# Getting started

Create your Meltiply account, sign in, learn the workspace layout, and finish first-time setup — Brand Profile, channel, and first post.

This guide takes you from a brand-new account to a workspace that's ready to publish.

## Create an account

1. Open the Meltiply app and choose **Sign up** on the sign-in page (or go straight to `/sign-up`).
2. Enter **Your name**, **Email address**, and a **Password** of at least 8 characters.
3. Select **Create Account**.

You're signed in immediately and land on the **Posts** area.

## Sign in

1. Go to `/sign-in`.
2. Enter your **Email address** and **Password**.
3. Select **Sign In**.

If you don't have an account yet, use the **Sign up** link at the bottom of the form. Successful sign-in always lands on **Posts** — including when you follow a link to another part of the app while signed out.

To sign out, open the account area at the bottom of the sidebar and select the sign-out icon next to your name and email.

## Your first five minutes

Work through these steps in order — each builds on the previous one:

1. **Create a Brand Profile.** Everything you publish, upload, and connect belongs to a Brand Profile. Go to **Settings → Brand Profiles** and select **New Brand Profile**, or use **Create Brand Profile** on the Channels board. See [Workspaces & Brand Profiles](/workspaces).
2. **Connect a channel.** Go to **Channels → Add account**, pick the Brand Profile, and connect a social account. See [Channels](/channels).
3. **Add media.** Open **Media Library → Upload Assets** to add images or videos. See [Media Library](/media).
4. **Publish a post.** Compose and schedule from **Posts**. See [Publishing](/publishing).

> Creating Brand Profiles requires a **workspace admin** role. If you're a member, ask your admin to create the profile — the Channels board tells you when this is needed.

## Find your way around

### Sidebar

The left sidebar lists every area of the app:

- **Channels** — connected social accounts, organized by Brand Profile
- **Posts** — your content hub, with **Overview** and **Queues** views
- **AI Studio** — AI-assisted content creation
- **Media Library** — images and videos for posts
- **Analytics** — performance data
- **Inbox** — comments and replies from connected platforms
- **Integrations** — workspace extensions
- **Billing** — plan and subscription
- **Settings** — workspace, team, and account preferences

Select **Search** near the top of the sidebar to open a quick-jump field that filters the list as you type.

### Workspace name

The top of the sidebar shows your current workspace (organization) and plan. Select it to open a menu with a shortcut to **Workspace Settings**.

### Footer controls

At the bottom of the sidebar you can:

- Switch between **light and dark** themes
- Turn **Low motion** on or off (Meltiply also follows your device's reduced-motion setting)
- **Collapse** the sidebar to icons
- See your account name and email, and **sign out**

### On smaller screens

On phones and tablets the sidebar is replaced by a top bar with a **menu button** that opens the same navigation in a panel, along with your account email and a **Log out** option.

## Where things live

| You want to…                          | Go to                                                        |
| ------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Connect an Instagram account          | [Channels](/channels)                                        |
| Organize clients or brands            | [Workspaces & Brand Profiles](/workspaces)                   |
| Upload a video for a post             | [Media Library](/media)                                      |
| Schedule a post                       | [Publishing](/publishing)                                    |
| Change the theme or language          | [Settings](/settings)                                        |
| Fix a connection that stopped working | [Channels](/channels) or [Troubleshooting](/troubleshooting) |

## Next steps

- [Workspaces & Brand Profiles](/workspaces) — set up your structure before connecting accounts
- [Channels](/channels) — connect your first platform
- [Troubleshooting](/troubleshooting) — when something doesn't work as expected