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Get Started in 5 Minutes

This guide will walk you through creating your first workspace, document, and exploring AFFiNE’s core features.
Before you begin: Make sure you’ve installed AFFiNE on your preferred platform (web, desktop, or self-hosted).

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Step 1: Create Your Account (Optional)

AFFiNE works both with and without an account. Choose what works best for you:

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Step 2: Create Your First Workspace

Workspaces in AFFiNE are containers for all your documents, notes, and whiteboards. Think of them as separate projects or areas of your work.
1

Open Workspace Selector

Click the workspace name in the top-left corner (default: “My Workspace”)
2

Create New Workspace

Click + New Workspace at the bottom of the dropdown
Workspace selector
3

Name Your Workspace

Enter a name for your workspace, such as:
  • “Personal Notes”
  • “Project Alpha”
  • “Team Wiki”
  • “Meeting Notes”
4

Choose Storage Type

  • Syncs to AFFiNE cloud
  • Available on all devices
  • Enables collaboration
  • Requires account
Pro Tip: Create separate workspaces for different areas of your life (work, personal, side projects) to keep things organized.

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Step 3: Create Your First Document

Now let’s create your first page in AFFiNE.
1

Start a New Page

Click the + New Page button in the sidebar, or use the keyboard shortcut:
  • macOS: Cmd + N
  • Windows/Linux: Ctrl + N
2

Choose Your Template

AFFiNE offers several templates to get started:

Blank Page

Start from scratch with a clean slate

Edgeless (Whiteboard)

Infinite canvas for visual thinking

Meeting Notes

Pre-formatted for meeting agendas

Project Plan

Template with tasks and milestones
For now, select Blank Page to explore freely.
3

Add a Title

Click “Untitled” at the top and give your page a meaningful title, like:
  • “My First AFFiNE Page”
  • “Project Ideas”
  • “Daily Notes”
4

Start Writing

Click in the editor area and start typing. Try typing:
# Welcome to AFFiNE

This is my first document. Let's explore what AFFiNE can do!
Notice how # automatically formats as a heading? That’s Markdown working seamlessly.

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Step 4: Explore Core Features

Let’s explore AFFiNE’s most powerful features:

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Rich Text Editing

1

Text Formatting

Select any text to see the formatting toolbar:
  • Bold (Cmd/Ctrl + B)
  • Italic (Cmd/Ctrl + I)
  • Code (Cmd/Ctrl + E)
  • Strikethrough
  • Highlight colors
2

Markdown Support

AFFiNE supports Markdown syntax. Try typing:
## Heading 2
### Heading 3

- Bullet list item
- Another item

1. Numbered list
2. Second item

[ ] Unchecked task
[x] Completed task

> This is a quote block
3

Slash Commands

Type / anywhere to open the block menu:
  • /heading - Add headings
  • /todo - Create task lists
  • /code - Insert code blocks
  • /image - Upload images
  • /database - Create a database
  • /divider - Add a divider line
Slash command menu

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Blocks and Embeds

1

Add Different Block Types

Type / and explore these block types:Content Blocks:
  • Text, headings, quotes
  • Bulleted and numbered lists
  • Task lists with checkboxes
  • Code blocks with syntax highlighting
Media Blocks:
  • Images (drag & drop supported)
  • Videos (embedded or uploaded)
  • Audio files
  • File attachments
Advanced Blocks:
  • Database (table, kanban, gallery)
  • Callout boxes
  • Math equations (LaTeX)
  • Mermaid diagrams
  • Web bookmarks
2

Embed Web Content

Paste any URL and AFFiNE will create a rich preview:
  • YouTube videos
  • GitHub repos
  • Figma files
  • Twitter/X posts
  • Web pages

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Switch to Whiteboard Mode

1

Toggle Edgeless Mode

Click the Edgeless button in the top-right corner or press Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + E
Toggle edgeless mode
2

Add Shapes and Elements

In Edgeless mode, you can:
  • Draw freehand with the pen tool
  • Add shapes (rectangles, circles, arrows)
  • Create sticky notes
  • Connect elements with connectors
  • Group and organize visually
3

Place Your Page Content

Your page content appears as a “note” block that you can:
  • Move anywhere on the canvas
  • Resize
  • Combine with other visual elements
  • Connect to other notes
Pro Tip: You can seamlessly switch between Page mode (traditional document) and Edgeless mode (infinite canvas) for the same content!

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Create a Database

1

Insert Database Block

Type /database or /table and press Enter
2

Choose View Type

Select your preferred view:
  • Table - Spreadsheet-style rows and columns
  • Kanban - Card-based board view
  • Gallery - Visual grid with images
3

Add Content

Let’s create a simple task tracker:
  1. Rename columns: “Task”, “Status”, “Priority”, “Due Date”
  2. Add a few tasks as rows
  3. Click the view selector to switch between Table and Kanban
Database views
4

Customize Properties

Click on any column header to:
  • Change property type (text, number, date, select, multi-select, etc.)
  • Add new columns
  • Sort and filter data
  • Hide/show columns

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Step 5: Organize Your Workspace

The left sidebar is your command center:
  • Quick Search (Cmd/Ctrl + K) - Find any page instantly
  • Favorites - Star pages for quick access
  • Recent - Your recently edited pages
  • All Pages - Browse all pages in the workspace
  • Collections - Organize pages into custom collections
  • Tags - Filter pages by tags
  • Trash - Recover deleted pages

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Create Collections

1

Open Collections

Click Collections in the sidebar
2

Create New Collection

Click + New Collection and name it (e.g., “Project Alpha”, “Meeting Notes”)
3

Add Pages to Collection

Right-click any page and select Add to Collection or drag pages into the collection

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Use Tags

1

Add Tags to a Page

  1. Open any page
  2. Click the … menu in the top-right
  3. Select Add Tags
  4. Type tag names like #meeting, #important, #draft
2

Filter by Tags

Click Tags in the sidebar to view and filter pages by tag

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Step 6: Collaborate with Others

Collaboration requires: Cloud workspace and AFFiNE account

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Share a Workspace

1

Open Workspace Settings

Click the workspace name in the top-left, then click ⚙️ Settings
2

Navigate to Members

Select the Members tab
3

Invite Collaborators

  1. Click + Invite
  2. Enter email addresses
  3. Set permissions:
    • Owner - Full control
    • Admin - Manage members and settings
    • Editor - Create and edit pages
    • Viewer - Read-only access
  4. Click Send Invites

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Real-Time Collaboration

When collaborating:
  • See other users’ cursors and selections in real-time
  • View who’s currently online in the top-right corner
  • Changes sync instantly across all devices
  • Conflict-free editing with CRDT technology

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Share Individual Pages

1

Open Page Menu

Click the … menu in the top-right of any page
2

Get Share Link

Click Share and choose:
  • Private - Only workspace members can access
  • Public - Anyone with the link can view
  • Public Edit - Anyone with the link can edit
3

Copy and Share

Copy the generated link and share it with others

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Step 7: Try AFFiNE AI (Optional)

AFFiNE AI requires configuration with an AI provider (OpenAI, Google, etc.) or self-hosted model.

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Enable AI Features

1

Open Settings

Click your avatar in the top-right, then Settings
2

Configure AI Provider

  1. Go to AI settings
  2. Choose your provider (OpenAI, Google Gemini, Azure OpenAI, or Custom)
  3. Enter your API key
  4. Click Save
3

Use AI Features

Now you can:
  • Select text and click AI in the toolbar to:
    • Continue writing
    • Improve writing
    • Summarize
    • Translate
    • Change tone
  • Type /ai to:
    • Generate content from prompts
    • Create outlines
    • Draft documents
  • Ask questions about your pages

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Keyboard Shortcuts

Boost your productivity with these essential shortcuts:
ShortcutAction
Cmd/Ctrl + KQuick search
Cmd/Ctrl + NNew page
Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + NNew workspace
Cmd/Ctrl + [Go back
Cmd/Ctrl + ]Go forward

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Editing

ShortcutAction
Cmd/Ctrl + BBold
Cmd/Ctrl + IItalic
Cmd/Ctrl + UUnderline
Cmd/Ctrl + EInline code
Cmd/Ctrl + KInsert link
Cmd/Ctrl + ZUndo
Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + ZRedo

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Blocks

ShortcutAction
/Open block menu
Cmd/Ctrl + /Show all shortcuts
Cmd/Ctrl + DDuplicate block
Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + EToggle edgeless mode
Press Cmd/Ctrl + / anytime to see the full list of keyboard shortcuts!

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What’s Next?

Congratulations! You’ve learned the basics of AFFiNE. Here’s where to go next:

Editor Features

Deep dive into the block-based editor

Whiteboard Mode

Master the infinite canvas and visual tools

Database & Tables

Create powerful databases with multiple views

Collaboration

Learn about real-time collaboration features

AI Assistant

Explore AI-powered writing and productivity

Local-First Architecture

Understand how your data stays private and secure

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Tips & Tricks

  1. Click your avatar → Settings
  2. Go to Appearance
  3. Choose between Light, Dark, or Auto theme
  4. Adjust font size and editor width
AFFiNE supports importing from:
  • Markdown files - Drag & drop .md files
  • Notion - Use Notion’s export feature, then import the .zip
  • HTML - Import web pages or HTML exports
To import: Click … in sidebar → Import
Export individual pages or entire workspaces:
  1. Open page menu …
  2. Select Export
  3. Choose format:
    • Markdown - Plain text with formatting
    • HTML - Webpage format
    • PDF - Printable document
    • PNG - Image snapshot
Create a daily notes habit:
  1. Create a collection called “Daily Notes”
  2. Use Cmd/Ctrl + N to create a new page each day
  3. Name it with today’s date (e.g., “2026-03-09”)
  4. Add it to your Daily Notes collection
Or use the /today command to insert today’s date automatically!
AFFiNE works completely offline:
  • All edits are saved locally first
  • Changes sync automatically when back online
  • Desktop app is fully functional without internet
  • Web app requires initial load, then works offline

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Get Help

Need assistance? We’re here to help!

Documentation

Browse the full documentation

Discord Community

Ask questions and get help from the community

GitHub Issues

Report bugs or request features

GitHub Discussions

Discuss ideas and share feedback
Pro Tip: Search existing GitHub issues and discussions before creating new ones - your question might already be answered!

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Common Questions

Yes! AFFiNE is local-first:
  • All data is stored on your device first
  • Cloud sync is encrypted in transit and at rest
  • You can use AFFiNE completely offline
  • Self-hosting gives you complete control
  • Open-source code means full transparency
Absolutely! AFFiNE is designed to work offline:
  • Desktop app works fully offline
  • Web app caches for offline use
  • All edits are saved locally
  • Changes sync when you’re back online
To sync across devices:
  1. Create a cloud workspace (requires account)
  2. Sign in with the same account on all devices
  3. Your workspaces sync automatically
Local workspaces can be converted to cloud workspaces in settings.
  • Page mode: Traditional document view, great for text-heavy content
  • Edgeless mode: Infinite canvas, perfect for visual thinking and diagrams
They’re two views of the same content - switch anytime with Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + E
Yes! To migrate from Notion:
  1. Export your Notion workspace (Settings → Export → All content → Markdown & CSV)
  2. In AFFiNE, click … in sidebar → Import
  3. Select the exported .zip file
  4. AFFiNE will import all pages with formatting preserved
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