Troubleshooting

We’ve worked hard to make iA Writer for Mac stable and reliable, but sometimes problems occur.

Below are some basic troubleshooting steps to try first if you have problems with the app.

Common Fixes

• Try making a new document and seeing if the problem persists
• Try restarting Writer for Mac
• If you’re having problems with iCloud, please read this article: iCloud Troubleshooting
• Have a look in the specific issues section below to see if there’s already a solution.
• Try reinstalling iA Writer for Mac

Reinstalling iA Writer:

1. If you do not use iCloud Drive, back up the contents of ~/Library/Containers/pro.writer.mac/Data/Documents to your Desktop
2. Back up any custom templates you’ve added here: ~/Library/Containers/pro.writer.mac/Data/Library/Application Support/iA Writer/Templates
3. Delete iA Writer + preferences with AppCleaner
4. Restart computer
5. Install iA Writer from the App Store (Purchases section)

If you have problems even after reinstalling iA Writer, try creating a new User account (System Preferences → Users & Groups), logging in as this user, and testing if the problem continues. This will check if the problem is due to other software or system conflicts.

Recover Earlier Document Versions

If some of your changes are lost, a file is overwritten with an outdated version, or you accidentally delete a file, you may still be able to recover an earlier version of your document.

iCloud

iCloud Drive keeps versions of your documents. With the file open in iA Writer, select the File menu then Revert to… to browse iCloud versions.

In addition, files can be recovered from deletion at icloud.com. Sign in with your Apple ID and then:

• Click Settings → Advanced → Restore Files

  or;

• Click iCloud Drive → Recently Deleted (lower right corner)

Other Cloud Storage

Many cloud storage providers (including Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive) preserve multiple versions of your documents for up to 30 days. Please try logging into your cloud storage provider’s web console and searching for Trash or other recovery options.

Specific Issues

iCloud files do not appear in the Library, but I can see them in Finder

The library stores the document listing in an index file. If no documents appear in the Library when they should, this file ought to be rebuilt. To do so, first close iA Writer.

Then, open Finder and from the menu choose Go → Go To Folder… and copy/type in the following folder path:

~/Library/Containers/pro.writer.mac/Data/Library/Application Support/iA Writer

Within this folder there exists a file named index.db. Move this file to the Trash and then relaunch iA Writer. The index will be rebuilt and your files should show in the Library.

Files don’t open when double-clicked in Finder

Writer should open documents with the extension .txt by default. If .txt documents don’t open in Writer when double-clicked, please follow these steps:

1. Browse to a .txt file in Finder
2. Right-click the file and choose Get Info (alternatively highlight the file and issue ⌘I)
3. Under the section Opens with: select iA Writer from the dropdown list
4. Click the Change All… button

All .txt files will now open with iA Writer upon a double-click in Finder. You can do the same to switch any other file extension (such as .md) to Writer too.

I cannot save my documents

This is probably caused by the App Store’s copy protection when moving Writer to another computer (or whenever the computer’s MAC address has changed). To fix it just delete the app and reinstall from the App Store’s “Purchased” section.

Why is my CPU usage so high?

Any folders added as locations to the Library must be indexed, which is CPU intensive. As such, we discourage adding extremely large folders such as entire system partitions. If a large folder has been added and you find the app unresponsive, we’d recommend reinstalling iA Writer for Mac.

Send a Bug Report

Not lucky in finding a solution here? Please send us a bug report.
The more details it contains, the faster it will be processed. 😉

Please try to include:

• macOS + build in use
• iA Writer version + build number (you can find it under “About iA Writer”)
• steps already taken to resolve the issue
• error messaging or codes (if any)
• crash report (if any)
• a sample file
• a screen recording or screenshots whenever possible

Crash Report

Apple gives you the option to share your data with app developers, allowing us to receive crash reports.
To enable data sharing with developers, please go to:

•  Apple menu → System Settings
• Click Privacy & Security in the sidebar
• Click Analytics & Improvements on the right
• Turn on Share with app developers

If you have missed the chance to copy/paste or send the crash report when it popped up, you might be able to retrieve it from:
Finder → Applications → Utilities → Console → Crash Reports.

Help

Backups and Recovery

Lost progress in a document? Regret deleting that paragraph? No problem!

iCloud

iA Writer is file storage provider agnostic but we recommend iCloud for the best experience across most devices:

Legacy Apps

Troubleshooting and backup guidance for iA Writer Classic on Mac, iPhone, and iPad, plus retired versions for Android.

Version History

Scroll through the history of our apps, version by version, platform by platform, update by update.

Accessibility

We want our products to be enjoyed by the widest possible audience.

URL Commands

Open iA Writer from other applications on both macOS and iOS, and perform specific actions on opening.

Apple Shortcuts

Shortcuts are a powerful automation tool that saves time and helps you focus on writing by avoiding repetitive busywork.