---
url: /user-guide/getting-started.md
---
# Getting started

Falcon brings your capture devices, media processing, and captured photos and videos into one place. Start by signing in and choosing the site you want to work with.

You can return to this guide using **User Guide** on the sign-in page or in the user menu in the top right. Use **Open Falcon** at the top of the guide to return to the app.

## Sign in

Open Falcon at the address provided by your team. Enter your email and password, or choose one of the sign-in providers shown on the page.

![The sign-in page with email and password fields](/screenshots/getting-started/sign-in.webp)

If you received a site invitation, open the link in that email to join the team. Use the email address the invitation was sent to.

If **Sign up** is available, you can create your own account. When signing up with a password, follow the confirmation link sent to your email address to activate the account. Some deployments provide a starter site and device group after activation.

## Choose a site

A **site** is a workspace containing devices, media, and the people who can access them.

* To see your sites, open the user menu in the top right and choose **My sites**.
* If you belong to more than one site, use **Switch site** in the user menu.
* Check the site name in the sidebar before changing settings or registering devices.

![The user menu opened over a site's home page](/screenshots/getting-started/user-menu.webp)

![The My sites page listing the sites you belong to](/screenshots/getting-started/my-sites.webp)

If you have no site yet, accept a pending invitation or use **Add site** on the sites page when that action is available. Ask your site owner if you expected to have access to an existing site.

## Understand the main sections

![A site's home page with the sidebar sections, activity chart and recent media sets](/screenshots/getting-started/site-home.webp)

| Section | What you use it for |
| --- | --- |
| Home | See an overview of the current site's activity and devices. |
| Media sets | Browse captured media and download available files. |
| Devices | Register devices, check connections, and manage configuration. |
| [Media schemes](./media-schemes.md) | Configure the processing steps applied to captured media. |
| Device groups | Organize devices and the media they capture. |
| Site users | Owners invite people and manage access. |
| [Usage](./plans-and-billing.md#check-usage) | Owners and admins review the site's plan allowances and current usage. |
| [Billing](./plans-and-billing.md#subscribe) | Owners manage the site's subscription, prepaid balance, payment method and invoices. |
| Settings | Owners update the site's details. |

The sections and actions you see depend on your role in the current site. Your access can differ between sites.

## Make your first capture

1. Check that you are in the right site and have a device group ready.
2. [Register your capture device](./devices.md#register-a-device).
3. Open the device and check its connection and configuration.
4. Capture using the controls supported by your device.
5. Open **Media sets** to find the result and check its processing status.

Continue with [Sites and team access](./sites-and-team.md), [Media sets](./media-sets.md) or [Plans and billing](./plans-and-billing.md).

## Recover access

For a password account, use the password reset link on the sign-in page. Follow the email instructions, then sign in with your new password.

If your account uses your organization's sign-in provider, use that provider to sign in. Contact your organization if you cannot access the provider account.