Script Won’t Open
This guide helps you diagnose and fix common Inkwell issues. If you can’t find a solution here, contact support at support@inkwell.app.Script Won’t Open
Problem: “File is corrupted” or cannot be read
Possible causes:- File transfer was interrupted
- Disk storage error
- File was manually edited outside Inkwell with syntax errors
1
Check version history
Inkwell keeps local checkpoints of your work. Open the folder containing your screenplay and check for a hidden
.ink-history directory (press Cmd+Shift+. in Finder to toggle hidden files). Find the most recent .ink file backup, duplicate it, and rename it to restore your draft.2
Try opening in a text editor
Your
.ink file is formatted as standard text (Fountain/JSON). You can open it in TextEdit to recover your screenplay’s text directly.3
Contact support
If you cannot recover your screenplay, email it to support@inkwell.app. Our engineering team can often repair damaged structures to retrieve your writing.
Problem: “File format not recognized”
Cause: Trying to open a file that is not a native.ink project.
Solution: Inkwell uses the .ink project package format. To open scripts written in other apps, use File → Import and select PDF…, Fountain…, or Final Draft….
Quill AI Issues
Problem: “Insufficient credits” error
Cause: Your monthly Quill AI credit allocation is depleted. Solutions:- Wait until your billing date (Pro) or the 1st of the month (Free) for credits to reset.
- Purchase a credit pack (Inkwell → Settings… → Account → Buy Credits).
- Upgrade to Pro (Inkwell → Settings… → Account → Upgrade to Pro).
Problem: Quill AI won’t open or load
Possible causes:- Internet connection is offline (Quill requires an internet connection).
- Network firewall or VPN is blocking the API request.
1
Check internet connection
Verify that your Mac is connected to the internet.
2
Toggle Quill Panel
Press
Cmd+] to close and reopen the Quill AI panel to force a reconnection attempt.3
Check for updates
Go to Inkwell → Check for Updates… to ensure you are running the latest desktop client.
Formatting Issues
Problem: Text won’t format as dialogue
Cause: Inkwell auto-detects element types based on screenplay formatting conventions. Solutions:- Character names must be in ALL CAPS on their own line.
- Dialogue must follow directly on the line below the character’s name.
- Do not leave blank lines between the character name and their dialogue.
Performance & Display Issues
Problem: Screenplay rendering feels laggy
Solutions:- Disable typewriter scrolling: Turn off typewriter scrolling via View → Typewriter Scrolling to reduce vertical page jumps during heavy edits.
- Adjust zoom: Reset your zoom to 100% (
Cmd+Opt+0) to reduce GPU rendering load. - Restart Inkwell: Quit the app (
Cmd+Q) and reopen it to flush temporary memory.
Auto-Save Issues
Problem: Save indicator shows an error
Possible causes:- Disk permissions issue.
- Drive where script is stored was disconnected (e.g., an external drive or cloud drive).
- Try saving to a new location using File → Export.
- Move your script folder to your local Documents folder to resolve permissions issues.
- Manually trigger a save with
Cmd+S.
General Recovery Steps
Lost Work Recovery
1
Check script history
Open Finder, go to the folder where your script is saved, and look for the
.ink-history directory. This contains automatic checkpoints of your writing.2
Check Time Machine
If you use macOS Time Machine, you can roll back your script folder to an earlier hour.
Resetting App Settings
If you experience persistent configuration issues, you can reset Inkwell’s preferences back to factory defaults:- Quit Inkwell (
Cmd+Q). - Open the Terminal app on your Mac.
- Paste the following command and press Enter:
- Reopen Inkwell.
Get Help
If your issue persists:- Email Support: support@inkwell.app
- Updates: Check Inkwell → Check for Updates… (or the Mac App Store updates tab).
Next Steps
FAQ
Common questions and answers
Keyboard Shortcuts
Master Inkwell shortcuts