Frequently asked questions

Phluxel is a desktop cellular-automata studio for Windows. Paint a grid, write a Phlux rule or choose a starter, and run it on the CPU or, for compatible rules, the GPU. Free exports still images, image sequences and GIF; Pro also unlocks MP4, APNG and sprite sheets.

Not to start. The Starter Gallery (90 scenes) and 128 rule templates get you animating with a single click. When you're curious, Phlux rules are usually one short, readable line — and the editor has a cheat sheet, autocomplete and inline hints.

Windows 10 (1809+) and Windows 11, 64-bit. The built-in script editor is the default; optional Monaco editing on Windows uses WebView2. The browser demo is a smaller CPU preview, not the full desktop app.

Minimum: a 64-bit dual-core CPU, an OpenGL 3.3 GPU, 4 GB RAM and ~300 MB of disk. Recommended: a quad-core CPU, a dedicated GPU (for the GPU engine and large grids), and 8 GB+ RAM.

No. Phluxel is a one-time purchase with a perpetual license — buy it once and it's yours, including future updates within the same major version. There's also a genuinely free edition to start with.

Free includes every creative feature — drawing, rules, GPU simulation, timeline, import, user functions, GIF/PNG export. The differences are output-side: Free exports carry a "MADE WITH PHLUXEL" watermark, are capped at 1024 px / 300 frames, grids at 128×128, and are licensed for personal, non-commercial use. Pro removes the watermark and all caps, adds MP4/APNG and sprite-sheet export, and grants commercial rights.

Yes — no account, no trial timer, no feature unlocks that expire. Use it as long as you like for personal, non-commercial work. Sharing watermarked exports on personal, non-monetized social media or portfolios is welcome.

Yes. Everything you make is yours. The Pro edition grants a full commercial license so you can sell your loops, use them in games, videos, or client work. The Free edition is for personal, non-commercial projects and watermarks its exports — monetized or client work needs Pro.

A direct Pro key is personal to one user and covers up to two of that user’s own devices. Steam purchases use Steam’s account and installation rules instead of a direct key. A personal license cannot be shared between different people. For a team or classroom, request named licenses.

Yes. A Pro license is personal and covers two of your own devices, so buying for other people works differently: tell us how many seats you need and we will issue named licenses together and quote the order. We can invoice a company or institution, work from a purchase order, and put your business number and tax details on the paperwork. Schools and universities can license a classroom or lab the same way. Start with the quote request form or email help@phluxel.com — tell us the seat count and the country you are invoicing from and that is usually enough to quote.

For a direct download, keep the email containing your Pro key and enter it again under Help ▸ License if it is no longer stored. Settings and keys live in %AppData%\ErinWave\Phluxel. Uninstalling the direct build preserves user functions and named workspaces; it also preserves shared settings when the Steam edition is installed. Steam Pro is restored through Steam ownership, with no direct key to re-enter. If you lose a direct key, email help@phluxel.com from your purchase address.

Direct keys are verified locally from their digital signature; a server response is not required to unlock Pro. Steam Pro is licensed through Steam, while the Steam Demo always stays Free and does not accept direct keys. A usage heartbeat and, when a direct key is stored on a Pro installation, a key-hash activation observation may be sent in the background. See the Privacy Policy.

See the Refund Policy. Refunds go through the store you purchased from. A refunded direct Pro key is revoked; a Steam refund removes the paid Steam entitlement under Steam’s rules. Your own created files remain yours, and the free direct edition and Steam Demo remain available.

Pro is available now on Steam, itch.io and Gumroad, with a $19.99 USD base price and no subscription. Regional currencies, taxes and store promotions can change the checkout total. The store shows the final price before purchase.

Whichever you prefer — you get the same app either way. Steam handles updates and ownership through your Steam account, so there is no license key to enter and nothing to re-activate after a reinstall. itch.io and Gumroad email you a license key, which you paste into Help ▸ License; that copy updates itself in-app.

The paid Steam app has the Pro features of the direct edition. Steam ownership unlocks Pro automatically and Steam handles updates; there is no direct key to enter. The separate Steam Demo has Free-edition limits and cannot be upgraded by entering an itch.io or Gumroad key.

Yes — email help@phluxel.com from the address you purchased with and we will send you a Steam key at no cost. You do not need one to keep using what you bought: your existing copy stays fully licensed and keeps updating on its own.

The US base price is $19.99. Any current discount and your regional price are shown on the Steam store page. Adding Phluxel to your wishlist lets Steam notify you about eligible sales.

Yes. Phluxel Demo is available on Steam. It has the Free edition’s watermark, 128×128 grid limit and GIF/image export limits. It always stays Free; purchasing the full Steam app unlocks Pro there. A direct key from itch.io or Gumroad works in the direct download, not in the Steam Demo.

Still images: PNG, JPG and BMP. Free also exports GIF and image sequences, with its watermark and size limits. Pro adds APNG, H.264 MP4 and PNG sprite sheets. MP4 requires a separate ffmpeg installation. The animation dialog offers forward, ping-pong and crossfade modes; palette lock skips crossfade to preserve the palette. Preview the seam before exporting.

Global rules are compiled to GLSL shaders and run as ping-pong render textures for real-time playback — including toroidal wrap. Per-cell rules, user functions and scatter run on a precise CPU interpreter, and Phluxel switches between them automatically.

Your projects and exports stay on your PC unless you choose to send something in feedback. Direct installed builds check for updates; Steam manages updates for its Pro and Demo apps. All editions send a rate-limited usage heartbeat when online (edition, version, language and an independent random counting ID). Pro installations with a stored direct key also send its hash and a random install ID when due to observe key sharing. These requests contain no project content. See the Privacy Policy for the fields, timing and retention.

Use Help ▸ Send Feedback inside the app — it sends your report (with your Phluxel version and OS attached) straight to us — or use the feedback form here on the site. Please describe what you did, what you expected, and what happened instead.

Send it via Help ▸ Send Feedback in the app, or the feedback form. We read everything.

The full user manual — getting started, tools, the Phlux language reference, import/export — lives at phluxel.com/docs. The same pages open from the app's Help menu.