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Air Flow

Air Flow

Access Air content and manage your workspace right in Finder!
Megh McLaughlin avatar
Written by Megh McLaughlin. Updated over a week ago

Air's powerful desktop application makes it easy to access your assets and files when you need them. Air Flow enables users to access their Air content locally right within Finder. This time-saving, convenient feature was built for creatives who use editing software, work in creative suites, and post social content. With local access, you can use your Air assets with any tool.

Air Flow currently available for Mac OS 10.5 or higher

Air Flow is replacing our previous desktop app, Air Lift. If you have Air Lift installed, please follow these instructions for uninstalling our previous desktop app before installing Air Flow.

How to install Air Flow

  1. Download Air Flow from our landing page here

  2. Open the Air Flow .dmg file

  3. Move the Application to the Applications Folder. You're then free to delete the .dmg file

  4. Open the Air Flow app and follow the prompted instructions

    • Access the app by clicking the Air icon in the menu bar

  5. Provide the necessary permissions to Air Flow

  6. Log in to your existing account

  7. Select a workspace to sync (Note: Only one workspace can be synced to a local drive at a time.)

  8. Verify the sync successful confirmation message

  9. Open the Finder App – A successful installation displays Air as listed under your User location within Finder. You should have an Air logo that appears next to the Air folder in favorites, and icons next to your items in Finder confirming the sync.

Air Flow Features

Once installed, you can now view your entire workspace from Finder in the nested layout of your board structure.

Your first step after installation is to sync your desired boards.

With Air Flow, you have the power to:

  • View entire workspace from Finder

  • View sync status of content in Finder

  • Take right-click actions in Finder (sync/unsync, open in Air, copy Share Link URL)

    • Please note: Quick Actions in the right-click menu in Finder only appear for the active workspace in Air Flow

  • View sync activity in the desktop app

  • Change local location of synced folder

FAQs

  • How does the Air desktop app work?

    Air’s new desktop app integrates with your Mac OS Finder to make your entire workspace available on your computer, without opening the web browser. You have the control to choose which assets and boards are downloaded to your computer (called ‘Offline’ files) and which files are visible but not yet downloaded (called ‘Online only’). Updates made to workspace files in Finder will be immediately reflected in your workspace and on any other teammate’s synced computer so everyone always has the most up-to-date file.

  • If I have Air Lift installed, do I need to remove it before installing Air Flow?

    You don’t have to, but we recommend removing the old version of the desktop app (called ‘Air Lift’) before using Air Flow to avoid any confusion. The old version of the app will be deprecated in February 2023.

  • How do I update the app to the newest version?

    • When a new update is available, you'll automatically be prompted to update the app. You can manually check for updates the app by using the Check for updates option from the gear icon in the app.

  • What happens if I edit synced files on my computer?

    Edits made to synced files in Finder will be automatically reflected on the asset in your workspace! That’s the magic of Air Flow – continuous workspace sync with your computer so everyone always has the most up-to-date content!

  • How can I switch workspaces using Air Flow?

  • Air Flow is only capable of syncing one workspace at a time. From the Air Flow app settings, you have the option to 'Switch Workspaces'. You'll then be prompted to choose another workspace you have access to. From there, you can sync this workspace to your local drive and select which content to download to your local drive.

  • How do I manage my synced workspaces?

    You can choose to reduce the number of boards that are actually downloaded to your computer from "Preferences > Downloaded Content," or to unsync an entire workspace and remove it from your Finder, quit the app and remove the top-level workspace folder in Finder, which will terminate the sync and remove the workspace from your local drive. Quitting the app first ensures the assets will remain in your Air workspace. if you have more than one workspace synced, removing a top-level workspace folder will switch you to another workspace in Air Flow. If not, you will be logged out.

  • What happens if I delete a folder that’s in my local workspace folder in Finder?

    Workspace parent folder names should not be edited by users in Finder, and changing the name will unsync your workspace. Deleting a folder in your workspace folder in Finder will remove the corresponding board in your workspace. The assets within that board will not be removed from the workspace and can still be found in the workspace library.

    ⚠️ Please be careful when managing workspace files and folders in Finder as we will not be able to restore any deleted boards.

  • Can multiple people in my workspace have the Air desktop app installed?

    Yes, the app is meant for many people on the team to use!

    ⚠️ Please be sure to inform your team that any edits or deletions of local files will update and delete content from your team’s workspace.

  • How do I change where the Air folder is stored on my computer?

    You can change the location of your local Air folder from the Preferences menu. Please note: Options in the Preferences section are not available while a workspace is actively syncing.

  • How do versions work with Air Flow?

    • If you edit and save an existing file in Finder, it will create a new version of the corresponding asset in Air and keep the original version of the file within a version stack in Air as V1.

      • Renaming a file in Finder does not add a new version in Air.

    • If an asset in Air has multiple versions, Finder will always show the most recent (cover) version as the corresponding file.

      • This means if you update the cover version in Air, the corresponding file in Finder will update to the new cover version.

    • If you add a file to a board folder in Finder that has the same name as an existing file, you'll be prompted to replace it. This will add that replacement as the most recent version.

  • Is the desktop app available for Windows?

    Air Flow is not currently available for Windows. If members of your team use Windows computers, please let us know so we can add these as requests for future improvements to the desktop app.

  • How much space does Air Flow take up on my computer?

    The app itself takes up 350-500 MB of space on your computer’s disk. How much space the files within your Air folder uses is up to you as only the files you choose to sync (’Make available offline’) will take up meaningful space on your computer.

Troubleshooting

  • I need help! Where can I find usage logs to include with my support request?

You can access the logs folder to send along with your support request from Preferences. Chat with us if you need assistance!

  • What if I can't see my sync status icons in Finder?

    To troubleshoot this issue, disable and enable extension settings:

    1. Open System Settings

    2. Search for extensions, then click on "Added extensions":

3. Toggle AirLift (AirLift is currently the correct extension and the name will be changed once our previous version is no longer available)extension on only, then after a few seconds, toggle the rest of extensions on and restart Air Flow

On uninstall:


If you need to uninstall the Air Flow app from your computer, please make sure to quit the app before removing any folders/files from Finder. Why? Because if the app is running and a board folder is removed, it will be deleted from your workspace. If you remove an entire workspace folder, it will not delete the workspace or the boards/asset within and will simply stop the sync of that workspace with Finder. To uninstall Air and remove Air data:

  1. Quit the Air app completely (this stops any syncing and prevents accidental deletion)

  2. From Applications, move the Air application to Trash

  3. Move the Air folder within Finder to Trash

    1. This step ensures that if you decide to install the app again, it won’t add duplicate boards/assets to Finder as folders/files when a previously synced workspace is synced again

  4. Find the Application Support folder in Finder by navigating Go -> Go to folder (Shift + Command + G), type /Users/{userName}/Library/Application Support

  5. Press Enter and move air-desktop folder from Application Support folder to Trash

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