# 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. On the **Channels** board, admins can select **Create Brand Profile** in the action bar, or use the pencil icon in the Brand Profile filter dropdown on Channels or Posts. See [Workspaces & Brand Profiles](/docs/workspaces).
2. **Connect a channel.** Go to **Channels → Add account**, pick the Brand Profile, and connect a social account. See [Channels](/docs/channels).
3. **Attach media and compose.** Open **Posts → Create post**, select your Brand Profile and destination channels, and add your text and media (via file picker or drag and drop directly in the composer). See [Publishing](/docs/publishing) and [Media](/docs/media).
4. **Publish or schedule.** Save as a draft, schedule for a specific date and time, or publish immediately from **Posts**. See [Publishing](/docs/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 the primary destinations in the workspace:

- **Channels** (`/channels`) — connected social accounts, organized by Brand Profile
- **Posts** (`/posts`) — your publishing hub for drafting, scheduling, and tracking posts

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

### Workspace name

The top of the sidebar displays your current workspace (organization) name and active plan as a static label — the app does not offer an in-app workspace switcher.

### 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 an icon rail
- 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 a social account               | [Channels](/docs/channels)                                             |
| Organize clients or brands             | [Workspaces & Brand Profiles](/docs/workspaces)                        |
| Attach an image or video for a post    | [Publishing](/docs/publishing) (see [Media](/docs/media))              |
| Schedule or publish a post             | [Publishing](/docs/publishing)                                         |
| Change theme or low motion preferences | Sidebar footer controls                                                |
| Fix a connection that stopped working  | [Channels](/docs/channels) or [Troubleshooting](/docs/troubleshooting) |

## Next steps

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