On iA Writer for Mac, when editing a document, you can always go back to a previous version with two powerful functions: Revert to and iCloud Backup & Recovery.
Revert To
To revert to a previously saved version of a file, simply select the File menu → Revert To, then select if you want Last Opened/Previous Save or to Browse All Versions…
Last Opened/Previous Save
Reverts the document to the last opened version or the previously saved version of the file.
Browse All Versions…
Opens a new window where you can select from a list of previously archived versions. (Requires iCloud to be enabled for iA Writer)
You can use the arrows to navigate through the list (1), or select the desired date from the timeline (2), then press Restore to revert your document to this state.
Cloud Backup & Recovery
iA Writer for Mac includes native support for iCloud Drive.
Above and beyond the benefits of having documents synced across devices, users gain the additional security of online recovery tools provided in iCloud.
Deleted iCloud documents/files can be restored for up to 30 days following deletion from the Library.
Depending on how the document was deleted, you may be able to recover this in either of two ways:
iCloud’s Restore Files (Data Recovery)
iCloud Drive’s Recently Deleted folder
iCloud’s Restore Files (Account Settings)
Log into icloud.com (from desktop browser)
Click on Data Recovery
Click on Restore Files
Select desired files from list then click Restore
iCloud Drive’s Recently Deleted folder
iA Writer 6.0 and above adds support for iCloud Drive’s Recently Deleted function. Files deleted within the app are sent to the Recently Deleted folder. To recover these files:
Log into icloud.com (from desktop browser)
Click on Drive icon
Click on Recently Deleted
Select desired files/folders then click Recover
For the most up to date instructions on using iCloud recovery, please see the following Apple resource.
Other Cloud Storage locations
Many cloud storage providers (including Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive) preserve multiple versions and backups of your documents for up to 30 days.
We recommend logging into your cloud storage provider’s web console, then search for Trash or other recovery options.
Lost progress in a document? Regret deleting that paragraph? Local backups and iCloud versions can help in iA Writer for iOS!
iCloud Versions
If you are working in iCloud and looking to revert a document to a prior point, you can access previous versions by using the Browse Versions function.
Simply long-press on a file in the Library then select the Browse Versions button. (Sweep upwards to reveal option if necessary)
Local Backups
If you’ve lost progress in a document for some reason, you may be able to recover this via the Browse Backups function.
To locate a backup, simply long-press on a file in the Library then select the Browse Backup button. (Sweep upwards to reveal option if necessary)
Select the desired backup from the list, then press Restore.
💡 Even if you’ve deleted a file, you may be able to locate a prior backup by navigating to the top of the Library and long-pressing on a Location.
Lost progress in a document? Regret deleting that paragraph? Local backups and iCloud versions can help in iA Writer for iPadOS!
iCloud Versions
If you are working in iCloud and looking to revert a document to a prior point, you can access previous versions by using the Browse Versions function.
Simply long-press on a file in the Library then select the Browse Versions button (sweep upwards to reveal option if necessary).
Local Backups
If you’ve lost progress in a document for some reason, you may be able to recover this via the Browse Backups function.
To locate a backup, simply long-press on a file in the Library then select the Browse Backup button (sweep upwards to reveal the option if necessary).
Select the desired backup from the list, then press Restore.
💡 Even if you’ve deleted a file, you may be able to locate a prior backup by navigating to the top of the Library and long-pressing on a Location.
We’ve all been there. You open a document, only to find that 3 hours of writing progress you made the day before is…nowhere to be found!
Be it due to poor cloud sync behaviour or other issue, iA Writer for Windows includes a built-in local backup of edits, just in case.
Restoring Edits
To restore a document to a prior point, or attempt lost progress recovery:
Locate file in Library (if file cannot be found skip to Restoring Deleted File section)
Right-click
Select Browse Backups
Navigate to desired backup
Select Restore
Restoring Deleted File
In the Library pane right-click on Location (if you are unsure where document was originally stored, you can check each individually)
Select Browse Backups
Navigate to desired backup
Select Restore
Cloud Storage Troubleshooting
In addition to built-in backups, files originally stored in a cloud storage provider service (including Microsoft’s native OneDrive) may be versioned/backed up by the provider.
We recommend visiting your cloud storage provider’s desktop/web console to see what options are available. For some of the most popular options please see:
Help 
