Accessing Settings
Open Flow Browser settings using any of these methods:Keyboard Shortcut
Press Cmd + , (Mac) or Ctrl + , (Windows/Linux)
Command Palette
Type “settings” in the command palette
Menu
Click the menu icon and select Settings
Settings Interface
The settings interface consists of two main components:- Sidebar Navigation: Browse settings categories
- Content Area: View and modify settings for the selected category
Settings Categories
Flow Browser organizes settings into the following sections:- General - Core browser settings
- Spaces - Space management and customization
- Profiles - Profile configuration
- Icon - Browser icon customization
- Shortcuts - Keyboard shortcuts reference
- External Apps - External application integration
- About - Version information and credits
General Settings
The General section contains most of the browser’s core configuration options.General Settings Card
Enable automatic updates for Flow Browser.When enabled, Flow Browser will automatically download and install updates in the background. You’ll be notified when an update requires a restart.Recommended: Keep enabled to receive the latest features and security updates.
Built-in ad and tracker blocking functionality.Options:
- Disabled: No content blocking
- Block Ads: Block advertisements only
- Block Ads & Trackers: Block ads and tracking scripts
- Block All: Aggressive blocking including cookie notices and annoyances
Content blocking improves privacy and page load performance but may break some websites. Adjust the level if you experience issues.
Make Flow Browser your system’s default web browser.Click the button to open your system’s default browser settings or automatically set Flow as default (platform-dependent).
Update Card
Displays current version information and available updates:- Current version number
- Update availability status
- Download and install buttons for available updates
- Update release notes and changelog
New Tab Mode Card
Configure how new tabs open in Flow Browser.Options:
- Command Palette: New tabs open with the command palette focused, ready for immediate input
- Page: New tabs open with a traditional new tab page interface
Sidebar Settings Card
Choose which side of the window displays the browser sidebar.Options:
- Left: Sidebar appears on the left (recommended)
- Right: Sidebar appears on the right (experimental)
Performance Settings Card
Automatically archive tabs that haven’t been accessed for a specified duration.Options:
- 12 Hours
- 24 Hours
- 7 Days
- 30 Days
- Never (disable archiving)
Automatically unload inactive tabs from memory after a specified period.Options:
- 5 Minutes
- 10 Minutes
- 30 Minutes
- 1 Hour
- 2 Hours
- 4 Hours
- 8 Hours
- 12 Hours
- 24 Hours
- Never (disable tab sleeping)
Enable tab sleeping if you keep many tabs open or have limited system memory.
Onboarding Card
Restart the Flow Browser onboarding wizard.Click this button to go through the initial setup process again. This does not delete your existing data, spaces, or settings.Useful if you want to reconfigure your initial preferences or show Flow Browser to someone new.
Experimental Settings Card
Use Flow Browser’s built-in PDF viewer instead of the system default.Status: ExperimentalThe Flow PDF viewer provides integrated PDF viewing within the browser with enhanced privacy and performance.
Advanced Settings Card
Re-enable support for Manifest V2 browser extensions.Status: UnstableManifest V2 is deprecated in favor of Manifest V3. Enabling this allows you to use older extensions but may cause compatibility or security issues.
Most modern extensions have been updated to Manifest V3. Only enable this if you specifically need an older extension.
Spaces Settings
Manage all your browsing spaces in one place.Space Management
The Spaces section displays all your created spaces as cards showing:- Space name
- Space icon
- Color theme preview
- Number of open tabs (if active)
- Edit and delete buttons
Creating Spaces
See the Customization Guide for detailed instructions on creating new spaces.Editing Spaces
Click the Edit button on any space card to modify:- Space name
- Space icon
- Color theme
- Associated profile
Deleting Spaces
Click the Delete button to remove a space. You’ll be asked to confirm the deletion.Profiles Settings
Profiles determine data isolation between spaces:- Cookies and sessions
- Cache and storage
- Installed extensions
- Saved passwords
- Browsing history
Managing Profiles
- View all available profiles
- Create new profiles for different contexts
- Assign profiles to spaces
- Delete unused profiles
Multiple spaces can share the same profile if you want to maintain logged-in sessions across different browsing contexts.
Icon Settings
Customize Flow Browser’s application icon.Available Icons
The Icon settings page displays:- Grid of all available icon designs
- Icon name and artist credit for each option
- Current selection indicator
- Platform compatibility status
Selecting an Icon
Click on any icon to apply it immediately. The change affects:- Application icon in taskbar/dock
- Window icon
- System notifications
- About page
Shortcuts Settings
View all available keyboard shortcuts in Flow Browser. The Shortcuts section provides a comprehensive reference of:- Navigation shortcuts
- Tab management shortcuts
- Window management shortcuts
- Command palette shortcuts
- Settings shortcuts
- Developer shortcuts
Custom keyboard shortcut mapping is planned for a future release. Currently, shortcuts are view-only.
External Apps Settings
Configure how Flow Browser integrates with external applications:- Default handlers for specific protocols
- External link behavior
- File download applications
- Integration with system apps
External app configuration varies by operating system and available applications.
About Settings
View information about your Flow Browser installation:Version Information
Version Information
- Current Flow Browser version
- Electron version
- Chrome version
- Node.js version
- Operating system details
Credits
Credits
- Development team
- Contributors
- Open source libraries
- Icon designers
License
License
- License information
- Terms of use
- Privacy policy link
Support
Support
- Documentation links
- Community resources
- Bug reporting
- Feature requests
Settings Data
All settings are stored locally on your device in:- SQLite database (via Drizzle ORM)
- Electron store for system-level preferences
- No cloud sync or external servers
Your settings are completely private and never leave your device.
Resetting Settings
To reset Flow Browser to default settings:- Close Flow Browser completely
- Navigate to your application data directory
- Delete or rename the Flow Browser data folder
- Restart Flow Browser
Importing and Exporting
Settings import/export functionality is under development and will be available in a future update. This will allow you to:
- Backup your complete Flow Browser configuration
- Share settings across devices
- Migrate settings to a new installation
Keyboard Shortcuts
Quick access to settings:| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Open Settings | Cmd/Ctrl + , |
| Close Settings | Esc |
| Navigate Sections | ↑ ↓ |
| Search Settings | Cmd/Ctrl + F |
Next Steps
Customization Guide
Learn how to personalize Flow Browser
Privacy Features
Understand Flow Browser’s privacy protections
Keyboard Shortcuts
Master all keyboard shortcuts
Troubleshooting
Solve common issues