apps/dotcom/user-manual.md
Workspaces help you organize files and work with other people in tldraw. Each workspace has its own file list, members, and settings.
Every account has a private home workspace. It is usually called My workspace, though you can rename it. You can also create team workspaces for shared work.
Important things to remember:
Read the guides below to learn how to create workspaces, invite people, manage members, and organize files.
To create your first team workspace, click New workspace in the sidebar.
If you already have a workspace, click the workspace switcher at the top of the sidebar, then click New workspace.
Enter a workspace name.
Click Create workspace.
tldraw creates the workspace, makes you the owner, creates a welcome file, and opens that file.
Who can create a workspace?
Any signed-in user who can see workspace controls can create a workspace.
Who can see a new workspace?
Only you can see it at first. Other people need to join through the workspace invite link.
What role do I get?
You are the workspace owner.
To switch workspaces, click the workspace switcher at the top of the sidebar.
Select the workspace you want to open.
tldraw opens that workspace's top file. Pinned files appear first. If the workspace has no files, tldraw creates a blank file and opens it.
Why did the active workspace change?
The active workspace comes from the file you have open. If you open a file from another workspace, that workspace becomes active.
Why did I end up in My workspace?
If the file you are viewing is not visible through one of your workspace memberships, tldraw falls back to your home workspace in the sidebar. You may still be able to view the open file through a shared link.
To rename a workspace, switch to that workspace.
Click Workspace settings in the sidebar.
Edit the Name field.
The new name is saved when you finish editing.
Who can rename a team workspace?
Only owners can rename a team workspace.
Can I rename My workspace?
Yes. Your home workspace can be renamed.
Will the new name update for other members?
Yes. When an owner renames a team workspace, the name updates for all members.
To invite people to a team workspace, switch to that workspace.
Click Workspace settings in the sidebar.
Click Copy invite link.
Send the invite link to the people you want to invite.
When someone opens the link, they may need to sign in. After accepting the invite, they join the workspace as a member.
Who can invite people?
Any workspace member can copy the invite link.
Can I invite people to My workspace?
No. Your home workspace is private. Create a team workspace to invite other people.
What role do invited people get?
Invited people join as members.
What happens if someone is already a member?
tldraw tells them they are already a member and opens the workspace.
To reset a workspace invite link, switch to the workspace.
Click Workspace settings in the sidebar.
In Invite members, click Regenerate invite link.
Copy the new invite link and share it with the people you want to invite.
Who can reset the invite link?
Any workspace member can reset the invite link.
Will old invite links still work?
No. Resetting the invite link revokes the old link. People who open an old invite link will see that the invite has expired.
Are current members removed when I reset the link?
No. Current members stay in the workspace.
To view workspace members, switch to the workspace.
Click Workspace settings in the sidebar.
Look under Members.
The members list shows each member's name and role.
Who can view the member list?
Any workspace member can view the member list.
Why do I not see members in My workspace?
Your home workspace is private and does not have a manageable member list.
To change a member's role, switch to the workspace.
Click Workspace settings in the sidebar.
In Members, find the person whose role you want to change.
Use the role menu to choose Owner or Member.
Who can change roles?
Only owners can change member roles.
What can owners do?
Owners can do everything members can do. They can also rename the workspace, change member roles, remove members, and delete the workspace.
What can members do?
Members can access workspace files, create files, move files, remove files, and manage invite links.
Can I change the last owner to a member?
No. A workspace must always have at least one owner.
To remove a member, switch to the workspace.
Click Workspace settings in the sidebar.
In Members, open the member's role menu.
Click Remove.
Confirm by clicking Remove member.
Who can remove members?
Only owners can remove members.
Can I remove the last owner?
No. A workspace must always have at least one owner.
What happens to the removed member?
The workspace disappears from their sidebar after the app updates. If they have a private workspace file open, they lose access.
Can a removed member still open shared files?
Yes, if a file is still shared by link. Workspace membership and shared-link access are separate. To fully remove link access, make the file private or change its visitor permissions.
To leave a workspace, switch to the workspace.
Click Workspace settings in the sidebar.
Under Danger zone, click Leave workspace....
Confirm by clicking Leave workspace.
After you leave, tldraw returns you to the home page.
Can anyone leave a workspace?
Members can leave a workspace. Owners can leave only if another owner remains.
Can I leave My workspace?
No. You cannot leave your home workspace.
What happens to files after I leave?
You lose workspace membership access. Shared files may still be accessible through their file links.
To delete a workspace, switch to the workspace.
Click Workspace settings in the sidebar.
Under Danger zone, click Delete workspace....
Confirm by clicking Delete workspace.
Deleting a workspace cannot be undone.
Who can delete a workspace?
Only owners can delete a team workspace.
Can I delete My workspace?
No. You cannot delete your home workspace.
What happens to files owned by the workspace?
Files owned by the deleted workspace are deleted for everyone.
What happens to files that were only linked into the workspace?
The workspace link is removed, but the original file is not deleted.
To create a file in a workspace, switch to that workspace.
Click New file in the sidebar.
tldraw creates the file in the active workspace, opens it, and starts renaming it on desktop.
Where does the new file go?
The sidebar New file action creates the file in the active workspace.
Who can create files in a team workspace?
Any workspace member can create files.
Can other members see the new file?
Yes. Other workspace members receive the file through sync.
Are new files shared?
New workspace files are shared by link by default. Shared-link visitors can open the file even if they are not workspace members.
To search for a file, switch to the workspace you want to search.
Click Search in the sidebar.
Enter the file name or search term.
Search only looks at files in the active workspace.
Can I search across all workspaces at once?
No. Search filters the active workspace's file list.
Why can I not find a file from another workspace?
Switch to that workspace first, then search again.
To move a file, open the file menu for the file.
Open Move to.
Select the destination workspace.
The file disappears from the old workspace list and appears in the new workspace list.
You can also choose New workspace from the Move to menu to create a workspace and move the file there.
Who can move files?
You can move a file between workspaces when you are a member of both the source workspace and the destination workspace.
Can I move a file to My workspace?
Yes. Choose your home workspace in the Move to menu.
Does moving a file change its shared link?
No. Moving a file does not change whether the file is shared, private, editable by visitors, or view-only for visitors.
What happens if a file is moved to a workspace I do not belong to?
It may disappear from your workspace list. If the file is still shared by link, you may still be able to open it as a visitor.
To pin a file, open the file menu in the sidebar.
Click Pin file.
Pinned files appear at the top of the active workspace's file list.
To unpin a file, open the file menu again and click Unpin file.
Are pinned files global?
No. Pinning belongs to the workspace list where the file appears.
Who can pin files?
Any workspace member can pin or unpin files in that workspace.
Do other members see pinned files?
Yes. Pinned files are part of the workspace file list.
To delete or remove a file, open the file menu in the sidebar.
Click Delete or Forget.
Confirm the action.
After the file is deleted or removed, tldraw opens another file in that workspace. If no files remain, tldraw creates a blank file.
What is the difference between Delete and Forget?
If the workspace owns the file, the action deletes the file for everyone. If the workspace only has a link to the file, the action removes the link from that workspace but does not delete the original file.
Who can delete workspace-owned files?
Any member of the owning workspace can delete workspace-owned files.
What happens to people who have the deleted file open?
If the file is deleted, connected sessions close because the file no longer exists.
Open the shared file link.
If you have access, tldraw opens the file.
If the file does not already belong to one of your workspaces, it may appear in your home workspace after you open it.
Does opening a shared file make me a workspace member?
No. Opening a shared file gives you file access through the link. It does not add you to the file's workspace.
Why can I edit a file from a workspace I am not in?
The file may be shared with visitor editing enabled.
Why did a shared file appear in My workspace?
When you open a shared file that is not in one of your workspaces, tldraw can add a link to it in your home workspace so you can find it again.
.tldr filesYou can import .tldr files in a few ways.
If you drop a .tldr file onto the canvas, tldraw imports it into the current file's workspace.
If you drop a .tldr file onto the sidebar, tldraw imports it into your home workspace.
If you import a .tldr file from the main menu, tldraw imports it into your home workspace.
Why did my imported file go to My workspace?
Sidebar drops and main-menu imports use the home workspace. To import into a team workspace, open a file in that workspace and drop the .tldr file onto the canvas.
| Role | What the role can do |
|---|---|
| Member | Open and edit workspace files, create files, move files, remove files, view members, copy invite links, and reset invite links. |
| Owner | Everything members can do, plus rename the workspace, change roles, remove members, and delete the workspace. |
What is the safest role for a teammate?
Use Member unless the person needs to manage the workspace itself.
Can a member delete files?
Yes. Members can delete files owned by the workspace.
Can a member reset the invite link?
Yes. Any member can reset the workspace invite link.
Workspace membership controls who can see a workspace, its members, and its workspace file list.
File sharing controls who can open a file through its link.
These are separate systems. A person can lose workspace membership and still open a shared file as a visitor. A person can also be a workspace member and keep edit access even when file visitors are set to view-only.
Do workspace invites and file share links do the same thing?
No. A workspace invite link adds someone as a workspace member. A file share link opens one file as a visitor.
Does moving a file revoke its old shared link?
No. The file keeps the same sharing state when it moves.
Does removing someone from a workspace revoke file links they already have?
No. To revoke shared-link access, make the file private or change the file's visitor permissions.
Who can edit a workspace file?
Workspace members can edit workspace files. Shared-link visitors can edit only if the file's visitor permissions allow editing.