n8n Interface Walkthrough 2026 | Complete n8n UI Guide - Admin Panel, Settings

Now that you have n8n installed and ready—whether on your local machine, in a container, or using the cloud version—it's time to get familiar with the n8n interface. This tutorial will guide you through the key areas of the n8n UI, including the workspace overview, projects and folders, the admin panel, billing plans, workflow creation, and workflow management. By the end, you'll confidently navigate n8n’s environment and understand how to organize and execute your automations.

Understanding the n8n Workspace Overview

When you log into n8n, the first screen you encounter is the Overview tab. This is your gateway to everything in your workspace.

What You See on the Overview Tab

• Workflows: A list of all your created workflows.
• Credentials: Stored connections and authentication details for various services.
• Executions: Records of workflow runs and their statuses.

This tab acts as a dashboard where you can browse and manage your entire workspace content. To deepen your understanding of how different node types appear and function within workflows, consider reviewing the n8n Node Types Explained lesson.

Managing Projects and Folders

n8n allows you to organize your workflows into Projects and Folders, helping you keep things tidy and structured.

• Projects: The highest-level organizational unit. Your plan determines how many projects you can create.
• Folders: Sub-divisions inside projects to group workflows by category or status (e.g., “WIP” for work-in-progress, “Live Automations” for production workflows).

Note: On the Starter Plan, you can create only one project. Upgrading to Pro or Enterprise unlocks multiple projects.

How to Use Projects and Folders

1. Click the Projects dropdown.
2. Use the + button to create a new project (subject to plan limitations).
3. Inside a project, click Create Folder to add folders.
4. Move workflows into folders by selecting the workflow, clicking the three-dot menu, and choosing Move to folder.

This hierarchical structure helps you categorize workflows by purpose, status, or any other system you prefer.

Navigating the Admin Panel and Workspace Settings

The Admin Panel is your control center for workspace-wide settings, billing, and version management.

Accessing the Admin Panel

• Click the Admin Panel button on the top right of your workspace.
• You’ll see a dashboard with:
  • Execution statistics (e.g., workflow runs this month).
  • Workspace status and version info.
  • Links to community forums.

Workspace Settings

In the Admin Panel, click the gear icon to open Workspace Settings:

• Plan Details: View your current plan and upgrade options.
• Version Selection: Choose between Stable and Beta versions of n8n.
• Time Zone: Set the default time zone for all workflows and triggers in your workspace.
• Restart Workspace: Useful if a workflow enters an infinite loop or the workspace becomes unresponsive.

Why Restart?
Restarting is akin to rebooting your phone. If a workflow runs infinitely (e.g., a “while true” loop), the workspace might freeze. Restarting stops all workflows and restores control.

For more details on workspace management and troubleshooting, consult the official n8n documentation.

Billing and Plan Options

Within the Admin Panel, you can also view billing information and explore plan tiers:

Tip: Paying annually often gives you a 20% discount.

Exploring Workflow Templates

n8n provides a large library of pre-built workflow templates to help you get started quickly.

How to Import a Template

1. Click the Templates button on the left sidebar.
2. Browse or filter templates by category.
3. Click a template to preview its structure and description.
4. Choose Use for free to import it directly into your workspace.
5. Alternatively, download the template as a JSON file to import into a local instance.

Once imported, the workflow appears in your selected project or folder, ready for customization.

Managing Global Variables (Pro Plan Feature)

If you are on the Pro plan or above, you have access to Global Variables:

• These variables can be referenced across all workflows.
• Useful for values like API keys or environment-specific settings shared by multiple workflows.

On the Starter plan, variables are limited to individual workflows only.

Personal Settings and User Management

Click your username in the bottom-left corner to open Settings for:

• Updating your profile information.
• Enabling two-factor authentication.
• Changing your password.
• Managing users (note: adding admin users requires Pro plan).

API Key Management

You can create an API key to access your n8n workspace programmatically. This allows you to:

• Trigger workflows externally.
• Automate workflow activation.
• Integrate with other apps securely.

Creating and Organizing Workflows

Let’s dive into creating your first workflow and understanding the canvas.

Step 1: Create a New Workflow

• Click the Create Workflow button on the Overview tab.
• This opens the canvas where you build your automation.

If you are new to building automations, the Build Your First n8n Workflow lesson is a great next step to get hands-on experience.

Step 2: Naming and Tagging Your Workflow

• Rename your workflow by clicking the title (default is "Untitled Workflow").
• Add tags via the Tags menu to help categorize workflows (e.g., “testing”, “production”).

Step 3: Adding Nodes

• Click the + button on the canvas.
• The node panel opens, listing all available nodes (actions and triggers).
• For this example, select Manual Trigger to start your workflow manually.

Triggers determine how workflows start (e.g., schedule, webhook, event).

Understanding how data flows between nodes is crucial. For a deeper dive into data handling within workflows, see Understanding Data in n8n.

Step 4: Testing and Saving

• Click Test Workflow to run your workflow manually.
• The execution panel will show output data and status.
• Click Save to persist your workflow.

Step 5: Organizing Workflows in Folders

• On the Overview tab, create folders within your project.
• Move workflows into folders by selecting the workflow and choosing Move to folder from the actions menu.

Understanding Workflow Activation

Workflows can be activated or inactive:

• Inactive: Workflow runs only when manually triggered.
• Active: Workflow runs automatically based on its trigger (e.g., schedule, webhook).

Why Activate?

Activating a workflow puts it into production mode, where it continuously listens for events or schedules and runs automatically.

Example: A workflow that checks for new YouTube videos daily and posts announcements on social media must be active.

Limitations by Plan

• Starter plan allows up to 5 active workflows.
• Pro and Enterprise plans allow more active workflows and advanced features.

Workflow Actions and Options

Each workflow has additional management options accessible via the three-dot menu:

• Duplicate: Create a copy of the workflow.
• Download: Export the workflow as a JSON file.
• Delete: Remove the workflow.
• Import from URL: Import a workflow from a public URL.
• Import from File: Import a workflow from a JSON file.

Workflow Settings

Within a workflow’s Settings:

• Set execution order of nodes.
• Configure an error workflow to handle failures.
• Control who can call this workflow (e.g., restrict to the creator).
• Override the workflow-specific time zone.
• Decide whether to save executions (successful, failed, manual).
• Enable workflow timeout to avoid infinite loops.

For more detailed workflow management options, refer to the n8n Merge node documentation.

Common Mistakes and Troubleshooting

• Forgetting to Save: Always click the Save button after changes to avoid losing progress.
• No Trigger Node for Activation: Workflows need a trigger node (e.g., schedule, webhook) to be activated. Manual triggers cannot be activated.
• Infinite Loop Freezes: Avoid creating workflows with infinite loops. Use the Restart Workspace button in the Admin Panel if the workspace becomes unresponsive.
• Timezone Confusion: Ensure the workspace and workflow time zones are correctly set to match your operational region, or triggers may fire at unexpected times.
• Plan Limitations: Be aware of your plan’s limits on active workflows, projects, and executions to avoid disruptions.

Quick Reference Cheat Sheet

For more detailed information, refer to the official n8n documentation on Workspace Overview and Workflow Management.

As shown in the video above, mastering the n8n interface is the first step toward building powerful automations. Take time to explore each section and organize your workflows effectively to streamline your automation projects.