Refbox

About Refbox

Refbox is the ultimate sidekick for the modern creative, built to smash the endless cycle of alt-tabbing and window juggling. It's a floating reference app that pins your inspiration—images, GIFs, videos, notes, you name it—in always-on-top frames right over your workspace. Think of it as your digital mood board that never gets buried. Whether you're deep in a 3D sculpt, fine-tuning an animation, or crafting a slick UI, your references stay visible and instantly accessible, keeping you locked in your creative flow. It's for the designers, artists, animators, and developers who can't afford the mental tax of searching through folders or a browser tab graveyard. Refbox cuts the clutter and delivers your visual fuel directly to your desktop, transforming how you gather, organize, and use inspiration. It’s not just a tool; it's a workflow revolution that puts everything you need at your fingertips, so you can stop managing windows and start creating your best work.

Features of Refbox

Always-On-Top Floating Frames

This is the core magic. Drag any image, GIF, video, or note out of the sidebar and it becomes a resizable, movable frame that floats above every other app on your desktop. Need to trace a pose in your drawing software or match a color in your design app? Just pin it and work. No more frantic switching. You can even minimize frames or lock them in place to work behind them, giving you total control over your digital workspace.

Multi-Source Media Hub & Collections

Your inspiration comes from everywhere, and Refbox gets it. Instantly add media by dragging from the web, your computer, or straight from your clipboard. Organize everything into separate Collections—like "Character Design," "UI Inspo," or "Color Palettes"—and swap between them with a single click. It’s like having multiple dedicated reference boards you can summon instantly, keeping every project neat and your mind clear.

Smart Media Controls & Utilities

Refbox goes beyond simple viewing with pro-level utilities. Scrub through videos and GIFs with frame-by-frame playback to nail that perfect motion reference. Use the built-in color picker to grab any hue from any pinned media. Crop images on the fly, take screenshots of websites by pasting a URL, and view SVG files as images. These aren't just features; they're time-saving power-ups that keep you in the zone.

Markdown Notes & Link Bookmarks

Keep your thoughts and tasks glued to your visual process. Add markdown-enabled notes for ideas, instructions, or checklists directly within Refbox—no need for a separate app. Save clickable links as bookmarks to tutorials, articles, or resources. Now your reference images and the crucial "how-to" info live side-by-side, creating a complete, self-contained inspiration station for any project.

Use Cases of Refbox

Digital Illustration & Concept Art

For illustrators and concept artists, visual reference is everything. Use Refbox to pin anatomy photos, environment shots, and color palettes in floating frames over Photoshop or Clip Studio Paint. Compare sketches to references in real-time, use frame-by-frame GIF playback to study movement, and keep your brief and notes visible. It streamlines the entire process from mood board to final render.

UI/UX & Web Design Workflows

UI/UX designers live in a world of inspiration and iteration. With Refbox, pin screenshots of competitor sites, design system components, and typography samples directly over Figma or Sketch. Use Collections to separate client projects or design stages (wireframes, mockups). The ability to bookmark live website links and take quick screenshots makes gathering and referencing UI patterns incredibly fluid.

3D Modeling & Animation

3D artists and animators need precise visual guides. Float reference images for character modeling, texture inspiration, or scene composition right over Blender, Maya, or Cinema 4D. The frame-by-frame playback for video and GIFs is a game-changer for nailing animation cycles and motion studies. Keep technical notes or rigging instructions in a pinned note for constant access without breaking your 3D viewport focus.

Motion Graphics & Video Editing

Editors and motion designers can finally keep storyboards, style frames, and asset lists in view while working in After Effects or Premiere Pro. Pin video reference clips to study timing, or use the gallery view on a second monitor to browse through entire shot sequences. Refbox eliminates the hunt for that one keyframe or asset, making the edit and compositing process dramatically faster and more intuitive.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the "always-on-top" feature work with other apps?

Refbox uses a system-level window setting to keep its floating frames on top of other application windows. This means whether you're in a full-screen design tool, a game engine, or a browser, your pinned references will stay visible. You have full control—you can resize, minimize, or lock frames so you can temporarily work behind them if needed.

Can I use Refbox with multiple monitors?

Absolutely, and it's a powerhouse setup. You can drag the main Refbox sidebar or individual floating frames to any monitor. Many users love using the full-screen Gallery mode on a secondary display as a dedicated, immersive reference board, while keeping their primary screen clean for their main creative application.

What kinds of files and media does Refbox support?

Refbox supports a wide range: common image formats (JPG, PNG, WebP, SVG), videos (MP4, MOV, etc.), GIFs, and text-based notes. You can also add website links as visual bookmarks. Media can be imported directly from your hard drive, dragged from a web browser, or pasted from your clipboard for maximum flexibility.

Is there a way to quickly navigate or hide references?

Yes, Refbox is built for speed. Use keyboard shortcuts to swiftly swap between Collections, navigate pinned items with arrow keys, or toggle the entire sidebar's visibility to auto-hide when not needed. These shortcuts are fully customizable, letting you tailor the control scheme to fit your muscle memory and workflow perfectly.