MAAdd-on for Adobe Express

Mini App Builder — Help Center

Everything you need to create mini apps, manage your library, refine results, and add them to your Express designs — in minutes.

Quick startCreate your first app

Video walkthrough

See Mini App Builder in action

A quick tour of creating mini apps inside Adobe Express — prompts, live preview, refine, Explore, and adding tools to your canvas.

Watch on LinkedIn

3 steps

Quick start

New here? Follow these three steps to go from idea to design-ready output.

  1. 1

    Describe your app

    Open Create and write one clear sentence about the tool you want — for example, a QR code generator or a color palette picker.

  2. 2

    Generate & preview

    Tap Generate app. When the build finishes, you land on Home with your new app highlighted. Tap the tile to open a live preview inside the panel.

  3. 3

    Add to your design

    Use the app, then tap Add to design to export the visual result into your Adobe Express canvas.

Overview

What is Mini App Builder?

Mini App Builder is an Adobe Express add-on that turns a short natural-language description into a working mini app — a self-contained tool you can preview in the panel and export into your design.

  • Runs inside the Express side panel (no separate install beyond the add-on).
  • Apps are saved locally on your device in the Home library.
  • Generation and refinement use AI and draw from your daily free tokens or purchased token balance.
  • Best for small utilities: generators, calculators, editors, and design helpers.

Usage

Tokens & daily limits

You receive 15 free tokens every day (UTC reset). Create, Refine, and runtime fixes all use the same pool. Purchased tokens are used automatically after free daily tokens run out.

  • Each build or refinement deducts tokens based on actual AI usage — heavier operations cost more.
  • If you cancel mid-generation, mid-refinement, or mid-runtime-fix, tokens for work completed so far are still deducted.
  • Tap the token display in the header → Get More Tokens to buy on Gumroad or redeem a license key.
  • One license can be active on up to 4 devices; re-activating shows your remaining balance (no duplicate credits).
  • Open Get More Tokens → Linked devices to remove a device and free a slot when moving to a new machine.

Build

Create tab

This is where new mini apps are born.

Step 1

Write your prompt

Describe one focused tool in plain English. Mention inputs, outputs, and any must-have UI (sliders, copy button, dark theme, etc.).

Step 2

Quick Prompt chips

Expand Quick Prompt for one-tap starter prompts (color tools, calculators, capture helpers, and more).

Step 3

Design selection mode

Turn on Read and apply Adobe Express design selection when the app should read or update your current canvas selection via Express bridge APIs.

Step 4

Thorough quality verify

Leave off for the default fast pipeline. Turn on for extra runtime checks and repair passes — slower but stricter.

Step 5

Generate app

Watch the progress overlay. On success you are taken to Home with the new app. Tokens are deducted after the build completes. Cancelling still deducts tokens for AI work done so far.

Tip — Be specific: "A QR code generator with URL input, color pickers, and PNG export hook" works better than "make a QR app".

Library

Home library

Every app you create or save from Explore lives here.

  • Search — filter by title, original prompt, or category.
  • Tap a tile — open the live preview and Add to design actions.
  • Settings menu (gear on Home) — Rename app, App icon photo, or enter Delete mode.
  • Long-press / right-click a tile — quick context menu for rename, change icon, or delete.
  • Edit mode — tap delete badges on tiles to remove apps you no longer need.

Step 1

Custom app icon

Settings → App icon photo → Choose image (JPG or PNG only). Icons are stored locally on your device. Use default icon to revert.

Templates

Explore tab

Start from polished templates instead of a blank prompt.

  • Pre-built apps — Text Bend Maker, Color Palette, Photo Editor, QR Generator, Pattern Generator, and more.
  • Tap a card to preview, then save it to your Home library or open it directly.
  • Great for learning what the add-on can do before writing your own prompt.
  • Community / remote feed — additional templates when available from the server.

Preview

Mini app viewer

When you open an app from Home or Explore, the full-screen viewer shows a live sandbox preview.

  • Live badge — preview loaded and interactive.
  • Refresh — reload the preview iframe.
  • Settings (⋯) — copy HTML, duplicate app, or delete.
  • Runtime warnings — if the app logs errors, a banner offers Fix and create new version.

Export

Add to design

The primary way to get mini app output into Adobe Express. The add-on captures the app's visual result and inserts it into your document.

  • Use the app first (generate a QR code, palette, gradient, etc.) so the result is visible.
  • Tap Add to design at the bottom of the viewer.
  • The add-on finds the best export target (canvas, SVG, result area) automatically.
  • For design-aware apps, bridge APIs may replace the selected image or layer instead of a flat capture.
Tip — If export fails, refine the app to add a clear result area or data-mini-export attribute on the main output element.

Improve

Refine this app

Change an existing app without starting from scratch.

Step 1

Open the refine panel

Tap Refine this app at the bottom of the viewer.

Step 2

Write a change request

Example: "Dark theme, larger buttons, add reset, keep current data model." Use Quick requests for common fixes.

Step 3

Apply refinement

The AI patches your app, runs quality checks, and saves a new version. Refine history lets you reuse prompts or revert. Tokens are deducted based on usage — cancelling mid-refinement still deducts tokens for work completed so far.

Tip — Refine uses the same daily token pool as Create.

Billing

Buy tokens & license keys

Extra usage beyond your 30 daily free tokens requires purchased tokens.

  • Tap the token bar → Get More Tokens.
  • Buy on Gumroad — opens the product page in a new browser tab.
  • After purchase, paste your license key and tap Verify to add credits to your account.
  • Credits are shared across devices linked to the same license (max 4 activations).

Best results

Prompt tips

Small changes in how you describe an app dramatically improve output quality.

  • One job per app — split complex workflows into separate mini apps.
  • Name inputs and outputs — "URL field, live QR preview, copy link button".
  • State layout preferences — "mobile-first, max width 330px, purple accent".
  • Mention persistence only when needed — "remember last 5 items in local storage".
  • For canvas tools, enable Design selection mode and say what should happen to the selection.
  • Start from an Explore template and refine it instead of generating from zero.

FAQ

Troubleshooting

Common questions and fixes.

  • Daily limit reached — wait for the daily reset (UTC) or use purchased tokens.
  • Generation, refinement, or runtime fix cancelled — tokens for AI work completed before cancel are still deducted.
  • Preview shows Needs fix — try Refresh, then Refine or Fix runtime issues.
  • Add to design empty/wrong — use the app to produce visible output first; refine to highlight the export target.
  • Storage full — delete old apps from Home to free local storage.
  • External links open in a new tab — Gumroad and this help page open in your default browser.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Where are my apps stored?+

On your device inside the add-on panel (browser local storage). They are not uploaded to the server unless you use cloud features explicitly.

Can I use apps offline?+

Saved apps open offline. Creating or refining new apps requires an internet connection for AI generation.

What file types work for custom icons?+

JPG and PNG only. Other formats are rejected.

Need more tokens?

Purchase credits on Gumroad or redeem a license key inside the add-on (tap the token bar → Get More Tokens).

Buy on Gumroad