Guide

REFLO open with external app guide — keep working from that moment

REFLO Team2026. 7. 22. 오전 11:5012 min read

How to open a past save record straight in Photoshop or another work app, the difference between Open and continue and Open as new work, and how this fits with tracks.

Sometimes you don’t just want to look at a past version on the timeline — you want to actually keep working from that moment. “Three days ago was better, so let’s go from there.” That’s what Open with external app is for — it opens the selected save record straight in Photoshop or whatever app you were working in.

This guide is for using Open with external app for the first time. It covers how this differs from restore, and when to pick each of the two open methods.

What this guide covers

On the History screen (shortcut ⌘2), how to open a past version in an external app, the difference between Open and continue and Open as new work, and where saves go after you open.

How is this different from restore?

Both “go back to a past moment,” so they’re easy to mix up.

| | Restore | Open with external app | |---|---|---| | Purpose | Bring the file back to that moment | Keep working immediately from that moment | | Result | A restore-copy file is created, or the original is replaced | That moment’s contents open in your work app | | Auto-backup | Auto-backup just before restore | No auto-backup (see the caution below) |

If you “just want the file put back safely,” use Restore. If you “want to open that moment and keep drawing,” this guide’s Open with external app is the one.

Open with external app — the basic flow

On the timeline, select the version (dot) you want to keep working from.
In the version info panel, click Open with external app. (Double-clicking the version card opens the same window.)
The window shows which app will open it, such as “This file will open in Photoshop.” To use a different app, click Choose again and pick from the Choose app list.
Choose Open and continue or Open as new work, then proceed.
You’ll see “Open request sent,” and the app opens.

Open and continue vs Open as new work

This is the heart of the feature. The on-screen hints, carried over:

| Method | On-screen hint | What actually happens | |---|---|---| | Open and continue | “Opens the file for the selected version. Saving adds versions that continue the existing flow.” | The original file opens already changed to that moment. Saves then accumulate on that same file’s existing timeline | | Open as new work | “Doesn’t open the selected version’s file as-is; opens it as a new file. Saving accumulates as a new version.” | Leaves the original alone and opens a separate file in the same folder |

> Caution — Open and continue changes the original. If the current file’s latest contents still matter, we recommend leaving a manual backup before you open. Unlike restore, Open with external app has no auto-backup. (If the latest contents are still on the timeline as a save record, you can restore from that record later.)

Either way, the act of opening itself is not captured as a save record; records start from the moment you save in the app.

Using it with tracks

Open with external app connects naturally with tracks (branches).

When you open a past version, the track that version belongs to becomes the active branch. Later saves accumulate on that track.
In Waiting to start right after Create new track, you’ll see “Open the baseline save record in an app to start working,” along with an Open with external app button. Opening with that button starts work on the new track.

If you “want the original flow left alone and a different direction from a past moment,” the usual order is Create new track → Open with external app.

When a pre-open check appears

Formats that need a font or linked-asset check may show a Pre-open check step just before opening. Check the missing fonts and assets list, then continue.

If the version exists only in the cloud

When you open a version that has no local original (a record that came from another Mac, and so on), there’s one more hint — “Version history may not be continuous from start to finish right now.” You can choose one of two:

Open as a temporary file instead — open a temporary file to inspect the contents only.
Use Cloud History — connecting Cloud History makes it easier to continue the same version history on another Mac.

Nearby features that are easy to mix up

| Feature | What it does | |---|---| | Open with external app | Open a past version in a work app and keep working | | Restore | Bring the file back to a past version (includes auto-backup) | | Show in Finder | Only reveal the file’s location in Finder | | Copy path | Copy the file path to the clipboard | | Continue in Photoshop | Open two PSD versions together from compare for semantic merge (Pro — see the compare guide) |

What changes by plan (summary)

Open with external app itself is available on Free.
Free cannot open versions older than about 14 days — “Versions older than 14 days can be opened on Pro.”
Compare’s Continue in Photoshop (PSD semantic merge) is a Pro feature.

FAQ

If I Open and continue, does the current file disappear?

The original file opens already changed to that moment. All save records so far stay on the timeline, so if you need the latest contents you can Restore from that record. If you’re worried, leave a manual backup before you open.

Does Open as new work clutter the folder?

It creates one extra file next to the original. When the experiment is over you can tidy the file; if you want to manage it as a branch from the start, tracks stay cleaner.

Can I change which app opens?

Yes. In the open window, Choose again lets you pick from apps that can open that file type. The default is the default app set in macOS.

I opened it, but a save record didn’t appear right away

The open itself is not recorded. It accumulates on the timeline from the moment you save (⌘S) in the app.

Can I open it while the file is already open?

If you Open and continue while the same file is already open in the app, the app and disk contents can get out of sync. Save and close first, then open.