Mount your first project

Instant Access lets you mount an Aspect project as a drive on your computer using the Aspect desktop app for macOS or Windows. Once mounted, the project’s folders and files appear in Finder on macOS or File Explorer on Windows like content on an SSD or NAS. You can open files in Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro (macOS), or any other application that works with files on your computer. Aspect streams the parts of each file your application needs, so you can begin working without downloading the entire project first.

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Before you start

To mount a project, you need:

• A macOS or Windows computer with the Aspect desktop app installed
• An active Aspect account
• Access to the project you want to mount
• An internet connection for files that are not stored locally
• A project using Active Storage

The mounted drive is managed through the Aspect desktop app and is not available from a browser alone.

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Mount a project

Mounting a project makes its files available through Finder while Aspect manages cloud access and local caching.

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Find the project on your computer

Mounted Aspect projects appear in your file explorer as drives. Mounted Aspect projects appear as drives in Finder on macOS and File Explorer on Windows.

• macOS: Look under Locations in the Finder sidebar. You can also add the project to your Finder sidebar favorites.
• Windows: Open File Explorer and find the mounted project using the drive letter shown in Aspect.
• Both platforms: Select the mounted drive when opening or importing a file from another application.

The mounted project keeps the same folder structure you see in Aspect. If you mount more than one project, each project is available as its own mounted drive.

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Open files in creative applications

The mounted project behaves like a normal drive, so no editing plug-in is required. You can:

• Import and edit footage in Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, or Final Cut Pro (macOS).
• Open images or audio in your preferred creative application.
• Save project files and exports directly to the Aspect drive.

Point your application at the mounted Aspect drive and open the file as you would from an SSD or NAS.

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How streaming works

Mounting a project does not download the entire project to your computer. When an application opens a file, Aspect streams only the parts of the file being requested. Intelligent prefetching anticipates which parts may be needed next, helping playback and scrubbing continue smoothly. This means you can:

• Begin opening a file without waiting for a full download.
• Work with files larger than the available space on your computer.
• Keep working from the same shared files as the rest of your team.

The original files remain stored in Aspect.

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Local caching

As you open and use files, Aspect stores frequently accessed data in a local cache. Cached data makes repeated access faster because Aspect does not need to stream the same parts of a file again. Caching happens automatically. Use Cache management to configure the cache from the desktop app, including:

• How much disk space the cache can use
• Where the cache is stored
• How much space is currently in use

Aspect automatically removes stale cached data when space is needed while keeping recently used content available.

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Keep files available offline

Pin a file or folder when you need guaranteed access without an internet connection. See Pinning for how to download complete files or folders and confirm they are ready for offline work. Pinning downloads the complete content and keeps it on your computer. Use pinning when:

• Working on a plane
• Traveling without reliable internet

Changes made to pinned files synchronize with Aspect after your computer reconnects to the internet.

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Cache and pinning

Caching and pinning serve different purposes: You do not need to pin every file before editing. For normal connected work, Aspect streams and caches content automatically.

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Save changes back to Aspect

Files on the mounted drive remain connected to the project in Aspect. When you save a change, Aspect synchronizes it back to the project automatically. Other team members working from the same project can then access the updated file. Changes that synchronize include:

• Editing and saving files
• Deleting content
• Saving project files or exports to the drive

When a teammate adds content to the project, it also appears on your mounted drive.

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Check sync status

The Aspect desktop app provides transfer and sync details on both macOS and Windows, including anything that needs your attention. On macOS, Finder also shows status badges on files that are uploading or synchronizing. Use these indicators or the desktop app to check whether a saved change has finished uploading. Before closing the app or disconnecting from the internet, confirm that important changes have finished synchronizing.

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Work with your team

Everyone who mounts the same project works from the same shared folder structure and files. For example:

1. An editor opens footage from the mounted project.
2. The editor saves a new timeline or export to the Aspect drive.
3. Aspect synchronizes the update so teammates can access the new content.

This avoids passing drives, copying entire projects, or maintaining separate versions of the same files.

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Mount multiple projects

You can mount multiple Aspect projects at the same time. Each mounted project appears as a separate drive, so you can move between productions without downloading them locally. Only mount the projects you are actively using if you want to keep your mounted drives and local cache easier to manage.

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Storage tiers and archived projects

Choose Active Storage or Cold Storage when you create a project. Only Active Storage projects support mounting through Instant Access. Archiving a project moves it to the Archived section on the workspace homepage. You can archive projects in either storage tier; this only changes where the project appears in the workspace. An archived Active Storage project can still be mounted. Open the archived project list to find it, then mount it as usual. Cold Storage projects cannot be mounted, whether or not they are archived. See storage tiers and project archiving.

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Troubleshoot mounting

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The Mount option does not appear

Check that:

• You are using the Aspect desktop app rather than only the browser.
• The desktop app is running and signed in.
• You have access to the project.
• The project uses Active Storage.
• The desktop app is up to date.

If you still cannot mount the project, ask your workspace administrator to confirm your access.

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The project does not appear in Finder or File Explorer

Try the following:

• Confirm that the project shows as mounted in the desktop app.
• On macOS, check the Locations section of the Finder sidebar. On Windows, check File Explorer.
• Close and reopen the Finder or File Explorer window.
• Confirm that the Aspect desktop app is still running.
• Restart the desktop app and mount the project again.

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A file opens slowly

Aspect must stream content that is not already cached or pinned. Check that:

• Your internet connection is active.
• The desktop app is running.
• Your cache has available disk space.
• The configured cache location is connected and writable.

For guaranteed local access, pin the file or folder before working with it.

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Changes are not appearing for teammates

Check the file’s sync status in the Aspect desktop app. On macOS, you can also check its status badge in Finder. Confirm that:

• The save completed successfully.
• The desktop app is still running.
• Your computer is connected to the internet.
• There is enough disk space for the local cache.
• The transfer panel does not show an error.

Wait for synchronization to finish before moving, renaming, or deleting the file again.

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A pinned file is not available offline

Confirm that the file or folder finished downloading before disconnecting from the internet. Pinning must complete before the content becomes fully available offline.

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