Refbox

About Refbox

Ever wondered how to keep your creative flow uninterrupted while still having all your visual inspiration right where you need it? Refbox is the ingenious answer to that very puzzle. It's a floating reference application meticulously crafted for creative professionals who are tired of the constant, jarring dance of alt-tabbing between windows. Imagine having a dedicated, always-on-top space on your desktop where you can pin images, videos, GIFs, and notes, keeping them perpetually visible over your primary work applications like Photoshop, Blender, or Figma. This isn't just about convenience; it's about maintaining a state of deep focus. By eliminating the need to search through folders or browser tabs, Refbox puts your entire reference library at your fingertips, transforming your desktop into a dynamic, interactive mood board. It's designed for illustrators, 3D artists, animators, UI/UX designers, and concept artists—anyone whose process is fueled by visual cues and who can't afford the cognitive break of switching contexts. The core value proposition is simple yet profound: seamless access to inspiration, enabling you to create faster and with greater accuracy by keeping your references in your direct line of sight.

Features of Refbox

Always-on-Top Floating Frames

Discover the power of true multitasking without the clutter. You can drag any image, GIF, or video from Refbox's sidebar directly onto your desktop as an independent, resizable window. These frames stay pinned above all your other applications, whether you're sketching, designing, or coding. This means your reference material is always visible, eliminating the need to constantly switch windows and break your concentration. You can arrange multiple frames around your workspace, creating a custom layout that perfectly suits your current project's needs.

Versatile Media & Note Management

Curious how to consolidate all your project assets? Refbox acts as a central hub for more than just images. You can import media directly from the web, your local computer, or even your clipboard with a simple paste. Beyond visuals, it supports markdown-enabled notes for jotting down ideas, creating checklists, or storing instructions. You can also save clickable bookmarks to crucial tutorials or articles. This feature transforms Refbox from a simple viewer into a comprehensive project companion, keeping every piece of inspiration and information in one accessible place.

Intelligent Viewing Modes

Explore your references in the way that makes the most sense for your workflow. Choose from multiple viewing options: Masonry Mode presents your collection in a dynamic, Pinterest-style grid perfect for browsing mood boards. For focused review, use the full-screen Gallery on a second monitor. The most powerful mode, however, is the ability to float individual items as separate frames. You can even scrub through videos and GIFs frame-by-frame for detailed analysis, giving you unprecedented control over your animated references.

Advanced Creative Utilities

Delve into the thoughtful details that supercharge a creative workflow. Refbox includes a suite of specialized tools like a built-in color picker to grab hues directly from any reference, an image cropper to focus on specific details, and pixel-perfect rendering for pixel art. You can lock frames to draw over them, take instant screenshots of websites by pasting a URL, and organize references into multiple, swappable Collections for different projects or stages of work. These aren't just features; they're carefully designed accelerators for the creative process.

Use Cases of Refbox

Digital Illustration & Concept Art

For illustrators and concept artists, visual reference is the lifeblood of creation. Refbox streamlines this by allowing artists to pin multiple character poses, environment shots, and color palettes in floating windows around their canvas in Photoshop or Clip Studio Paint. Instead of minimizing their art software to check a folder, they can study anatomy, lighting, and composition directly alongside their work, leading to more accurate and inspired artwork without ever leaving the creative zone.

3D Modeling & Animation

3D artists and animators can dramatically improve their workflow by using Refbox to hold blueprint images, texture references, and motion study videos. While modeling in Blender or Maya, having orthographic views and material samples in always-on-top frames ensures perfect proportions and surface details. Animators can scrub frame-by-frame through reference GIFs or videos right next to their timeline, making the process of replicating complex movements far more intuitive and efficient.

UI/UX & Graphic Design

Designers can use Refbox to assemble mood boards, competitor screenshots, brand guidelines, and user flow diagrams. While designing in Figma or Adobe XD, these references remain visible, ensuring design consistency and inspiration are always present. The ability to add markdown notes for project requirements or client feedback directly alongside visual assets keeps the entire project context unified and immediately accessible, speeding up the iteration process.

Motion Graphics & Video Editing

Motion designers and video editors can leverage Refbox to keep style frames, animation inspiration, and storyboards in view while working in After Effects or Premiere Pro. Having a sequence of reference videos or GIFs pinned and playable allows for direct comparison and timing checks. The color picker tool is especially useful for matching color grades from reference footage, ensuring a cohesive visual style across the entire project.

Frequently Asked Questions

What platforms does Refbox support?

Refbox is currently available for macOS and Windows operating systems. It is designed as a desktop application to leverage system-level features like always-on-top windows and clipboard integration, providing a seamless and powerful experience directly within your creative workspace on these platforms.

Can I use Refbox with multiple monitors?

Absolutely! Refbox excels in a multi-monitor setup. You can use one screen for your primary creative application (like Photoshop or Blender) and dedicate a second monitor to Refbox's full-screen Gallery mode for an expansive view of your entire reference collection. Alternatively, you can spread individual floating frames across both screens for maximum layout flexibility.

How do I get my images and videos into Refbox?

Getting content into Refbox is designed to be frictionless. You can drag and drop files directly from your computer, paste image data from your clipboard (like a screenshot you just took), or import media from the web by providing a URL. The app also allows you to take instant screenshots of websites simply by pasting a link, which it will then render as an image in your collection.

How does Refbox handle organization for different projects?

Refbox uses a system called "Collections" to keep your references organized. You can create separate collections for different clients, projects, or themes—like "Character Design," "Landscape Art," or "Client X Brand Guide." You can instantly swap between these collections with a single click, allowing you to context-switch your entire reference library in a moment, keeping your workspace clean and project-focused.

Pricing of Refbox

Refbox is available for a one-time purchase license. This means you pay a single, upfront fee to own the software for a lifetime of use on one machine, including all future updates for the current major version. This model is favored by many professionals as it avoids recurring subscription costs, providing a predictable investment for a tool that becomes a permanent part of your creative toolkit.