Saving & publishing reels
ReelCrafter auto-saves your work as you go, but understanding your save options helps you stay in control of drafts and published reels.
Jump to: Auto-save · Preview draft · Save options · Common questions
Auto-save
As you work in the Reel Builder, your changes auto-save after each action. You'll see "Changes saved." at the bottom of the page.
Tip: Click "Save draft for later" at least once early in your editing session to create a working draft. If you lose your connection before saving, unsaved changes may be lost.
Preview draft
Click Preview draft in the Action Bar to see how your reel looks. The preview opens in a new tab with a "Draft" watermark.
Important: This preview link only works for you while logged in. Don't share it—it won't work for others.
The preview shows your current draft, which may differ from the published version if you've made changes. You must publish to commit changes to the live reel.
Note: Draft previews don't include share link-specific settings like password protection, download options, or expiration dates. Those settings are applied per share link, not to the reel itself.
Save options
Click the Save button in the Action Bar to access all your options:
Save and publish
Saves your reel, makes it live, and takes you to the Reel Detail page. If you're publishing for the first time, you'll be prompted to create a share link. If the reel was already published, changes are immediately visible to anyone with an existing share link.
Publish and continue editing
Publishes your reel but keeps you in the Reel Builder with a new draft. Use this when you want changes to go live but you're not done editing yet.
Save draft for later
Creates a draft you can return to later and takes you back to your previous page. The draft won't affect any previously published version—you must publish to make changes live.
If you save a draft of an unpublished reel, you won't be able to create share links until you return and publish.
Save as template
Saves your current reel layout as a template. You'll stay in the Reel Builder so you can keep editing. Next time you create a reel, you can start from this template instead of the default.
Templates save your block arrangement and can optionally include media. Useful if you frequently create reels with similar structures.
Discard draft
Deletes your current draft and exits the Reel Builder. If the reel was previously published, you'll go to the Reel Detail page. If it was a new reel that was never published, you'll go to the Reel Library.
Tip: Always exit the Reel Builder using one of these save options. Navigating away using other links may create unwanted drafts.
Common questions
Do I need to save manually?
Changes auto-save as you work, but we recommend clicking "Save draft for later" at least once early in your session to create a draft in the system. This protects your work if you lose your connection.
What's the difference between Save draft for later and Save and publish?
Save draft for later creates a private draft only you can see. Save and publish makes your reel live—anyone with a share link can see it immediately.
Can I undo changes after publishing?
There's no undo, but you can edit the reel again and publish with corrected content. Changes take effect immediately.
Will recipients see my changes right away?
Yes. After you publish, changes are live immediately. If someone has your share link open, they'll see the updated content when they refresh.
What happens to my draft if I close the browser?
If you've clicked "Save draft for later" at least once, your draft is saved and you can return to it. If you haven't saved at all and lose your connection, unsaved work may be lost.