How to save and reuse references in Runway

To save Runway references, open Tool > Image, turn on References, then hover an uploaded reference and choose tag to save. Name it and press Enter; later, type @ to find its saved name. Runway documents these steps in its Gen-4 Image References guide↗ (opens in a new tab). An uploaded reference starts as temporary, so naming it matters before you refresh. Tools like fenbs can keep the separate record of which image you approved, what it represents, and what to try next.

Where do you save a reference so it survives the session?

1. Select Tool in the left sidebar, then select Image at the top of the generation panel.
2. Turn on References and load the image you want to use as a reference.
3. Hover the uploaded reference in the References panel and choose tag to save.
4. Give it a name that identifies the subject and version, then press Enter.
5. Before relying on it for later work, retrieve the saved name with @ and check that you selected the intended image.

Do this before closing or refreshing your working session. Runway says a refresh clears temporary references. A useful naming pattern is subject-purpose-version, such as cafe-owner-neutral-v1: it tells you more than image-final, especially when several similar images are in use.

Naming is a small publishing decision for your own library. Save an image when you can explain its role: this face is approved, this jacket color should remain, or this room establishes the setting. Keep experiments clearly labeled so they are not mistaken for the accepted source.

How do you retrieve and use the same reference later?

In the image workflow, use @ to autocomplete the saved Reference name, then describe the new image you want. Check the selected image before generating. A familiar name is helpful, but the visible source is the thing you are asking the model to use.

Begin with a simple change that you can judge: the same subject in a new setting, for example. Runway recommends an evenly lit subject and a neutral expression as a starting point. The purpose is to give the model a clear subject, rather than making it interpret a dramatic pose, difficult lighting, and a new scene together.

For a hypothetical neighborhood cafe campaign, first ask for the approved owner standing behind the counter. Review the face and clothing before adding a busier background. Write down which features must stay the same and which are allowed to change; otherwise, a pleasant image can quietly become the wrong reference for the next shot.

This is reference-guided image creation. Animating a selected still is a separate step. Saving the source does not guarantee that every later generation preserves every detail.

How should you handle several references?

Runway’s reference guide gives the current limit for active references. Give each source a distinct job, rather than trying to fill every available slot. One image might establish a person, another a location, and another a visual treatment. Check that the sources do not give conflicting instructions about the same feature.

• Write one sentence for each source explaining what it contributes. If two sources disagree about the outfit, decide which one owns that detail.
• Test the character and setting separately when a combined change becomes difficult to judge. Runway recommends separate character and scene paths for complex work.
• Review a useful output before making it a new reference. Save its name and explain what changed from the earlier source.
• Keep the original approved source available. A later image may improve the setting while introducing a facial detail you do not want to repeat.

The broader model evaluation guide explains how to choose checks before inspecting a result. Here, a short list of visual checks is enough: subject, clothing, setting, and anything the viewer must recognize across images.

How do you share a saved reference with other people?

Use the saved reference’s Edit pen icon, then choose Share with Workspace. This is the documented reference-sharing action. Runway’s plan guidance↗ (opens in a new tab) explains which accounts can add collaborators; collaboration and model access depend on the plan. Check the account’s access before planning a shared production process.

Give teammates the exact saved name and a sentence saying whether the image is approved or experimental. Ask the next person to confirm the visible reference before using it. Sharing access and agreeing on the right version are different steps, and the second one needs a clear human choice.

For example, a reviewer might approve the face and jacket but leave the background undecided. Save that limited approval as written. It prevents another person from assuming that sharing the reference means every part of the image has been accepted.

Is a saved reference the same as an asset or a download?

No. Runway’s asset guide↗ (opens in a new tab) describes assets as stored uploads and generated media. Saving an entry in the References panel is the explicit persistence step for reusing that reference there. Finding the underlying image in Assets does not replace naming the reference.

For a local media copy, open Assets, select the files or folders, then use the floating Actions menu > Download. Runway’s batch-download instructions↗ (opens in a new tab) describe a ZIP download and recommend smaller selections if a large download fails. Downloading the media is not the same as keeping every prompt or relationship behind it.

Keep exported sketches as finished references rather than expecting to edit the exported sketch afterward; Runway documents that limitation. If the reference itself is missing after a refresh, check whether you only uploaded it without completing tag to save. If a later result drifts, inspect the input and the requested change separately before replacing the approved source.

For media generation through another product’s connector, see the Higgsfield MCP guide. For wider tool choices, the AI model hub keeps those comparisons separate from this saving workflow.

How to keep your reference choices with fenbs

Keep the accepted image’s name, the reason it was chosen, and the next step so you can carry on from exactly where you left off, on any device and in any other AI. Leave the media in the place you use for files and add a link to it. The useful record is short enough that a new helper can understand it without seeing every experiment.

1. Create a free account.
2. Add a task for the images you are making. Write the saved reference name and where to find the approved image.
3. Write what must stay the same, who approved it, and what still needs checking.
4. Before you stop, save the last result and the next small step. When you return, read those words before trying another image.

fenbs keeps the work record; it does not generate video or replace Runway’s reference library. If all you need is one image in one session, the saved reference alone may be enough. For repeated work with another person or assistant, an explicit record for comparing AI tools helps keep the reasons behind your choices available.