> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.postiz.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Image and video editing (Polotno)

> Enable the in-app design editor on a self-hosted instance

<Snippet file="audience/self-host-only.mdx" />

Postiz has a built-in design editor, powered by the
[Polotno SDK](https://polotno.com/), that lets people create and edit visuals
inside the composer. It needs a Polotno key, which you supply.

<Note>
  What the editor does from a user's point of view is covered in
  [Images and video](/general/composer/media). This page is only the setup.
</Note>

## Setup

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create a Polotno account">
    Sign up at [polotno.com](https://polotno.com/) and open the
    [API dashboard](https://polotno.com/cabinet/) to generate an
    API key.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add the API key to Postiz">
    Set `NEXT_PUBLIC_POLOTNO` in your environment to the key from
    the Polotno dashboard:

    ```env theme={null}
    NEXT_PUBLIC_POLOTNO="your-polotno-api-key"
    ```

    In `docker-compose.yaml`:

    ```yaml theme={null}
    services:
      postiz:
        environment:
          NEXT_PUBLIC_POLOTNO: "your-polotno-api-key"
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Restart Postiz">
    `NEXT_PUBLIC_POLOTNO` is read by the frontend at build time, so
    you need to rebuild the frontend image (or restart the dev
    server) for the change to take effect.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Exact steps may vary slightly depending on your deployment. See
[Docker Compose](/self-host/installation/docker-compose) or
[Development](/self-host/installation/development) for environment-specific
notes. If the variable is unset, the editor falls back to a
demo/anonymous mode that is not suitable for production.

## Licensing

Polotno is a commercial SDK and requires a valid license for
production use.

* Licenses are purchased and managed directly through Polotno.
* Postiz does not bundle, resell, or proxy Polotno licenses.
* Billing, licensing, and usage terms are handled by Polotno.

Postiz users can use the coupon code **`postizfriends`** at checkout
to receive **\$100 off** a Polotno license.

## Reference

* Env var: [`NEXT_PUBLIC_POLOTNO`](/self-host/configuration/reference#misc-frontend)
* Polotno docs: [polotno.com/docs](https://polotno.com/docs/)
* Polotno pricing: [polotno.com/pricing](https://polotno.com/pricing/)