Skip to main content

Offline Mode

The mobile app is offline-first. Open a book once, and what you need to keep writing it is stored on your device. Lose connection on a flight, on a train, in a basement, and keep typing. Your work syncs back automatically when you reconnect.

How it feels​

  • Open the app while offline. Your library still loads, with every book you've previously opened.
  • Open a book in Write. You can type, format, and switch chapters as usual. The save status next to the chapter title shows Will sync while your changes are waiting.
  • On Home, Account, and other list screens, a banner reads Offline - changes saved locally.
  • When you're back online, your changes sync on their own. If some are still waiting, the banner shows how many are pending with a Sync button.

What works offline​

  • Write: drafting, formatting, switching chapters.
  • Reader: reading chapters you've opened before.
  • Story Hub: adding, editing, and browsing entries.
  • Notes, including new voice-note recordings (which transcribe when you reconnect).
  • Book settings changes such as goals, which sync later.
  • Library browsing for books that have been opened on this device.

What doesn't work offline​

  • Signing in for the first time.
  • Switching to a workspace you haven't opened on this device before.
  • Research, Edit, and Publish. Offline, each shows Connect to the internet to use followed by its name.
  • Importing or exporting files, and creating guest links.
  • Robin, and Listen in the reader.
  • Receiving updates from collaborators. Their changes arrive once you reconnect.

Sync conflicts​

If a chapter passage was changed on another device while your phone had its own unsynced edits, the newer text from the other device is kept. The app shows Newer text from another device, puts that newer text in the editor, and saves your phone's version in Version History (in Write, tap Actions (...) then Version History) so you can get it back.

Forcing a sync​

Most of the time you don't need to. If you want to be sure:

  • Pull to refresh on Home re-syncs your books.
  • Open Account > Data & sync to see the status, the number of Pending changes, and the last sync time. Tap Sync Now to sync straight away.
  • Quitting and re-opening the app also triggers a sync at launch.

Before you sign out or uninstall​

Your offline copy lives only on this device until it syncs. Signing out removes it, including any changes that have not synced yet, and so does uninstalling the app. Before you do either, go online and check that Account > Data & sync shows 0 pending changes.