diff --git a/.changeset/prefer-asset-ref.md b/.changeset/prefer-asset-ref.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7fb1aaf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/prefer-asset-ref.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+"@runflow-io/sdk": patch
+"@runflow-io/studio": patch
+---
+
+Docs: `UploadedAsset.ref` (`runflow://assets/{id}`) is now the recommended model input — the API resolves refs to freshly signed URLs at dispatch (shipped backend-side, formerly RUN-418), so refs never expire in your hands. `url` remains the short-TTL signed HTTPS URL for immediate browser use. Examples and JSDoc updated accordingly; no runtime changes.
diff --git a/packages/proxy/package.json b/packages/proxy/package.json
index ec06276..4284f96 100644
--- a/packages/proxy/package.json
+++ b/packages/proxy/package.json
@@ -26,11 +26,7 @@
       "require": "./dist/node.cjs"
     }
   },
-  "files": [
-    "dist",
-    "README.md",
-    "LICENSE"
-  ],
+  "files": ["dist", "README.md", "LICENSE"],
   "scripts": {
     "build": "tsup",
     "dev": "tsup --watch",
diff --git a/packages/sdk/README.md b/packages/sdk/README.md
index e30df6b..ad7b7b0 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/README.md
+++ b/packages/sdk/README.md
@@ -39,19 +39,22 @@ The browser SDK never sees your API key — it's injected by
 ```ts
 const asset = await rf.assets.upload(fileInput.files[0]);
 await rf.models.run("google/nano-banana-pro/edit", {
-  input: { prompt: "remove the price tag", image_urls: [asset.url] },
+  // asset.ref is the stable runflow://assets/{id} reference — dispatch
+  // resolves it to a fresh signed URL server-side, so it never expires.
+  input: { prompt: "remove the price tag", image_urls: [asset.ref] },
 });
 ```
 
 `upload()` runs the platform's presigned flow (create session → PUT the
 bytes to storage → confirm), retrying transient failures, and returns
-`{ id, url, ref, ... }`. `url` is a short-TTL **signed HTTPS URL** —
-pass it straight to any model's media inputs, but don't persist it:
-store `id` (or the stable `runflow://assets/{id}` `ref`) and re-mint a
-fresh url with `rf.assets.get(id)` when needed. Works in the browser
-through `@runflow-io/proxy` (the upload + asset-read endpoints are on
-its default allow-list). Raw `Blob`s need `{ filename }`; the cap is
-50 MB.
+`{ id, url, ref, ... }`. **Prefer `ref`** (`runflow://assets/{id}`) for
+model inputs and for anything you store — the API resolves it to a
+freshly signed URL at dispatch, so it never expires. `url` is a
+short-TTL **signed HTTPS URL** for immediate browser use (previews,
+`<img>`); re-mint one with `rf.assets.get(id)` when needed. Works in
+the browser through `@runflow-io/proxy` (the upload + asset-read
+endpoints are on its default allow-list). Raw `Blob`s need
+`{ filename }`; the cap is 50 MB.
 
 ### Pin-based editing
 
@@ -148,7 +151,8 @@ information for `buildRequest` and the run helpers.
   are URL-encoded; `..`/empty segments are rejected.
 - `runflow.runs.get(id)` / `runflow.runs.poll(id)` / `runflow.runs.wait(id)`
 - `runflow.assets.upload(file, opts?)` — presigned upload (with retry);
-  returns a signed https `url` + stable `runflow://` `ref`.
+  returns the stable `runflow://` `ref` (preferred model input) + a
+  short-TTL signed https `url` for browser display.
 - `runflow.assets.get(id)` — re-fetch an asset with a freshly signed `url`.
 - `runflow.tools.run(tool, args)` / `runflow.tools.dispatch(tool, args)`
 - `runflow.health.check()`
diff --git a/packages/sdk/package.json b/packages/sdk/package.json
index 068837f..556d2e6 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/package.json
+++ b/packages/sdk/package.json
@@ -21,11 +21,7 @@
       "require": "./dist/index.cjs"
     }
   },
-  "files": [
-    "dist",
-    "README.md",
-    "LICENSE"
-  ],
+  "files": ["dist", "README.md", "LICENSE"],
   "scripts": {
     "build": "tsup",
     "dev": "tsup --watch",
diff --git a/packages/sdk/src/assets.ts b/packages/sdk/src/assets.ts
index 91e723e..46b7749 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/src/assets.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/src/assets.ts
@@ -27,16 +27,18 @@ export interface UploadedAsset {
   /** Asset id (uuid). The durable identifier — store THIS, not `url`. */
   id: string;
   /**
-   * Short-TTL signed HTTPS URL for the file. Pass it directly to model
-   * inputs (`image_url`, `image_urls`, `mask_url`, …) right away. Do not
-   * persist it — it expires; re-mint a fresh one with `rf.assets.get(id)`
-   * (allowed through the proxy by default).
+   * Short-TTL signed HTTPS URL for the file — for immediate browser use
+   * (previews, `<img>`, downloads). For model inputs prefer `ref`. If you
+   * do pass `url` somewhere, use it right away and never persist it — it
+   * expires; re-mint a fresh one with `rf.assets.get(id)`.
    */
   url: string;
   /**
-   * Canonical stable reference (`runflow://assets/{id}`). Accepted today by
-   * ComfyUI workflow file inputs; once the API resolves asset refs at model
-   * dispatch (RUN-418), prefer this over the expiring `url`.
+   * Canonical stable reference (`runflow://assets/{id}`) — the PREFERRED
+   * model input. Dispatch resolves it to a freshly signed URL server-side,
+   * so it never expires in your hands. Accepted by model media inputs
+   * (`image_url`, `image_urls`, `mask_url`, …) and ComfyUI file inputs
+   * alike. Store this (or `id`).
    */
   ref: string;
   /** Original filename. */
@@ -154,10 +156,10 @@ function mapAsset(asset: RawAsset): UploadedAsset {
  * const rf = new Runflow({ baseUrl: "/api/runflow" });
  * const asset = await rf.assets.upload(fileInput.files[0]);
  * await rf.models.run("google/nano-banana-pro/edit", {
- *   input: { prompt, image_urls: [asset.url] },
+ *   input: { prompt, image_urls: [asset.ref] }, // stable ref — never expires
  * });
- * // Later, if you stored asset.id and the signed url expired:
- * const fresh = await rf.assets.get(asset.id);
+ * // asset.url is a short-TTL signed https URL for previews/<img>;
+ * // re-mint one later with rf.assets.get(asset.id) if needed.
  * ```
  */
 export class AssetsResource {
diff --git a/packages/studio/README.md b/packages/studio/README.md
index 71cd321..63dafa1 100644
--- a/packages/studio/README.md
+++ b/packages/studio/README.md
@@ -190,7 +190,8 @@ mask.syncToDisplay(rect.width, rect.height, devicePixelRatio);
 // pointer events → beginStroke / strokeTo / endStroke; then:
 const blob = await mask.toMaskBlob(img.naturalWidth, img.naturalHeight);
 const asset = await rf.assets.upload(blob, { filename: "mask.png" });
-// → feed asset.url as mask_url to runflow/reference-inpaint etc.
+// → feed asset.ref (stable, never expires) as mask_url to
+//   runflow/reference-inpaint etc.
 ```
 
 A React state reducer for building a custom shell is tracked as a
diff --git a/packages/studio/package.json b/packages/studio/package.json
index 2b1a6b8..30b3899 100644
--- a/packages/studio/package.json
+++ b/packages/studio/package.json
@@ -13,9 +13,7 @@
   "main": "./dist/index.cjs",
   "module": "./dist/index.js",
   "types": "./dist/index.d.ts",
-  "sideEffects": [
-    "./dist/styles.css"
-  ],
+  "sideEffects": ["./dist/styles.css"],
   "exports": {
     ".": {
       "types": "./dist/index.d.ts",
@@ -34,11 +32,7 @@
     },
     "./styles.css": "./dist/styles.css"
   },
-  "files": [
-    "dist",
-    "README.md",
-    "LICENSE"
-  ],
+  "files": ["dist", "README.md", "LICENSE"],
   "scripts": {
     "build": "tsup && cp src/styles.css dist/styles.css",
     "dev": "tsup --watch",