> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.inkwell.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Printing & PDF Export

> Print your script or export to PDF with customizable options including headers, watermarks, and formatting.

Inkwell provides professional printing and PDF export with full control over what appears in your output. This guide covers all printing options and customization features.

## Open the Print Dialog

<Steps>
  <Step title="Access Print/Export">
    * Go to **File → Print** or press `Cmd/Ctrl+P`
    * Or go to **File → Export PDF**
  </Step>

  <Step title="Preview your output">
    The left side shows a live PDF preview that updates as you change settings
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose your action">
    * Click **Print** to send to a printer
    * Click **Export PDF** to save as a file
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Print Options

The print dialog includes toggles for controlling what appears in your output:

### Title Page

**Toggle**: On by default

Include the industry-standard title page with your script's metadata (title, author, contact info).

**When to use**:

* Professional submissions to agents or producers
* Contest entries
* Any formal distribution

**When to disable**:

* Internal drafts
* Sharing with collaborators who only need the script content

<Note>
  Title page content is pulled from **Script Info** (Project Panel → Script Info tab). Make sure it's filled out before printing.
</Note>

### Scene Numbers

**Toggle**: On by default

Include scene numbers on both sides of scene headings (e.g., `1  INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY  1`).

**When to use**:

* Production scripts (essential for crew coordination)
* Table reads and rehearsals
* Any script being filmed

**When to disable**:

* Spec scripts (agents and contests don't want scene numbers)
* Early drafts before production

<Tip>
  Add scene numbers to your script with **Screenplay → Number Scenes** before printing. You can remove them later with **Screenplay → Clear Scene Numbers**.
</Tip>

### Sections

**Toggle**: Off by default

Include section markers (Acts, Sequences) that you've added with `#` syntax.

**When to use**:

* Sharing outlines with collaborators
* Development drafts where structure is important
* TV scripts with clear act breaks

**When to disable**:

* Final production scripts (sections are usually for writers' reference only)
* Professional submissions

### Notes

**Toggle**: On by default

Include inline notes marked with `[[ note ]]` syntax.

**When to use**:

* Production scripts with crew notes
* Development drafts with reminders
* Collaborative rewrites

**When to disable**:

* Final polished scripts
* Professional submissions to agents or contests

### Synopsis

**Toggle**: Off by default

Include scene synopses (beat sheet summaries) marked with `=` syntax.

**When to use**:

* Beat sheets for development discussions
* Outlines for pitching or planning

**When to disable**:

* All standard script distributions (synopses are for planning, not final scripts)

### Revision Marks

**Toggle**: On by default

Include revision markers (asterisks in the right margin) showing which lines have changed.

**When to use**:

* Production rewrites (essential for tracking changes)
* Any colored revision pages
* Scripts in active production

**When to disable**:

* First drafts or spec scripts
* Final clean versions after production wraps

[Learn more about revision tracking →](/writing/revisions)

## Page Headers

Add custom text that appears at the top of every page (except the title page).

### Configure Page Header

<Steps>
  <Step title="Click Advanced Options">
    In the print dialog, click **Advanced** to expand additional settings
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter header text">
    Type your header text in the **Page Header** field
  </Step>

  <Step title="Preview">
    The PDF preview updates to show your header at the top of each page
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Common Page Header Uses

**Production information**:

```
"THE LAST TRAIN" - Blue Revision - 1/15/2025
```

**Draft identification**:

```
FIRST DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
```

**Contact information**:

```
John Smith - john@email.com - (555) 123-4567
```

<Tip>
  Keep headers concise (under 60 characters). Long headers may overlap with page numbers.
</Tip>

## Watermarks

Add semi-transparent text across every page to mark drafts, protect scripts, or indicate confidentiality.

### Configure Watermark

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Advanced Options">
    Click **Advanced** in the print dialog
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter watermark text">
    Type your watermark in the **Watermark** field (e.g., "DRAFT", "CONFIDENTIAL", "FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION")
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose orientation">
    Select from the **Orientation** dropdown:

    * **Horizontal**: Text runs left-to-right across the page
    * **45°**: Text runs diagonally (most common)
    * **Vertical**: Text runs top-to-bottom
  </Step>

  <Step title="Preview">
    The PDF preview shows your watermark
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Common Watermark Uses

**Protect unreleased material**:

```
CONFIDENTIAL - DO NOT DISTRIBUTE
```

**Draft identification**:

```
DRAFT - NOT FOR PRODUCTION
```

**Submission tracking**:

```
FOR CONSIDERATION BY [STUDIO NAME]
```

**Copyright protection**:

```
 2025 [YOUR NAME] - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
```

<Warning>
  Watermarks are semi-transparent and do not obscure text, but may affect readability on some printers. Test before printing large quantities.
</Warning>

## Printer Selection

Choose which printer to use or save directly to PDF.

### Select a Printer

The print dialog shows all available printers on your system:

1. Use the **Printer** dropdown to select your target printer
2. Your default printer is pre-selected
3. Printer-specific options (paper size, duplex, etc.) appear when you click **Print**

### Export to PDF Instead

If you want to save a PDF file instead of printing:

1. Click **Export PDF** instead of **Print**
2. Choose a save location and filename
3. The PDF is saved with all your selected options

<Tip>
  Export to PDF when you need to email scripts, upload to file-sharing services, or archive specific versions.
</Tip>

## Common Printing Scenarios

### Spec Script for Submission

**Recommended settings**:

* Title Page: On
* Scene Numbers: Off
* Sections: Off
* Notes: Off
* Synopsis: Off
* Revision Marks: Off
* Page Header: None
* Watermark: None

### Production Script (Locked for Shooting)

**Recommended settings**:

* Title Page: On
* Scene Numbers: On
* Sections: Off
* Notes: On (if production notes exist)
* Synopsis: Off
* Revision Marks: On
* Page Header: "TITLE - Revision Color - Date"
* Watermark: Optional ("CONFIDENTIAL")

### Blue Revision Pages

**Recommended settings**:

* Title Page: Off (only printing changed pages)
* Scene Numbers: On
* Sections: Off
* Notes: On
* Synopsis: Off
* Revision Marks: On
* Page Header: "TITLE - Blue Revision - Date"
* Watermark: None

**Print on blue paper** and distribute only the changed pages.

### Table Read Script

**Recommended settings**:

* Title Page: On
* Scene Numbers: On (helps actors follow along)
* Sections: Off
* Notes: Off (keep it clean for actors)
* Synopsis: Off
* Revision Marks: Off (unless you want actors to see changes)
* Page Header: Optional
* Watermark: "CONFIDENTIAL - TABLE READ ONLY"

## Keyboard Shortcuts

| Action            | macOS         | Windows        |
| ----------------- | ------------- | -------------- |
| Open Print Dialog | `Cmd+P`       | `Ctrl+P`       |
| Export PDF        | `Cmd+Shift+P` | `Ctrl+Shift+P` |

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Preview is blank or loading forever">
    * Close and reopen the print dialog
    * Ensure your script has content (title page alone may appear blank without scene content)
    * Check that you have enough disk space for PDF generation
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Watermark not appearing">
    Watermarks only appear if you've entered text in the **Watermark** field under **Advanced** options. Check that Advanced is expanded and text is entered.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Title page information is wrong">
    Title page content comes from **Script Info** in the Project Panel. Update it there, then regenerate your print preview.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Scene numbers not printing">
    Ensure **Scene Numbers** toggle is on in the print dialog. If they still don't appear, use **Screenplay → Number Scenes** to add them to your script first.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Revision marks disappeared">
    Check that **Revision Marks** toggle is on. If marks were cleared from your script with **Screenplay → Clear Selected Markers**, they can't be restored from old exports.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Exporting files" icon="file-export" href="/managing-files/exporting-files">
    Export to Fountain or Final Draft formats
  </Card>

  <Card title="Revisions" icon="pen" href="/writing/revisions">
    Track changes with revision marks and colors
  </Card>

  <Card title="Script Info" icon="info-circle" href="/project-panel/script-info">
    Customize your title page metadata
  </Card>

  <Card title="Scene numbers" icon="hashtag" href="/writing/formatting-basics#scene-numbers">
    Add and manage scene numbering
  </Card>
</CardGroup>