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AppFlowy organizes your content in a flexible hierarchy. Understanding workspaces, folders, pages, and views will help you stay organized as your content grows.

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Understanding Workspaces

A workspace is your top-level container for all content. Think of it as a complete, self-contained environment.

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Workspace Types

AppFlowy offers two types of workspaces:

Cloud Workspace

  • Syncs across all your devices
  • Enables real-time collaboration
  • Uses cloud-powered AI features
  • Requires an AppFlowy account
  • Data stored securely in the cloud

Vault Workspace

  • Completely offline and private
  • No data leaves your device
  • AI runs locally with your models
  • No account required
  • Perfect for sensitive information

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Creating Multiple Workspaces

You can create and manage multiple workspaces:
1

Open workspace menu

Click your workspace name in the top-left corner of the sidebar.
2

Create new workspace

Select Create New Workspace from the dropdown.
3

Choose workspace type

Pick Cloud or Vault based on your needs.
4

Name your workspace

Give it a descriptive name (e.g., “Personal”, “Work”, “Client Projects”).
Use case ideas: Create separate workspaces for work and personal life, different clients, or public vs. private content.

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Switching Between Workspaces

To switch workspaces:
  1. Click your workspace name in the sidebar
  2. Select the workspace you want from the dropdown
  3. AppFlowy switches instantly

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Content Hierarchy

AppFlowy uses a simple, flexible hierarchy: 
Workspace
├── Folder (optional)
│   ├── Page
│   ├── Page
│   └── Subfolder
│       └── Page
├── Page
└── Page
    └── Subpage (nested)

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Pages

Pages are the core building blocks. Each page can be:
  • Document - Rich text with blocks, embeds, and AI
  • Grid - Database with spreadsheet-like table view
  • Board - Kanban board for visual task management
  • Calendar - Date-based organization
Pages can contain subpages, creating unlimited nesting levels. Simply drag one page onto another to nest it.

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Folders

Folders help organize related pages:
  • Create folders from the sidebar right-click menu
  • Drag and drop pages into folders
  • Collapse/expand folders to hide contents
  • Use emojis or icons to visually distinguish folders

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Views (in Database Pages)

Database pages support multiple views of the same data:
  • Grid View - Traditional table layout
  • Board View - Kanban cards grouped by status
  • Calendar View - Items organized by date
Each view can have its own filters, sorts, and display settings. The left sidebar is your command center:
Quick access to your most-used pages:
  • Star any page by hovering and clicking the star icon
  • Appears at the top of your sidebar
  • Drag to reorder favorites
Your personal pages and folders:
  • Default location for new pages
  • Organize with folders and subfolders
  • Only visible to you (unless shared)
Pages others have shared with you:
  • Automatically appears when someone shares a page
  • Shows permission level (View or Edit)
  • Separate from your private pages
Deleted pages are stored here for 30 days:
  • Right-click a page and select Move to Trash
  • Restore pages from trash anytime
  • Permanently delete or empty trash after 30 days
The fastest way to find content:
Press Cmd + P (macOS) or Ctrl + P (Windows/Linux) to open quick search.
Search capabilities:
  • Title search - Type page names for instant results
  • AI search - Ask natural language questions
  • Recent pages - Shows your recent history
  • Keywords - Search by tags or content
Try AI-powered search: “Show me all my meeting notes from last week” or “Find pages about the marketing campaign”.
Breadcrumbs at the top of each page show your location: 
Workspace > Projects > Client A > Meeting Notes
  • Click any breadcrumb to navigate up the hierarchy
  • Useful for understanding page location
  • Shows nested page structure

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Organizing Content

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Creating a Logical Structure

Best practices for organization:
1

Start with main categories

Create top-level folders for major areas:
  • Projects
  • Personal
  • Reference
  • Archive
2

Use subfolders for projects

Break down projects into logical groups:
Projects
├── Client A
│   ├── Meeting Notes
│   ├── Deliverables
│   └── Resources
└── Client B
3

Leverage favorites

Star your active pages for quick access:
  • Current project pages
  • Daily notes or task lists
  • Frequently referenced docs
4

Archive completed work

Move finished projects to an Archive folder:
  • Keeps sidebar clean
  • Preserves history
  • Easy to find if needed

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Using Icons and Emojis

Make pages and folders visually distinct:
  1. Click the page icon (or placeholder) next to the title
  2. Choose from:
    • Emoji picker - Thousands of emojis
    • Icon library - Professional icons
    • Upload image - Custom images
  3. Icons appear in sidebar and breadcrumbs
Use consistent icons for similar content types (📊 for databases, 📝 for notes, 🎯 for projects).

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Drag and Drop

Rearrange your workspace effortlessly:
  • Reorder pages - Drag pages up or down in the sidebar
  • Create nesting - Drag a page onto another to make it a subpage
  • Move to folders - Drag pages into folders
  • Reorganize folders - Drag folders to different locations

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Managing Pages

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Page Actions

Right-click any page in the sidebar for options:
ActionDescription
RenameChange the page title
DuplicateCreate a copy with all content
Move toRelocate to a different folder
ShareInvite collaborators with permissions
Add to favoritesPin to top of sidebar
Copy linkGet shareable URL
Move to trashDelete the page
PropertiesView metadata and settings

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Page Properties

Every page has customizable properties:
  • Icon - Visual identifier
  • Cover image - Banner at the top of the page
  • Description - Brief summary
  • Created/Modified dates - Automatic timestamps
  • Custom properties - Add your own metadata
Access properties by clicking the ⋯ menu in the page title.

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Duplicating and Templates

Duplicate a page to reuse structure:
  1. Right-click the page in the sidebar
  2. Select Duplicate
  3. A copy appears with “(Copy)” suffix
  4. Rename and edit as needed
Save as template for frequent reuse:
  1. Open the page you want to save
  2. Click ⋯ > Save as Template
  3. Choose a category
  4. Access from New Page > Templates
Learn more in Templates.

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Workspace Settings

Customize your workspace behavior:

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Accessing Settings

  1. Click your workspace name in the sidebar
  2. Select Settings from the dropdown
  3. Browse settings categories:
    • General - Workspace name, language, theme
    • Members - Manage collaborators and permissions
    • Appearance - Font size, color theme
    • Sync - Sync status and history
    • AI - Configure AI models and features

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Key Settings to Configure

  • Language - Interface language
  • Date format - MM/DD/YYYY or DD/MM/YYYY
  • Time format - 12-hour or 24-hour
  • Week starts on - Sunday or Monday
  • Timezone - For accurate timestamps
  • Theme - Light, Dark, or System auto-switching
  • Font - Choose from available fonts
  • Font size - Adjust for readability
  • Document width - Full width or centered
  • View all workspace members
  • See pending invitations
  • Change member roles
  • Remove members
  • Manage guest editors
See Permissions for details.

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Tips for Staying Organized

Weekly Review

Spend 10 minutes each week:
  • Archive completed projects
  • Update favorites
  • Clean up trash
  • Review shared pages

Naming Conventions

Use consistent naming:
  • Dates: YYYY-MM-DD Format
  • Projects: [Client] Project Name
  • Meetings: Meeting - Topic - Date

Color Coding

Use consistent icons/emojis:
  • 🟢 Active projects
  • 🟡 In progress
  • 🔴 Blocked/urgent
  • ⚪ Archive

Link Related Pages

Create connections:
  • Use @page to link pages
  • Build a personal wiki
  • Create index pages
  • Use backlinks to see connections

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Next Steps

Account Setup

Customize your profile and preferences

Documents

Learn advanced document editing features

Databases

Create powerful databases with views

Collaboration

Share pages and work with others

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