Skip to main content

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.

This guide helps you diagnose and fix common Inkwell issues. If you can’t find a solution here, contact support.

​
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
Solutions:
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.
Solutions:
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).
Solutions:
  • 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:
This will reset your custom themes, shortcuts, and settings, but it will never delete your screenplay files.
  1. Quit Inkwell (Cmd+Q).
  2. Open the Terminal app on your Mac.
  3. Paste the following command and press Enter: 
    defaults delete tech.rundquist.InkwellEditor
  4. 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