flowmo has a few independent “mode” switches that are easy to confuse. This is the map: Focus⇄Studio (how much of the editor you see), Builder⇄Designer (the canvas), Design/Preview/Content (what you’re doing), and the per-element Focus.
Where: Top bar → the mode toggles — Switch any of the mode toggles
Key ideas
- Focus ⇄ Studio (editor mode): The big one. Focus (formerly “Simple”) is a calm, minimal workspace — a floating property bar over the selection and the AI chat doing the work. Studio (formerly “Advanced”) opens every inspector section and the full after-effects-style timeline. Toggle in the top bar. See “Focus & Studio modes”.
- Builder ⇄ Designer (the canvas): A separate axis from Focus/Studio. Builder (compact) shows a single frame for quick edits; Designer shows the full multi-breakpoint canvas. See “Compact (Builder) vs Designer canvas”.
- Design / Preview / Content: What you’re doing right now: Design (edit), Preview (run it live), and — for CMS projects — Content (the entry editor with live preview).
- Per-element Focus (“Focus on this”): NOT an editor mode — it zooms into one element with a pinned AI session. Different feature, similar name. See “Focus on an element”.
Steps
- Pick your editing mode in the top bar: Focus for a calm, AI-led workspace, Studio for full panels + timeline.
- Choose the canvas: Builder (one frame) or Designer (all breakpoints).
- Switch Design / Preview / Content for editing, testing, or content.
- To zoom into a single element with AI, right-click it → “Focus on this” (this is per-element, not the Focus mode).
September dashboard and project-mode model
The dashboard has three distinct presentations: Let flowmo direct, You direct, and Creator mode (stored as autopilot, assist, and control). The account work mode seeds two separate user defaults—f0Chrome and flowgenChrome—while a surface-and-project-specific override can independently choose Focus/Studio or Cards/Node graph for one project.
- Let flowmo direct uses a sidebar-free Designer-first shell with a narrow desktop icon rail, unified prompt composer, clay type shelf, and Projects/Marketplace/Design systems tabs.
- You direct uses the standard sidebar, a centered three-way switch, eight violet outcome cards, and a search-first recent-project grid.
- Creator mode keeps the standard sidebar and complete folder, type-filter, search, sort, grid/list, archive, and trash controls.
- Resolution order is project override → user surface default → work-mode default. Choosing a work mode resets both user defaults; changing one editor default leaves the work mode and the other editor alone.
- A premium badge communicates a paid workflow; eligibility and Sparks are checked when an action actually spends.
Related guides
- Focus & Studio modes
- The Focus property bar
- Compact (Builder) vs Designer canvas
- Focus on an element (AI element focus)
- Previewing & resizing your design
- Visual CMS Editor
- Dashboard work modes: Let flowmo direct, You direct, Creator mode, and project starts
- Dashboard interface: Let flowmo direct, You direct, and Creator mode layouts
- Editor view preferences: user defaults and per-project f0 and Flowgen overrides
- Designer projects, pages, promotion, and the Flowgen round trip