Design Relay

FAQ

Getting started

How to install Design Relay, connect your agents and sources, and what to do when something goes wrong.

Getting started

What is Design Relay?

A Mac app for designing with AI in the context of your real work — files on your computer, plus optional Notion pages and Slack threads. Projects stay on your Mac. Design Relay does not sync your designs to the cloud yet.

What Mac do I need?

An Apple Silicon Mac (M1 or later) running macOS 14 or newer. Intel Macs are not supported in Early Access.

How do I install it?
  1. On getdesignrelay.com, enter your email so the download button unlocks.
  2. Download the app, open the file, and drag Design Relay into Applications.
  3. Open Design Relay from Applications (or Spotlight).
  4. Sign in with Google or email when asked. The first time, you’ll also pick a display name and a projects folder on this Mac.

macOS may ask you to confirm the app the first time. That is normal for software from our site (it is signed and notarized).

Do I need a Design Relay account?

Yes. Sign in under Settings → General with Google or email. That unlocks Early Access. It is separate from Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, Notion, and Slack — you still connect those on their own tabs.

Where do my projects live?

On this Mac, in the projects folder you choose at first launch (change it later under Settings → General). Designs, discussions, and Project Memory stay there. Design Relay does not upload your project files.

How do I back up?

Quit Design Relay, then copy the whole projects folder (every project subfolder) to a drive or archive. To restore, put that folder back — or point Settings → General at it and reopen the app. Installing a new version of the app does not delete that folder.

AI agents

Which AI can I use?

Design Relay uses your plans. It does not host the models and does not charge for the AI itself.

Connect them under Settings → Agents:

  • Claude — Claude Code on your Mac, billed to Claude Pro or Max
  • ChatGPT — OpenAI’s Codex helper on your Mac, billed to ChatGPT Plus or Pro
  • Cursor — a Cursor API key (no Terminal install)

You can connect more than one. Settings → Chat sets which one new Discussions use. You can change the agent on a single thread.

Do I need all three?

Connect the one you already pay for. You can add another later.

How do I connect Claude?

You need Claude Pro or Max (a free claude.ai chat account is not enough). Sign in to Design Relay first (Settings → General).

  1. Open Settings → Agents and open Claude (Set up Claude if you see that button).
  2. Open Terminal (⌘ Space, type Terminal, press Return).
  3. Paste this, then press Return:curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash
  4. Quit Terminal, open a new Terminal window, and run:claude --versionYou should see a version number.
  5. Back in Design Relay, click Sign in with Claude and finish in the browser.
  6. On the Agents list, click Refresh status & models. The badge should say Connected.

If Terminal says “command not found”: close Terminal completely, try the verify command in a brand-new window, then Refresh. Still not found? Open Claude in Agents, expand Advanced, paste the path from which claude in Terminal, then Refresh.

Official install notes: Claude Code quickstart

How do I connect ChatGPT?

You need ChatGPT Plus or Pro. Do not paste an OpenAI platform API key. Sign in to Design Relay first.

  1. Open Settings → Agents and open ChatGPT (Set up ChatGPT if you see that button).
  2. Open Terminal.
  3. Paste this, then press Return:curl -fsSL https://chatgpt.com/codex/install.sh | sh
  4. Quit Terminal, open a new window, and run:codex --version
  5. In Design Relay, click Sign in with ChatGPT and finish in the browser.
  6. Click Refresh status & models.

If it is not found: new Terminal window, then Refresh. Still stuck? In Terminal run which codex, paste that path into Advanced on the ChatGPT row, then Refresh.

How do I connect Cursor?

No Terminal install. You need a Cursor account that can create a user API key (typically Pro, or a team that allows personal keys). Sign in to Design Relay first.

  1. In a browser, open cursor.com/dashboard/api and sign in.
  2. Create a key (name it “Design Relay”).
  3. Copy the full secret from the create dialog (it usually starts with crsr_). The masked preview in the table later will not work.
  4. In Design Relay: Settings → Agents → Cursor, paste the key, click Connect.
  5. Refresh if the badge does not update.

The key stays in this Mac’s secure storage — not in your project files or chat. Revoke it in Cursor’s dashboard if this computer should lose access.

Discuss says the agent is not connected. What do I do?

Open Settings → Agents, finish install or sign-in for that agent, click Refresh status & models, then try Discuss again. Confirm Settings → Chat (or the thread’s agent) is set to the one you connected.

Notion

How do I connect Notion?
  1. Sign in to Design Relay first (Settings → General).
  2. Open Settings → Sources and click Connect Notion.
  3. Finish in the browser and allow access.
  4. Return to the app. You should see your workspace name.

You can connect another workspace with Connect another workspace. Each project uses only the workspace you assign in Project settings → Sources. If you have more than one workspace, assign one before Discuss can search or create Notion pages in that project.

How do I use a Notion page in a discussion?

Paste the Notion page link into Discuss. Design Relay reads that page for the conversation. If the project has a Notion workspace assigned, you can also ask Discuss to find or create pages there.

Can Design Relay see my whole Notion workspace?

It can use what you granted when you connected, plus pages you paste or ask it to find in the workspace assigned to that project. Tokens stay on this Mac.

Notion asked me to reconnect.

The connection was revoked or expired. In Settings → Sources, click Reconnect (or Connect Notion again) and finish in the browser.

Slack

How do I connect Slack?
  1. Sign in to Design Relay first (Settings → General).
  2. Open Settings → Sources and click Connect Slack.
  3. Finish in the browser with the workspace you want.

You do not create your own Slack app. Use the Design Relay prompt.

You can connect another workspace with Connect another workspace.

How do I use a Slack thread in Discuss?

In Slack, open the thread (or message), copy its link, and paste that link into Discuss. A channel link without a message usually will not work.

Design Relay reads that thread for the conversation, including images when it can. Long threads may only include the latest messages at first — you can ask it to read the Source to go further.

Does Design Relay post to Slack?

It only reads the thread you paste. It does not reply in Slack. Slack is not added to Project Memory (it is attached to that discussion as a Source).

Slack is a work workspace. Is that OK?

Usually yes — most people can Connect Slack themselves. If your company requires admin approval for apps, ask them to allow Design Relay, then click Connect again.

Updates and everyday use

How do I get a new version?

When a newer Design Relay is available, a banner appears in the app with Download. Open the file, replace the app in Applications, and reopen. Your projects folder is unchanged.

To get the current installer again, use the download on getdesignrelay.com after you enter your email.

Can I use Figma with Design Relay?

You can paste from Figma onto the Design Relay canvas (⌘V). Copying from Design Relay back into Figma is not supported in this release.

Does Design Relay work offline?

Your files stay on the Mac. Sign-in, Slack, Notion, and AI need the internet. If Early Access is inactive, you can still open existing designs.

Privacy

Where does my work go?
  • Projects stay in the projects folder on this Mac.
  • AI sends conversation context to the agent you chose (Claude, ChatGPT, or Cursor) under that account’s terms.
  • Notion / Slack use the access you grant; tokens stay in this app’s secure storage on this Mac.
  • Account (Google or email) is only for Early Access identity — not a copy of your design files.
Do you train models on my designs?

Design Relay does not host the models. What Claude, ChatGPT, or Cursor does with traffic is governed by your account with them.

Something’s wrong

The app will not open (macOS warning).

Download again from getdesignrelay.com (email first, then the download button), drag the app to Applications, and open it from there. If macOS still blocks it, open System Settings → Privacy & Security and allow Design Relay.

Slack or Notion Connect never finishes.

Stay signed in under Settings → General. Finish the browser window, or click Cancel in Design Relay and try Connect once more from Settings → Sources.

I need help.

Email sonaliaagrawal@gmail.com, or use Settings → Feedback. Include what you expected, what happened, and the version in Settings → About.

Ready to try it? Get early access and Design Relay unlocks your download.