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The Navigation panel provides a bird’s-eye view of your script’s structure, making it easy to jump between scenes and organize your screenplay.

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Open the Navigation Panel

1

Show Project Panel

Press Cmd/Ctrl+J to toggle the Project Panel on the left side
2

Select Navigation tab

Click the Navigation tab (globe icon) at the top of the Project Panel

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What Appears in Navigation

The Navigation tree shows: Sections (# or ## syntax):
  • Acts, sequences, or custom organizational units
  • Collapsible to show/hide their contents
  • Example: # ACT TWO or ## Opening Sequence
Notes ([[note]] syntax):
  • Inline notes marked with double brackets
  • Show their content in the tree
  • Example: [[TODO: Add foreshadowing here]]
Scene Headings:
  • All INT. and EXT. scene headings
  • Displayed under their parent section (if any)
  • Click to jump directly to that scene
Use sections to organize your script into Acts, Sequences, or Story Beats. They’re invisible in the final output but essential for navigation.

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Jump to a Scene or Section

Click any item in the Navigation tree to instantly jump to that location in your script. The editor scrolls and places your cursor at the selected item.

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Collapse/Expand Sections

Click the arrow next to a section to collapse or expand its contents:
  • Collapsed: Hides all scenes and notes under that section
  • Expanded: Shows the full hierarchy
This helps you focus on specific parts of your script without visual clutter.

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Organize with Sections

Sections create hierarchical structure in your script.

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Create a Section

1

Add section syntax

Type # followed by a space and your section name on its own line:
# ACT ONE

# ACT TWO - THE CONFRONTATION

## Sequence: The Heist
2

Sections appear in navigation

The Navigation panel updates automatically to show your new section
3

Write scenes under the section

Any scene headings after a section are nested under it in the navigation tree

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Section Levels

  • # (single hash): Top-level sections (Acts, Parts)
  • ## (double hash): Sub-sections (Sequences, Beats)
  • ### (triple hash): Further nesting (rarely needed)
Example hierarchy: 
# ACT ONE

INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY

## Inciting Incident

INT. ALICE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

EXT. CITY STREET - DAY

# ACT TWO
Navigation shows:
  • ACT ONE
    • INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY
    • Inciting Incident
      • INT. ALICE’S APARTMENT - NIGHT
      • EXT. CITY STREET - DAY
  • ACT TWO
Learn more about sections →

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Use Notes for Planning

Notes appear in the Navigation tree, helping you track TODOs and reminders.

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Create a Note

Type [[ followed by your note text and close with ]]: 
[[TODO: This scene needs more tension]]

[[Remember to foreshadow the twist here]]

[[CUT? This feels redundant]]
Notes appear:
  • In the Navigation tree under their parent section
  • Inline in your script (visible only to you, not in exports)
Notes don’t print by default. Toggle them off in the Print Dialog if you want to export a clean script.

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Reorder Scenes

You can drag and drop items in the Navigation tree to reorganize your script.
1

Click and hold

Click on a scene heading or section in the Navigation tree
2

Drag to new position

Drag it above or below another item. A blue line shows where it will drop.
3

Release to reorder

Drop the item. Your script editor updates to reflect the new order.
Dragging a section moves all its child scenes and notes with it. Be careful when reordering large sections.

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Common Use Cases

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Structure a Three-Act Screenplay

# ACT ONE

INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY

INT. ALICE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

# ACT TWO

## Confrontation

INT. BOB'S OFFICE - DAY

## Midpoint Twist

EXT. WAREHOUSE - NIGHT

# ACT THREE

INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY (FINAL SCENE)

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Track TODOs and Revisions

# ACT ONE

[[TODO: Opening needs more action]]

INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY

[[CUT? This dialogue feels slow]]
Navigate directly to notes from the Navigation panel to address them quickly.

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TV Episode Structure

# COLD OPEN

EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT

# ACT ONE

INT. POLICE STATION - DAY

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - DAY

# ACT TWO

## A-Story: The Investigation

INT. CRIME SCENE - DAY

## B-Story: Personal Drama

INT. DETECTIVE'S HOME - NIGHT

# ACT THREE

EXT. FINAL CONFRONTATION - NIGHT

# TAG

INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY

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Keyboard Shortcuts

ActionmacOSWindows
Toggle Project PanelCmd+JCtrl+J
Jump to next sectionCmd+DownCtrl+Down
Jump to previous sectionCmd+UpCtrl+Up

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Frequently Asked Questions

No. Sections are for organization only. They don’t print or export to PDF unless you explicitly enable them in the Print Dialog (Sections toggle).
No. Only sections can contain other items. Scenes are always leaf nodes in the hierarchy.
Only the section marker is deleted. The scenes under it remain in your script but become top-level items in the Navigation tree.
Yes. Just edit the section line in your script. The Navigation tree updates automatically.
Make sure it’s on its own line and properly formatted: [[note text here]]. Notes inline within action or dialogue may not appear in the tree.

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Next Steps

Formatting Basics

Learn how to use sections and notes syntax

Script Info

Set up your title page metadata

Characters

Manage character information and dialogue stats

Project Info

Add logline and scratchpad notes