backup: it downloads every Library document, trash included, as one backup file that Import backup… can read back later.
  3. Select the Storage health button to open the Storage panel.
  4. Read Biggest documents to see what is taking the space. Documents in the trash still count.
  5. Select View trash to restore anything you still need, then Empty trash. flowss asks "Empty the trash?" and warns that the documents "will be removed from this device permanently. This can't be undone." Confirm with the Delete button that names the number of documents.
  6. Delete or export-and-delete large documents you no longer need. Pasted images are the usual cause of very large documents.
  7. Return to the studio and make a small edit. The badge returns to Saved when a save succeeds, and the storage warning clears by itself.

The Storage panel

PartWhat it shows
Warning line"This browser is refusing new writes — changes made now are NOT being saved. Empty the trash or delete a large document, then try again." appears only when writes are failing
Browser storage meterHow much of the roughly 5 MB is in use. The note under it explains that browsers do not report the exact limit, and, when the browser says, how much the whole site uses including caches
Meter message"Plenty of room — everything is saving normally." below 70%; "Browser storage is filling up. Emptying the trash frees space immediately." from 70%; "Browser storage is nearly full — new edits may stop saving. Empty the trash or delete a large document to make room." from 90%
Where it goesThe Library's documents and trash, each studio's live working state, "Preferences, checkpoints & history", and "Other site data"
Biggest documentsThe largest documents by name, with their studio and whether they are in the trash
Trash lineHow many documents the trash holds and their size, with View trash and Empty trash
Cloud lineShown when you have cloud projects: how many, and that they are stored on flowss servers and do not count against this browser's storage

Private windows and blocked site data

Private or incognito windows, and browsers set to block site data, may refuse storage altogether. Studios then show messages such as "Local storage is unavailable in this browser — changes stay in this tab only." or "Not saved — this browser is not keeping it". Work in a normal window, or allow site data for www.flowss.ai, and export anything you want to keep before closing a private window.

Finding work you think you have lost

Check these places in order before assuming work is gone:

  1. Undo. Press ⌘Z (Ctrl+Z on Windows and Linux). Loading a template, switching an engine's starter or accepting an AI change can replace what was on the canvas, and undo brings it back.
  2. The Library trash. Deleted documents stay in the trash for 30 days. Open the Trash chip in the Library (it shows a count, and appears once something is in the trash) and select Restore on the document. Delete forever removes it for good. See Your library.
  3. Version history. Most studios keep earlier versions of a document. See Version history and undo.
  4. The Vault. Checkpoints you saved, and copies kept after a sync conflict (named "— this device's copy"), live in the Vault section of the Flow Dock, which ⌘J (Ctrl+J) opens and closes.
  5. The right account. Your cloud work belongs to the account that made it. If you have more than one account (for example GitHub and an email account), sign in with the other one.
  6. The right browser. Work made while signed out stays in the browser where it was made. Installed apps, including Safari web apps, can use separate storage from the browser.
  7. Figure's own workspace. The Figure studio keeps its own workspace; open Figure directly.

Cloud sync and several devices

When you are signed in, flowss backs your workspace up to your account and brings it to every device you sign in on. These are the messages you may meet.

MessageWhat it meansWhat to do
"Saved in this browser only — sign in to back up"You are signed outSign in to back this browser's work up to your account
"You've been signed out, so cloud backup has stopped — your work is saved on this device only. Sign in again to resume it."Your session endedSign in again
"Cloud backup is failing — your work is saved on this device only."Several attempts in a row could not reach the server or were not storedCheck your connection; reload if it continues. Your work is safe on this device
"Your last changes could not be backed up to the cloud."The last attempt did not get throughKeep working; reopen flowss while online to sync them
"Another device saved newer work to the cloud. This device did NOT overwrite it — reload to continue from the latest version."Another device changed the same workspaceReload the page
"Your workspace is … — larger than the … cloud limit, so it is NOT being backed up. …"The workspace is over the cloud backup limitExport, then delete large figures, documents or Vault snapshots
"Some of your work is not being backed up."Particular documents are too large for their budgetExport the named items, or make them smaller
A note that a document "was also changed on another device. Both are kept: …"Both devices changed the same documentNothing is lost: one copy is open and the other is in the Vault

Some details worth knowing:

  • Sync runs while you work and when you switch away from a tab. After working on one device, switch tabs or wait a moment, then reload the other device.
  • If someone else signs in on the same computer, that device's workspace is replaced by their cloud copy. Sign back in with your own account and everything that synced returns.
  • Shared projects save on their own schedule and pause personal sync for that workspace. See Sharing and permissions.
  • Study syncs separately and has its own limit and messages. See Study.

For every sync detail, see Cloud sync, offline work and devices.

Working offline and app updates

When the connection drops

When your device goes offline, an amber notice appears at the bottom of the screen: "You're offline. Keep your current work open. AI, cloud saves and sharing need a connection."

Works offlineNeeds a connection
Editing in a studio that is already openOpening a studio you do not already have open (a studio checks your sign-in as it loads)
Engines that draw inside your browserSigning in
Saving to this browser's storageCloud backup and sync
The built-in icon libraryAI features, including automatic repair
Exporting source files and SVG from an open studioEngines drawn by an outside service (PlantUML and the Kroki engines)
Sharing, comments, live sessions and voice
Online icon search

If you open a page while offline, you see a page marked "Connection paused" and headed "Your next idea can wait a moment." It explains: "This page isn't available without a connection. Reconnect and use your browser's refresh button to return to it." and "Keep any open work in its tab: a studio that is already open keeps working. Opening a studio needs a connection." It offers Open Library and Try home, which work only if those pages are saved on this device. Keep any open studio tab open until you are back online, and export important work before closing it, because local drafts belong to this browser.

When an update is ready

flowss updates itself, but it never reloads a tab you are working in without asking. When a new version is ready, a card headed "A fresh version is ready" appears at the bottom right: "Finish your work, then update when you're ready. This window stays open until you choose."

  1. Finish what you are doing and make sure the document is saved.
  2. Select Update & reload. Your browser asks you to confirm: "Save or export any unfinished work in your open flowss windows first. Update and reload this window now?"
  3. Confirm. The window reloads on the new version.

Select Later (or the close button, labelled "Remind me later") to keep working; a small Update available button stays at the bottom right so you can update when you are ready.

MessageWhat to do
"That update is no longer available. Check for updates from the install page."A newer update replaced the one offered. Open /install and select Check for updates
"The update is taking longer than expected. Your current work remains open; try again when ready."Nothing was lost. Try Update & reload again later
"Couldn't check. Reconnect and try again." (on the install page)The update check could not reach flowss. Reconnect and retry
"Use a normal, secure browser window to enable app support." (on the install page)App support is not available in this window, for example a private window

Signing in and account access

The table lists the sign-in messages people meet most often. For the full set, see Creating an account and signing in.

MessageWhat it meansWhat to do
"That email and password don't match. Check both and try again, or use “Forgot password?”."Wrong email or password, or the account was created with GitHub or GoogleCheck both fields; use Forgot password?; or use the button you signed up with
"An account with this email already exists. Sign in instead, or use “Forgot password?”."The address already has an accountSign in, or reset the password
"That link has expired or was already used — they only work once. Enter your email above and we'll send a fresh one."A confirmation link was opened twice, late, or by a mail scannerRequest a fresh link and open only the newest email
"This sign-in came back to a different browser or address than the one it started from, …"You started signing in in one browser and finished in anotherStart again in the browser you want to use
"Choose a different password: that one is too weak or has appeared in a known data breach. …"The password was refusedChoose another, or use Suggest strong password
"The verification check didn't go through. Complete it again, then retry."The anti-abuse challenge was not completed or has expiredComplete the challenge again
"Too many attempts from your network in a short time. Wait a little, then try again."Many requests from your networkWait a few minutes
"Couldn't reach the sign-in service. Check your connection and try again."Your device could not reach the sign-in serviceCheck your connection, VPN or firewall
"We couldn't finish that sign-in. You may have cancelled it, or the provider isn't set up yet — try again, or use the email form above."A GitHub or Google sign-in was cancelled or refusedTry again, or use the email form
"Email sign-in is briefly unavailable: too much email has gone out in a short time, …"Sign-in email is paused for a whileUse Continue with GitHub or Continue with Google, or try later
"This account can't sign in at the moment. If you think that's a mistake, contact support."The account is suspendedContact support
"Nothing after a few minutes? Check spam. If it isn't there, that address may have no account here, or email may be paused."No email has arrivedCheck spam and promotions folders; confirm the address

Two-step verification

If you turned on two-step verification, signing in asks for a code on a page headed "Enter your verification code": "This account has two-step verification on. Open your authenticator app and enter the 6-digit code it shows for flowss." Type the six digits into Verification code and select Verify (it stays disabled until six digits are entered).

MessageWhat to do
"That code didn’t match. Codes change every 30 seconds — enter the one your app shows now."Enter the code your app shows now. Make sure your phone's clock is set automatically
"That took too long. Enter the current code from your app."Enter a fresh code
"Too many attempts. Wait a few minutes, then try again."Wait a few minutes
"This account has no authenticator app set up."Choose Sign in with a different account and sign in again
"Confirm a code from your authenticator app first, then try again."An action needs a fresh code first; enter the current code
"Two-step verification isn’t available on this deployment yet."The feature is switched off on the service; nothing is wrong with your account

If you have lost your phone, the page explains: "If you saved the setup key when you turned this on, add it to an authenticator app on any device and enter the code it shows." If you lost the key too, it tells you to email support "from the address on your account". Do this from the same email address so the team can verify you. Sign in with a different account signs you out and returns you to the sign-in page. See Account settings and your data.

Joining a project or team from an invite

Opening an invite link does not join you straight away. flowss first asks, for example "Join project as you?", explains which role you would have and that joining shows your name and email address to everyone on the project, and offers Not now and Join project (or Join team). Nothing happens until you choose: "Only join projects you recognise — nothing happens until you choose." If you are already a member, it says "This invite would not change anything" and offers Dismiss and Open project.

MessageWhat to do
"This invite link has expired. Ask the project owner for a new one." (for a team: "Ask the team owner or an admin for a new one.")Invitations last 30 days; ask for a new one
"This invite link has been revoked. Ask the project owner for a new one."The owner withdrew the link; ask for a new one
"This invite link is invalid or has expired."The link is incomplete or no longer exists; ask for a new one
"This invite is for a different email address."Sign in with the invited address, or ask for an invitation to your current one
"This invite has already been used. Ask the project owner to send a new one."Email invitations work once; ask for another
"Could not reach the server — you have not joined."Check your connection and choose Join project (or Join team) again
"Invite dismissed — you have not joined that team."You chose Not now on a team invite; open the link again to reconsider
"Sign in to open a shared project."Sign in, then open the link again

See Sharing and permissions and Teams and organisations.

Plans, locks and limits

Studios your plan does not open

Free opens the Studio and the Sketch canvas; Starter and above open all nine studios. If you open another studio on Free, you land on the pricing page with a note headed, for example, "Lab is part of Starter", explaining that "The Studio and the Sketch canvas stay free" and that Starter opens every workstation. In the studio switcher, studios your plan does not open show a lock and the words "Part of Starter". Your documents in a locked studio are kept; they open again when you upgrade.

How much a Free account holds

LimitMessageWhat to do
3 figures in each studio"Free accounts keep 3 figures in a studio, and this one is full. Every figure here stays open and fully editable — nothing has been archived or deleted. Delete one to make room, or upgrade to Starter for unlimited figures."Delete one, or upgrade to Starter
Already above the limit (for example after a paid plan ends)"This studio holds … figures, and free accounts keep 3. Nothing has been deleted and every one of them stays open and fully editable — the cap only pauses new ones. Delete … to make room, or upgrade to Starter for unlimited figures."Everything stays editable; the message names how many to delete before you can add another
3 saved cloud projects"Free accounts keep 3 saved projects, and yours are full. Every one of them stays fully editable — nothing has been archived or made read-only. Delete one to make room, or upgrade to Starter for unlimited projects."Delete a project you own, or upgrade
The last free project slot"This is your last free project slot — Starter removes the limit."A warning only; you can still save this one

AI requests that are refused

AI is never required: every studio works without it. When an AI request is refused, the message names the reason and the way past it.

MessageWhat it meansWhat to do
"The free plan has no AI at all: no hosted points, and bringing your own API key is part of Starter and up. …"Free includes no AIUpgrade to Starter (your own key) or Plus (hosted points)
"Hosted AI isn't included on the starter plan. Paste your own API key in Settings — …"Starter runs AI on your own keyAdd your key. See Bring your own AI key
"Bringing your own AI key is part of Starter and up, so the AI key saved to your account wasn't used on the free plan. Nothing is wrong with the key — it wasn't sent to any provider, and it stays exactly where it is. Upgrade to Starter and it works on your next request." (or "the AI key you brought" for a key kept in this browser)You are on Free with a keyUpgrade to Starter; the key starts working on your next request
"Hosted AI needs a signed-in account with AI points — Plus includes 200 a month. Sign in first. …"You are signed outSign in; Free accounts have no AI at all, so you need Starter (own key) or Plus (hosted points)
"You're out of AI points (… left of … this month). Buy a top-up pack from your account page — purchased points never expire — or paste your own API key in Settings: …"You have used this month's allowance (200 on Plus, 600 on Ultra) and any purchased pointsBuy a pack (100 or 500 points), use your own key, or wait for the 1st of the month (UTC)
"Hosted AI on flowss has reached today's safety limit. It resets at 00:00 UTC. …"A platform-wide daily safety limit was reachedWait until midnight UTC or use your own key; no points were taken
"Daily limit for AI requests on your own key reached (1000/day). It resets at midnight UTC — nothing was sent to your provider."The fair-use ceiling for own-key requestsWait until midnight UTC
"Daily limit for agent runs on your own key reached (300/day). …"The fair-use ceiling for agent runs on your own keyWait until midnight UTC
"You're signed in, but your account is still being set up — …"Your profile is still being created after your first sign-inTry again in a minute
"We couldn't read your plan just now, so we haven't run this. Nothing has been charged — please try again in a moment."A temporary problemTry again shortly
"You've hit the AI rate limit. Wait a moment and try again, or add your own API key in Settings."Too many requests in a short timeWait a moment
"The AI service timed out or was unreachable. Please try again."The AI provider did not answer in timeTry again; for large changes use the Agent mode of the studio's agent
"That input is too large for the AI to process — try simplifying it."The request is too largeSplit the figure or the request
"Prompt is too long (>6000 chars)"Your request is over 6,000 charactersShorten it
"That doesn't look like an API key from a supported provider. Nothing was sent."A pasted key has the wrong shapeCopy the whole key again from your provider
The prompt reads AI is off hereAI is not available on the service right nowCarry on without AI; every non-AI tool works

See AI in flowss, AI points and limits and Bring your own AI key.

Daily limits on outside services

A few engines are drawn by services outside flowss: PlantUML by a PlantUML server, and engines such as Structurizr, Excalidraw and Pikchr by Kroki. These renders, TikZ conversions, literature searches and some exports have daily allowances that rise with your plan and reset at midnight UTC.

MessageWhat to do
"PlantUML render limit reached for your plan (…/day on …). It resets at midnight UTC; a higher plan raises the cap."Wait until midnight UTC, upgrade, or use an engine drawn inside flowss
"Diagram render limit reached for your plan (…/day on …). …"As above, for the Kroki engines
"The diagram render service is rate-limiting this deployment. Try again shortly."The outside service is busy; nothing is wrong with your diagram
"The diagram render service could not be reached."Check your connection, or switch to an engine drawn in your browser
"TikZ conversion limit reached for your plan (…/day on …). …"Wait until midnight UTC, or use your own key

Diagrams that will not render

When a Studio figure fails to draw:

  1. Read the Render error box. The message comes from the engine itself and usually names the line.
  2. Select Go to line to jump to the problem in the code editor, fix it, and the figure redraws as you type.
  3. If you cannot see the problem, select Explain & fix. The AI explains the error and proposes a repair (this uses AI, so it needs AI on your plan).
  4. If the figure used to work, press ⌘Z to step back to the version that drew, or open the figure's version history.

Automatic repair may also try to fix a broken figure up to twice when AI is available. While it works, a pill at the top of the canvas reads "Auto-fix attempt 1/2…" (then 2/2); Explain & fix is disabled meanwhile so you are not charged twice. If both attempts fail, the error box adds "Auto-fix tried 2 times and stopped, so it is not still working on this. Edit the source, or use “Explain & fix” to try once more." It never runs for failures caused by an outside service or a size limit, because nothing in your diagram is wrong. To keep broken source exactly as you wrote it, open Settings, find Repair broken diagrams automatically under Personalization & privacy, and select Turn auto-repair off (the same button then reads Turn auto-repair on). Any repair it makes can be undone.

MessageWhat it meansWhat to do
"Source is … — past the … safe-rendering budget for … Rendering this in the browser would freeze the page. …"The source is larger than the engine can draw safely in a browserSplit the figure, trim the source, or render it with the render API
"Mermaid draws at most 500 connections, and this diagram has more. Nothing in it is wrong — it is larger than Mermaid will lay out. Split it into smaller figures, or draw it with Graphviz or Weave."The diagram is valid but too big for MermaidSplit it, or redraw it with Graphviz or in Weave
"Drawn by Kroki, a third-party render service: this source is sent to it."Information, not an error: this engine's source leaves your browserChoose an in-browser engine for confidential material
"Drawn by a PlantUML server (the public plantuml.com unless self-hosted): this source is sent to it."As above, for PlantUMLAs above
"This figure names an engine this build does not have (“…”). Its source is safe — pick an engine above to carry on."The figure was made with an engine that is no longer availablePick another engine; the source is kept
"This share link couldn't be opened — it may be damaged, or made for an engine this build doesn't have. Your own workspace is shown instead."A share link was cut short or alteredAsk the sender for a fresh link or the source file

For engine-specific messages, see the troubleshooting tables in Software and architecture engines, Business, strategy and planning engines, Process, operations and quality engines, Charts and data-visualisation engines and Maths, science and academic engines.

Exporting, copying and sharing

Most exports run in your browser. In the Studio, SVG, PNG (high-DPI), PDF, Download source, Copy as PNG, Copy as SVG and the multi-figure PDF are available on every plan, Free included; only TeX / LaTeX (TikZ) needs AI. The Studio's export menu also has Image scale (1×, 2× or 3×) and Transparent background; a PDF page cannot be transparent, so it takes the theme's background colour instead. Exports carry no flowss branding on any plan. The one mark flowss adds is an "EXAMPLE DATA" stamp, in the Lab and Figure studios, on figures that still use sample data shipped with the platform; replace the data and the stamp goes. See Exporting your work.

MessageWhat it meansWhat to do
"The diagram didn't render — the canvas is showing the last good frame. Fix the source (or undo) and export again."The current source has an errorFix the error or undo, then export
"The diagram is still rendering — try again once it appears."The drawing had not finished (outside-service engines can be slow)Wait for it to appear, then export
"This engine doesn't render to SVG. Try PNG or PDF — both work for any engine."The engine draws to a canvas, not SVGUse PNG or PDF
"We tried four different ways to rasterise this diagram and none worked. …"Every PNG method failedExport SVG, which always works, and convert it elsewhere
"The browser refused to encode a … canvas (… megapixels) — that is past what it will hold. Export at a smaller scale, or export SVG."The image is too large for your browserChoose a smaller image scale, or export SVG
"The canvas produced an empty image (it is most likely too large to rasterise), so no PDF was made."The PDF's picture was too largeLower the image scale and try again
"None of the … figures rendered, so there was nothing to put in the PDF."No figure could be drawnCheck each figure draws on its own
"This diagram is too large for a share link (… KB — the limit is about 8 KB). Export it, or share the project live." (the Library and Lab say "This document is too large …" and end "Export it instead."; BPMN says links over the limit "are refused by servers" and suggests exporting .bpmn or Share live)In the Studio, Library, Lab and BPMN, share links carry the document inside the address, so they are limited to about 8 KBExport a file, or share through a cloud project or live session
"This diagram is too large for a share link (… MB — imported images are embedded). Export JSON or share it live instead." (Science says "figure")Weave and Science links can carry much more (up to about 1 MB), but imported images can still push a board overExport JSON, or share live
"Couldn't copy — clipboard blocked"The browser refused clipboard accessAllow clipboard access for the site, or use the export or download instead
"The clipboard is only available on a secure (https) page."The page is not on httpsOpen flowss at its https address
"This browser can't copy images to the clipboard. Use Export instead."No image clipboard in this browserExport PNG
An export notice that the board "uses Font Awesome icons (CC BY 4.0): credit Font Awesome (https://fontawesome.com) wherever you publish it"A Font Awesome icon is in the pictureCredit Font Awesome where you publish. See Copyright, licences and attributions
The exported image is darkIt was exported in the dark themeSwitch to the light theme, or tick Transparent background

Studio-specific export messages are in Exporting your work, and embed and API messages in Embedding and the render API.

Payments and billing

The most important rule: if a checkout message is unclear, do not buy again. Many checkout messages end with "Nothing has been charged", and flowss refuses to start a second subscription while one already exists.

MessageWhat it meansWhat to do
"Checkout isn't available on this deployment yet. Nothing has been charged — please try again later or contact support."Payments are not switched on right nowTry later, or join the plan's waitlist
"Your account is still being set up — give it a few seconds and try again. Nothing has been charged."Your account was created moments agoWait a few seconds
"Checkout is busy right now. Please try again in a minute — nothing has been charged."Stripe is briefly busyWait a minute
"Too many checkout attempts. Please wait a while and try again — nothing has been charged."The daily limit on billing attemptsTry again later (counts reset at midnight UTC)
"We couldn't confirm the last checkout attempt. To avoid billing you twice, new checkout is paused for this account for up to … minutes. …"An earlier attempt ended in an unknown stateFinish on a Stripe page that is already open, or wait; contact support if you were charged
"Stripe shows you already have … Change how you're billed — monthly or annual — or cancel, in the billing portal; …"You already subscribeUse Open billing portal
"Your … is still open in Stripe, but its latest payment didn't go through and Stripe is retrying it. …"A renewal payment failedUpdate your card in the billing portal
"Stripe no longer has the customer record this account was linked to, so no payment page was opened. …"The billing link was out of date and has been resetTry again
A page headed "We haven't been able to confirm this purchase yet"Payment may still be processing, or the account update was interruptedSelect Check again. Your card statement and Stripe receipt show whether payment was taken. Do not buy again; if the plan is unchanged after a few minutes, use Tell us and quote the reference shown
"You don't have an active subscription yet — visit /pricing to start one."No billing record exists yetSubscribe from the pricing page; if you just paid, wait a moment
"Could not open the billing portal. Please try again."Stripe did not respondRetry in a moment
"Payment failed — Stripe is retrying; update your card in Manage billing." on your plan cardA renewal was declinedOpen Manage billing and update your card; access continues while Stripe retries
"Ends … — won't renew (reactivate in Manage billing)." on your plan cardYou cancelled; paid features run to that dateNothing, or reactivate in Manage billing
"AI point packs top up a hosted-AI allowance, and your plan doesn't include one. …"Point packs are sold only on plans with a monthly allowance (Plus and Ultra)Upgrade to Plus or Ultra, or on Starter use your own key

What the terms say about payments, in brief: you can cancel at any time and keep paid features until the end of the period you paid for; the remainder is not pro-rated, and refunds are handled case by case; if a payment keeps failing your account may be moved to Free, but your work is not deleted for non-payment. See Managing your subscription for every billing message.

Collaboration, comments and live sessions

MessageWhat it meansWhat to do
"Sharing a project with someone else starts on Plus. …"Inviting people needs the owner to be on Plus or aboveSee Plans and what they include
"Teams start on Plus. …"Creating a team needs Plus or aboveUpgrade, or ask a Plus member to create the team and invite you
"Live sessions start on Plus (up to 3 people) and are uncapped on Ultra. …"Hosting a live session needs Plus or aboveUpgrade, or join a session someone else hosts
"You're signed out, so we can't see your plan. Sign in, then hit “Share live” — …"You tried to host while signed outSign in and try again
"This live session is full — the host's plan seats 3 people. Ultra removes the cap."No seats are leftAsk someone to leave, or have an Ultra member host
"Voice and screenshare are part of Ultra — upgrade to talk over the canvas with your team."Voice needs UltraUpgrade, or talk outside flowss
"Couldn't open the live channel — you're editing alone. Retrying…"The connection droppedWait; it retries by itself
"Project sync is offline. Your local edits are retained and will retry."The connection droppedKeep working
"This project changed on another device. Sync paused to preserve your local edits; export them before reopening the project."Someone saved a conflicting change firstExport your edits, reopen, and reapply them
"This browser can't do peer-to-peer voice — try a current Chrome, Firefox, Edge or Safari."No WebRTC supportSwitch browser
"Microphone access was declined — voice needs the mic. Re-allow it in your browser's site settings to join."You blocked the microphoneAllow it in the site settings next to the address bar
"You need commenter access to comment."You are a viewerAsk the owner for the commenter role

See Sharing and permissions, Comments and review, Live collaboration and Teams and organisations.

Icons and online services

The icon library has a built-in tier that works offline and an online tier that searches the open Iconify catalogue through flowss's own servers.

MessageWhat to do
"Could not load the built-in icon set"Reload the page and reopen the library; meanwhile Search online instead → switches to the online tier
"Couldn't reach the online icon catalogue — check your connection and retry. The built-in icons work offline."Check your connection and select Retry, or use the built-in icons
"The online icon catalogue took too long to answer. Retry, or use the built-in icons in the meantime."Select Retry
"The online icon catalogue isn't answering right now. Retry in a moment — the built-in icons still work."Retry later
"You've reached today's online icon search limit. The built-in icons still work — or try again tomorrow."Use the built-in icons until tomorrow (the limit is counted per network address, per UTC day)
"You've reached today's online icon limit. The built-in icons still work."Shown when previewing an online icon after the daily limit; use the built-in icons
"That icon is no longer in the online catalogue."Pick another icon
"The online icon catalogue took too long to answer — please try again." or "Couldn't reach the icon service — check your connection and try again."Shown when an online icon's preview fails; try again
"Search words are limited to 64 characters."Shorten the search
"That icon couldn't be displayed safely."The online icon failed the safety check before preview; pick another icon or a built-in one
"The clipboard is only available on a secure (https) page."Copy SVG needs https; use Insert into editor instead

See The icon library.

Browser and device support

flowss runs in a web browser and needs no installation. Use a current version of Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari, served over https at www.flowss.ai. Some features need particular browser capabilities; when one is missing, flowss says so rather than failing silently.

FeatureWhat it needsMessage when it is missing
Saving your workSite storage that the browser keeps"Local storage is unavailable in this browser — changes stay in this tab only."
Voice dictation in the AI promptThe browser's speech recognition (Chrome, Edge and Safari 14 and later)"Voice input isn't supported in this browser — try Chrome or Edge."
Voice calls in live sessionsWebRTC and a microphone"This browser can't do peer-to-peer voice — try a current Chrome, Firefox, Edge or Safari."
Photo captureA camera and a secure (https) page"Camera not available in this browser. Use Upload instead."
Copying imagesImage clipboard support on an https page"This browser can't copy images to the clipboard. Use Export instead."
3D molecules and the live 3D floor planWebGLThe engine cannot draw; use another engine or a 2D view
Study's schedule optimiserBackground workers"This browser offers no background worker here, so the calculation was not started: …"
Classic layoutA window at least 1024 pixels wide"The classic layout needs a window at least 1024px wide"

On tablets and phones the studios rearrange themselves: below 1024 pixels only the Modern layout is offered, and below 768 pixels the tools move into a thumb-friendly dock along the bottom with Undo and Redo, and panels become bottom sheets. Pinch to zoom. See A tour of the workspace.

Extensions and browser settings

  • Privacy and ad-blocking extensions can strip information flowss uses to confirm a request came from its own page, which produces "Cross-site request blocked." Make the change from the flowss page itself; if it persists, allow www.flowss.ai in the extension.
  • Strict cookie or site-data settings stop flowss keeping your sign-in and your local work. Allow cookies and site data for www.flowss.ai.
  • Browser keyboard shortcuts win over some flowss shortcuts in some browsers. For example, Firefox keeps ⇧⌘P (Export PNG) for a new private window, so use the Export menu or ⌘K there; and most browsers keep ⇧⌘T (Weave's Type a flow) for reopening a closed tab, so press / on an empty Weave canvas instead. See Keyboard shortcuts.

After flowss has been updated

A tab left open across an update is still running the previous version. Usually the update card appears and you can choose when to reload, but if a part of a studio is opened for the first time after the update, it may fail to load. You then see messages such as "Couldn't load … — you may be offline, or this tab may be running an older build. Reload and try again." or "The template catalogue couldn't be loaded (offline, or a stale build), so the requested template didn't open." Make sure your work is saved, then reload the page. Automatic repair never tries to "fix" your diagram for a failure of this kind, because nothing in the diagram is wrong.

Getting help

WhereWhat it offers
/support"What can we help with?": help topics drawn from the documentation. Choose a topic, or type into Or describe what you need and select Find help; topic matching runs in your browser. When the flowss Support Agent is switched on, a checkbox lets you send the question to Anthropic to pick the topic (sign-in required). A second checkbox enables local voice for the visit (Dictate question, up to 30 seconds, and Read answer aloud). The page cannot see your account, change your work or manage payments; Contact a person takes you to the support form, and your question is not forwarded automatically
/contactCards that open an email with the right subject: Something is broken, How do I…?, Billing, plans and refunds, Privacy and your data, Security, and Teams, education and everything else
Support request form"Send a private support request", tied to your account. Choose a Topic (Product, Bug, Billing, Privacy, Security or Other), write a Subject of 5 to 160 characters and fill in What happened? with 20 to 6,000 characters, tick the box that begins "I have reviewed this message and want to send it", then select Send to a person. You get a reference, and Your recent requests lists your requests with their status
Emailhello@flowss.ai, read by the people who build flowss
StatusThe release that is running and how many configuration checks are degraded (only an administrator sees which); it is not an outage detector

Messages you may see on the support form:

MessageWhat to do
"Sign in to submit and track a request, or use the support email above if you cannot sign in."Sign in, or email hello@flowss.ai
"Confirm your account email before submitting, or email support directly."Confirm your email address from the sign-up email, or email support
"Choose a topic, use a subject of 5–160 characters and describe the issue in 20–6,000 characters."Adjust the subject or description length
"Too many support requests today. Reply to your existing request or email support."Reply to your existing request instead
"Support requests are unavailable right now. Email support instead; your draft has not been submitted."Email hello@flowss.ai

A bug report that gets fixed fast includes the page address (without private details), the approximate time, your browser and device, what you did, what happened, what you expected, the exact message (copy it, do not paraphrase), and the digest: code from an error screen if there was one. People reply during working hours; there is no instant-response guarantee.

Warning: Never send support your password, a one-time code, a reset link, an API key or payment card details. The support form asks you not to include passwords, API keys, payment card details or confidential project content.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to install anything?

No. flowss runs in your browser. You can optionally install it as an app from /install, which gives it its own window and a place on your Home Screen, Dock or taskbar. Installing does not download every engine or make the whole platform work offline.

Which studios can I use for free?

The Studio (every engine and template) and the Sketch canvas. Study, Evidence, Lab, Weave, Science, Figure and BPMN open on Starter and above. See Plans and what they include.

Do I need an account to try flowss?

You can browse the site, pricing, the template gallery, the documentation and the Academy without an account. Opening any studio needs a free account. A link someone sent you is kept while you sign in, and you land exactly where it pointed.

Where is my work saved?

In your browser as you work and, when you are signed in, in your account in the cloud. See Cloud sync, offline work and devices.

Is my work backed up automatically?

Yes, for most studios, whenever you are signed in. Two exceptions are worth knowing: an Evidence review stays in your browser until you choose Save as project, which keeps it on your account, and Study syncs its decks and progress separately (see Study). Some very large documents can exceed the cloud limit; flowss tells you when that happens. Keep exported copies of anything important — exports need no account to open.

I cleared my browser data. Can I get my work back?

Anything that had synced to your account comes back when you sign in again. Work made while signed out, or that had not synced, was only in that browser and cannot be recovered unless you exported it.

Why does a document say "Saved in this browser only"?

It has not been backed up to an account, usually because you were signed out. Sign in and it backs up on the next sync.

Can I use flowss offline?

Partly. A studio that is already open keeps working, saves to the browser and exports. Opening a studio, signing in, cloud sync, AI, outside-service engines and collaboration need a connection.

Why did my work not appear on my phone?

Make sure both devices are signed in with the same account, give the first device a moment to sync (switching tabs triggers it), then reload the second. The Figure studio keeps its own workspace.

Can two people edit the same diagram?

Yes, through a live session or a shared cloud project. Hosting a live session starts on Plus (up to 3 people, host included) and is uncapped on Ultra. Voice and screenshare are part of Ultra, with up to 8 people on a call. Free and Starter are single-player: no live sessions, shared cloud projects or comments. See Live collaboration.

A share link carries the whole document inside the address. flowss does not host the shared copy, index it or record who opened it, but anyone who has the link has the document. Treat a link as public once you have sent it. To control access, use a shared project with roles instead. See Sharing and permissions.

A share link carries the whole document inside the address. In the Studio, the Library, the Lab and BPMN, links over about 8 KB are refused because servers and chat apps do not carry them reliably. Weave and Science links can be much larger (up to about 1 MB), but imported images are embedded and can still push a board past that. Export the file, or share the project in the cloud or live.

Do exports have a watermark?

No flowss branding is added to any export on any plan. The only stamp is "EXAMPLE DATA", in the Lab and Figure studios, on figures that still use sample data shipped with the platform.

Can I use my diagrams commercially?

Yes. You own what you create, and the terms allow you to use the templates, icons and figures in the diagrams you make, including commercially. Font Awesome icons need a credit wherever you publish. See Copyright, licences and attributions.

Does flowss train AI on my diagrams?

No. When you use an AI feature, your prompt and the relevant diagram context go to the AI provider handling that request, and that provider's own policy applies to that call. See Privacy and your data.

Can I use flowss without AI?

Yes. Every studio, engine, template and export works without AI. AI is an optional assistant; Free has none at all.

What are AI points?

Hosted AI is metered in points. Plus includes 200 a month and Ultra 600, resetting on the 1st of each month (UTC) and not carrying over. On those plans you can also buy packs of 100 or 500 points, which never expire. Starter has no hosted points and runs AI on your own provider key instead. See AI points and limits.

Which AI providers can I bring a key for?

Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, DeepSeek, Alibaba (Qwen), Zhipu (GLM), Moonshot (Kimi) and Mistral, on Starter and above. See Bring your own AI key.

Why did the AI change more than I asked?

AI output can make mistakes or restructure more than intended. Press ⌘Z to undo, then ask again more specifically. Always check AI-generated diagrams before using them in research, regulatory or commercial work.

Which engines send my diagram to another service?

PlantUML (to a PlantUML server) and the engines drawn by Kroki. The Studio says so beside those engines: "Drawn by Kroki, a third-party render service: this source is sent to it." Every other engine draws inside your browser. See Choosing an engine.

Why does a limit say it resets at midnight UTC?

Daily limits — outside-service renders, own-key fair use, literature searches, exports from some studios — all count by the UTC day, so they reset at the same moment for everyone. Monthly AI points reset on the 1st of the month, UTC.

How do I cancel my subscription?

Open your account, choose Manage billing, and cancel in Stripe's billing portal. You keep every feature until the end of the period you paid for. See Managing your subscription.

What happens to my work if my paid plan ends?

Nothing is deleted. Studios outside Free lock, but their documents are kept. If a studio holds more than 3 figures, all of them stay editable and only new ones are paused. See Managing your subscription.

Where are my invoices?

In Stripe's billing portal: open your account and choose Manage billing.

Can I get a refund?

Cancelling does not pro-rate the remainder of a period. Refunds are handled case by case; use the Billing, plans and refunds card on the contact page.

Is there an uptime guarantee?

No. The terms make no uptime commitment and no service-level agreement is published for self-serve plans; a 99.9% SLA is listed for Enterprise as "At GA". Keep your own exported copies of important work. See Reliability, status and support.

How do I download everything you hold about me?

On your account page, under your data, select Download my data. See Account settings and your data.

How do I delete my account?

Self-service deletion is temporarily unavailable. Request deletion through the support form. Sending a request does not delete your account or cancel your subscription; cancel separately through Manage billing. See Account settings and your data.

I lost my authenticator app. How do I get back in?

If you saved the setup key when you turned two-step verification on, add it to an authenticator app on any device and enter the code it shows. If you lost the key too, email support from the address on your account, as the code page explains. See Account settings and your data.

I signed up with Google. Why does my password not work?

If you created the account with Continue with Google or Continue with GitHub, sign in with that same button. When the email and password do not match, the sign-in form says so and, where those providers are offered, adds "If you signed up with GitHub or Google, use that button above instead."

Why does the classic layout button not work?

The Classic layout needs a window at least 1024 pixels wide. Widen the window, or use Modern.

A keyboard shortcut types a letter instead of acting. Why?

Your cursor is in a text field or the code editor, which keeps its own keys. Press Escape or click the canvas first. See Keyboard shortcuts.

The toolbars and panels around the canvas vanished. What happened?

Hide interface is on. Press ⌥Z (Alt+Z) or Escape, or select Show interface. On a touch screen, holding two fingers still on the canvas toggles it too, so a resting hand can turn it on by accident.

My diagram disappeared when I picked a template or engine. Can I get it back?

Yes. Press ⌘Z. Picking a template or an engine's starter can replace the open figure; undo restores it. To keep both, start a new figure before choosing.

Why do my exported Lab or Figure images say "EXAMPLE DATA"?

The figure still uses example content shipped with the platform. Replace the data with your own; in the Lab, also delete the starter's "EXAMPLE text from a fictional …" comment line. See Lab views and renderers.

Can I import my diagrams from other tools?

Yes, many formats are supported, including diagram source from other tools, schemas, draw.io files and photos. See Importing and converting.

Is there an API?

Yes. See The REST API, Embedding and the render API and The flowss MCP server.

Can I use flowss with a screen reader?

flowss announces error and warning notifications to screen readers immediately and other notifications politely, and the save state is part of the status badge's accessible name (for example "Document status: Saved, 2 errors, 1 warning"). If something is not accessible to you, report it with the Something is broken card on the contact page.

Who operates flowss?

Voranox Inc., a Canadian company. See Security at flowss and Privacy and your data.


Tips

  • Export important work regularly. An exported file is the copy that does not depend on any browser, device or account.
  • Keep an eye on the status badge. A green check or a drive icon is fine; anything red needs action before you reload.
  • Empty the Library trash now and then. Trashed documents still use browser storage until they are purged after 30 days.
  • Sign in before you start work you care about, so it backs up from the first edit.
  • Copy messages exactly when you report them, and include the digest code from any error screen.
  • Use one sign-in method per account, and remember which one you used.
  • When an AI request is refused, the message tells you whether waiting, adding your own key or upgrading will help.

Limits and known constraints

  • Browser storage is small (typically around 5 MB for this site) and is cleared if you clear site data. Safari can clear it after 7 days without a visit for work that is not backed up.
  • Opening a studio needs a connection; only studios that are already open keep working offline.
  • Share links carry the whole document, so they are limited to about 8 KB in the Studio, the Library, the Lab and BPMN, and to about 1 MB in Weave and Science.
  • Free accounts keep 3 figures in each studio and 3 saved cloud projects; point packs are sold only on Plus and Ultra.
  • Daily limits on outside-service renders, own-key AI use, searches and some exports reset at midnight UTC; monthly AI points reset on the 1st of the month, UTC.
  • There is no uptime commitment for self-serve plans.
  • Self-service account deletion is temporarily unavailable; deletion is handled through support.
  • Voice dictation depends on the browser's own speech recognition, which not every browser offers.
  • Support replies come from people during working hours, not instantly.

Troubleshooting

Each studio and area has its own table of messages that only appear there. Start with the one for the place where the problem happened.

If a message is not in any of these tables, send it to support exactly as it appears; see Getting help.

Something unclear or out of date on this page? Tell us from the Support link in any studio — the flowss team reads every report.

© 2026 Voranox Inc. flowss — Flow Systems Studio. All rights reserved.

This documentation, its text and its examples are protected by copyright. Engine and format names are trademarks of their respective owners — see the terms and copyright and licences.