Frequently Asked Questions

KeyFlow is a complete production workflow. KeyFlow Studio is a standalone desktop app for video reference and team review, used by any artist on the pipeline. The KeyFlow Maya Toolkit is a smart dock above the timeline with 25+ animator-built tools. Both apps are included, free.

Yes. KeyFlow is completely free right now. Download it, get a key valid for 1 year, and use every tool with no credit card. If KeyFlow helps your work and you want to give back, tap the Buy us a coffee button in the corner to chip in through PayPal. It is entirely optional, and every bit goes straight into building new tools and keeping KeyFlow going.

You get both with your free key. KeyFlow Studio runs standalone, no Maya required, so a director, supervisor, or compositor can use it without ever opening Maya. The Maya Toolkit needs Maya. Most users run them together: animate in Maya, review in Studio, send back and forth with one click.

The Maya Toolkit supports Maya 2021 through 2026 on Windows, covering Python 3.7 (Maya 2021) through Python 3.12 (Maya 2026). Both PySide2 and PySide6 are fully supported. KeyFlow Studio is independent of Maya and runs as its own app.

Windows 10 and Windows 11 are supported for both KeyFlow Studio and the Maya Toolkit. macOS and Linux are not supported at this time. The self-hosted private relay server has a Linux installer for studios that want to host their own Live Session relay.

No. KeyFlow requires the full version of Autodesk Maya. Maya LT does not support the Python plug-in API and custom UI features that KeyFlow uses, so it isn't supported and unfortunately cannot be.

Yes. Your KeyFlow key covers commercial use. Use it on client work, studio productions, freelance gigs, films, games, commercials, anything you ship for money. The only thing you can't do is redistribute KeyFlow itself or share your key beyond your seat allocation.

A KeyFlow Discord is in the works and will launch soon: a place to share workflows, request features, beta-test new tools, and chat with other animators using the suite. Until then, all support and feature requests go through admin@keyflow.tools or the in-app feedback button. Founders will get early access to the Discord when it opens.

Three ways. 1) Use the built-in feedback button in the Maya dock or Studio's Help menu, sends straight to the dev queue with your version info attached. 2) Email admin@keyflow.tools with details and steps to reproduce. 3) If KeyFlow crashed, the crash reporter offers to send the log automatically. Every message is read personally and most bug fixes ship within days.

KeyFlow Studio is a standalone desktop app for video reference and review. Compare takes with A/B wipe, annotate frames, capture your screen, trim and export clips, import video from any URL, and collaborate with your team in real time via Live Session. Studio runs on its own, you don't need Maya open to use it.

Compare any two clips with independent in/out ranges in four modes. Wipe splits A and B with a draggable divider. Overlay layers A over B with adjustable opacity. Difference highlights every changed pixel. Onion Skin tints A red and B blue for frame-by-frame comparison. Right-click cycles modes, scroll controls split or opacity, middle-click swaps A and B, P toggles ping-pong. Full transport, frame timeline, audio waveform, and speed presets are always available.

Yes. Per-frame brush, text, and shape tools with color and size controls. Ghost strokes from neighboring frames help maintain continuity. Frame bookmarks can carry notes, and annotation markers appear directly on the timeline so you can jump between revisions. Annotations can be burned into the exported video or delivered as a PDF or HTML report.

Yes, built in. Capture full screen, region, or window at 15, 24, or 30 fps. Mic audio, countdown timer, and cursor and click visualization are available. A webcam overlay lets you record voice-over commentary directly onto frames. Recordings auto-load into the player for instant review.

Yes. Export your selected range and Studio creates an image plane attached to the active camera. Scene FPS is matched automatically. This works with Maya and Blender when KeyFlow is installed in the host application. If the receiving app isn't connected, the export folder opens instead so you can drag the file in manually.

Yes. Paste any URL into Studio, set in/out range, trim to the frames you need, and export as MP4, GIF, or image sequence. No separate download step, no third-party tools.

MP4, AVI, GIF, and PNG or JPG sequences for video. PDF and HTML for annotated review reports. You can compress and email the result, upload to Google Drive, or generate a share link from inside the app.

MP4 (H.264, H.265), MOV, AVI, MKV, WebM, and image sequences (PNG, JPG, EXR, TIFF). Audio is supported in all common containers. For uncommon codecs, transcode to MP4 first using Studio's built-in export or any standard tool.

Standard playback shortcuts: Space play/pause, J K L reverse/stop/forward, , and . for frame-by-frame, Home/End for first/last frame. Compare modes: right-click cycles wipe / overlay / difference / onion skin, scroll adjusts split or opacity, middle-click swaps A and B, P toggles ping-pong. Annotation tools have single-letter shortcuts. Full keymap is in the in-app help.

Live Session is real-time collaborative review across two or more KeyFlow Studio instances. Synced timeline, remote cursors with names, chat, drawing tools, frame flags, and approve or reject actions. The host can grant full playback control to any participant.

LAN is a direct connection inside your local network. Zero configuration, lowest latency, just enter the host's local IP. Best for on-site teams. KeyFlow Relay routes through a public relay server we host, no setup, get a room code and share it. Best for freelancers and small distributed teams. Private Relay is your own relay server hosted on company infrastructure. Nothing leaves your network. One-command install on Linux or Windows. Best for studios and enterprises with strict data policies.

WebShare lets viewers join a Live Session from any web browser, no app install needed. Send a link, they watch and draw in real time. View-only by default, the host can grant playback control on demand. Useful for clients, supervisors, or anyone who shouldn't have to install software just to review a shot.

Yes. The Private Relay is a one-command install on Linux or Windows. Once running, all your Live Session traffic stays inside your studio network and never touches the public KeyFlow relay. Comes with IKEA-style setup documentation. Best for studios with NDAs, data residency requirements, or simply a strong preference for self-hosting.

The host decides who can drive playback, who can draw and annotate, and who is view-only. Permissions can be changed mid-session. Viewers always see synced playback and can use chat and remote cursors, drawing and timeline control are gated behind host approval.

There's no hard cap. Practical limits depend on your connection mode. LAN easily handles 10-20 viewers on a normal office network. KeyFlow Relay is comfortable up to 30-50 concurrent viewers per session. Private Relay scales with your server, studios with proper hardware run sessions of 100+ regularly. WebShare viewers count toward the same total.

Yes. KeyFlow Relay uses HTTPS/WSS (TLS) end-to-end through review.keyflow.tools. WebShare viewers connect over HTTPS. Private Relay defaults to HTTPS/WSS when you provide a TLS certificate during install (Let's Encrypt setup is in the docs). LAN mode runs unencrypted within your local network, fine for a closed office, not recommended over untrusted networks.

Yes. For maximum control, run a Private Relay on your studio infrastructure: Live Session traffic and WebShare links never leave your network. The Maya Toolkit and Studio app do not upload your scenes, video files, or annotations anywhere by default. The only outbound traffic is periodic key validation (HWID + key, no scene content). Many studios under NDA already use KeyFlow this way.

25+ tools covering blocking through polish, including: SpaceSwitch, Mirror, RelativeSpace, MatchS, PoseSLibrary, TempPivot, SELSET, AnimCopy, BakerS, CAMERA, DriveLoc, PlayblastView, ShakeIt, ShakeIt, KFlowTrail, ATween, SmoothSharp, FootSlide Fix, EulerSmart, TrimShiftKEYS, KeyReduce, OffsetS, Quick Folder Browser, QuickTransferS and more. See the documentation for details on each tool.

A custom UI that lives above Maya's timeline (or undocks into a floating window). Pinned favorites, drag-reorder shelves, instant search dialog with tool highlighting, contextual tooltips with GIF previews, keyboard shortcut display, and live status indicators for active tools. One-click updates land directly in the dock when a new version ships.

KeyFlow works with any standard Maya rig. It reads transforms, attributes, and keyframes through Maya's native APIs, no special rig setup is required. Some advanced features (like automatic mirror detection) benefit from standard naming conventions such as _L and _R suffixes, but are not strictly required.

KeyFlow only creates or modifies keyframes and temporary helper nodes (like locators used by SpaceSwitch or KFlowTrail). It does not alter your rig structure, connections, or scene setup. Helper nodes can be cleaned up at any time, and SpaceSwitch in particular has a deep cleanup that purges every remnant it ever creates.

Yes. MyShelf lets you pin your favorite tools, drag to reorder, and organize your workspace. The dock includes a search function and a recently-used strip for quick access. Quick Folder Browser adds saved folder shortcuts, side-by-side directory comparison, and fast search across deep project structures, all without leaving Maya.

Speech-bubble tooltips appear on hover with GIF previews, keyboard shortcut display, and selection-aware tips that change based on what you have selected in Maya. Click a shortcut to copy it. Tooltips can be pinned for reference while you work. The system tracks usage so you learn the tools as you use them.

• Download the latest release from keyflow.tools. The download includes both KeyFlow Studio and the Maya Toolkit.
• KeyFlow Studio: run the installer in the KeyFlowStudio folder, then launch the app from Start Menu or directly from the KeyFlow dock inside Maya.
• Maya Toolkit: extract the archive (e.g. to C:\KeyFlow\), open Maya, drag Install_Drag_&_Drop_Maya_viewport.py into the Maya viewport. A KeyFlow shelf icon appears automatically.
• Click the shelf icon, the dock opens above your timeline, and you're ready.

The Maya Toolkit includes a built-in updater. When a new version is available, a small blinking dot appears in the top-right of the dock. Click it, then hit Update Now to download and install. Changes take effect after a Maya restart. KeyFlow Studio updates through its own in-app updater. You can also check manually from settings in either app.

The Maya Toolkit does not require admin rights, it lives in your Maya user scripts folder. KeyFlow Studio's installer asks for admin rights only if you choose Program Files as the install location, picking your user folder skips that prompt.

• Maya Toolkit: delete the KeyFlow folder from your Maya scripts directory (typically Documents/maya/scripts/KeyFlow) and remove the shelf icon. The bundled cleanup script removes everything cleanly if you prefer.
• KeyFlow Studio: uninstall through Windows Settings → Apps, or run the uninstaller from the install folder.
• Your scenes, project files, and any work you created are never touched.

• Check the active shelf: the icon appears on whichever shelf was active when you ran the drag-and-drop installer. Switch shelves to find it.
• Run the drag-and-drop installer again. It re-creates the shelf icon and overwrites previous installs cleanly.
• If still missing, open Maya's Script Editor and run import keyflow_dock; keyflow_dock.show() to launch the dock manually, then create a shelf icon from the dock settings.
• If you see Python errors, send them to admin@keyflow.tools.

KeyFlow's compiled engine modules are .pyd files (Cython-compiled Python extensions). Some antivirus and EDR tools flag any unsigned .pyd as suspicious, this is a generic false positive, not a real threat. Add the KeyFlow install folder to your antivirus exclusions, or whitelist the specific files. If your studio's IT requires hash verification, contact us at admin@keyflow.tools and we'll provide signed checksums.

Yes. Both KeyFlow Studio and the Maya Toolkit can be installed anywhere. Studio's installer lets you pick the install path. The Maya Toolkit goes wherever you extract it, point Maya at that location with the drag-and-drop installer.

Each release ships with a changelog visible in the dock's update dialog (Maya Toolkit) and in Studio's About panel. A full version history is also published at keyflow.tools/changelog. If a specific update breaks something for you, contact us, we keep older builds archived and can roll you back.

KeyFlow uses a hardware-based key tied to your machine. When you sign up, you receive a key that activates both KeyFlow Studio and the Maya Toolkit. The key validates with our server periodically, with a 24-hour offline grace period so you can work without internet.

Every key includes activation on up to 4 computers. If you need more, contact us at admin@keyflow.tools.

Yes. KeyFlow is free right now. Download it and get a key valid for 1 year with full access to every tool in both Studio and the Maya Toolkit. No credit card required. Renew your key after a year to keep going.

Your key is valid for a year. Before it expires, just request a fresh free key with the same email and keep working. Your scenes, rigs, and project data are never affected, KeyFlow does not modify your scene files or hold them hostage.

Yes. KeyFlow validates your key periodically but includes a 24-hour offline grace period. Work without an internet connection for up to 24 hours. Once you reconnect, the key re-validates automatically in the background.

• Make sure you're running a supported Maya version (2021-2026).
• Check Maya's Script Editor for error messages and send them to admin@keyflow.tools.
• Look for conflicting scripts or plug-ins that might interfere with loading. Run the cleanup script if needed.
• Try the drag-and-drop installer again, it overwrites the previous install cleanly.

• Make sure you have an active internet connection (your key validates with the server periodically).
• Check that your key is entered correctly, no extra spaces.
• If you recently changed hardware, your HWID may have changed. Contact us at admin@keyflow.tools to reset.
• For Floating seats, confirm you haven't exceeded your concurrent seat count.

If a specific tool causes a crash, report it via the built-in feedback system in the dock or email admin@keyflow.tools with your Maya version, the tool name, and steps to reproduce. Stability is a top priority and we usually patch issues within days.

KeyFlow automatically invalidates the Cached Playback cache after operations that modify keyframes. If you still see stale playback, toggle Cached Playback off and on, or switch to DG evaluation mode temporarily. This is a known Maya quirk, not a KeyFlow bug.

• LAN: confirm both machines are on the same subnet and the host's firewall isn't blocking the session port.
• KeyFlow Relay: check that review.keyflow.tools is reachable, some corporate networks block WebSocket traffic.
• Private Relay: verify the relay service is running on your server and the configured port is open.
• Double-check the room code, codes are case-sensitive.

Live sessions throttle to 12 fps during playback to keep traffic reasonable, this is normal. If local playback is slow, try lowering Studio's resolution cap, the default is sized for 1280-wide. For very large source files, transcode to a proxy first using Studio's built-in export.

When every seat in your pool is in use, the next animator who tries to launch KeyFlow sees a friendly "all seats are currently in use" dialog with the names of who's holding them. They can wait for someone to release a seat (closing Maya or Studio releases instantly) or contact their team admin to add more seats. The server keeps a live count, so as soon as a seat frees up, the waiting user can connect.

Yes. Floating seat admins get a dashboard at keyflow.tools/account showing real-time seat usage: who's connected, which machine, how long they've held the seat, and historical usage stats. Useful for sizing your seat pool and identifying which days/times are peak.