Legacy Apps

iA Writer Classic (2.1.6) launched in 2010 and was actively developed until 2016. Before its retirement from development and sale, the app was tested with macOS 10.11 (El Capitan), iOS 10, and Apple hardware available up to 2016.

Since then, Apple’s operating systems and the frameworks on which the app was built have changed significantly. The iPhone and iPad app also predates the iOS Files app, introduced in 2017.

iA Writer Classic is no longer developed or supported. With every system update, the risk of impaired functionality increases.

Potential Issues

On newer Macs, iPhones, and iPads, iA Writer Classic may not work as expected or may fail to open. Devices restored from iCloud or iTunes backups can also restore the app onto hardware or an operating system with which it is no longer compatible. Some compatible devices may regain functionality after reinstalling the app. Back up every document before attempting this to prevent data loss.

Backing Up Files on iOS

Before troubleshooting, back up every document. Locally stored files on iOS are erased when the app is deleted. iA Writer Classic supports transferring locally stored documents through iTunes File Sharing:

• connect the device to a computer running iTunes
• select the device, then open File Sharing
• choose iA Writer and copy the required files to the computer

💡 On macOS Catalina or later, the device appears in Finder. Files can be dragged from there to another location on the Mac.

iCloud

• sign in at icloud.com with a desktop browser
• open iCloud Drive → iA Writer Classic
• select and download the files

Restoring Functionality

On compatible devices running macOS 10.11 or iOS 10 and earlier, reinstalling the app from the App Store may restore functionality.

Before Uninstalling

• open App Store → Account → Purchased
• verify that iA Writer Classic appears in the purchase history
• back up or extract every document using the steps above

Reinstalling

After completing the backup, delete the app and reinstall it from the App Store’s Purchased section.

💡 You must be signed in with the same Apple ID and in the same country or region as at the time of the original purchase. The app may eventually cease to be available from purchase history.

Android Legacy Apps

iA Writer for Android 3.1.4 was removed from sale in September 2024. Version 1.5.2 has not been developed or distributed since 2020. Both versions are unsupported and may become less reliable with newer Android versions; some third-party integrations, including Dropbox storage, no longer work on recent systems.

Backing Up Android Files

Files in private in-app storage should remain accessible while the app stays installed. Public files remain available outside the app in the device’s Documents folder:

/storage/emulated/0/Documents/iA Writer

Removing or reinstalling either Android app without first exporting, backing up, or transferring its documents will delete those documents. Back up files regularly, especially before system updates.

The current, fully supported version is iA Writer.

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