Using the Writer for Mac desktop app
Who can use this feature
- Users enrolled in our Team and Enterprise plans.
- Users on macOS Big Sur and newer versions.
Generate content from Writer anywhere using our new MacOS desktop app! Using our new app, you'll be able to brainstorm new content, escape writer's block, and generate fresh ideas for whatever you're working on, no matter where you're writing.
What's in this article:
- Installing the desktop app
- Logging in via the desktop app
- Customizing the Writer for Mac home page
- Using the Writer for Mac app
- Transform your writing
- Capture text from screen
- Analyze images with a screenshot
- Access your previous app outputs
- Other settings
Installing the desktop app
To download the Writer for Mac app, go to the Extensions page here.
To install the app, download the .dmg Writer installer and double-click the file to open it.
Drag the Writer app into your Applications folder.
The Writer app is now installed. Writer will appear in your Applications folder and the Launchpad.
The first time you launch the Writer app, you'll be asked whether you want to open "Writer.app" downloaded from the Internet. Select Open:
Granting permissions
- Login items — This allows the Writer app to run in the background automatically every time you start your computer.
- Screen recording — This allows the Writer app to take a screenshot of text, read that text, and use it as part of a prompt.
Login items permissions
Open your login items settings by navigating to > System Settings > General > Login Items. Select the toggle next to Writer.
Screen recording permissions
Open your screen recording permissions settings by navigating to > System Settings > Privacy & Security > Screen recording. Select the toggle next to Writer:
For users operating macOS Ventura, the Writer app will be added to > System Settings > General > Login Items>Open at Login. Users operating an older macOS version will see Writer under > System Settings > General > Login Items> Allow in the Background.
You're all set! Time to get started with the Writer for Mac desktop app.
Logging in via the desktop app
Logging in
If you're already logged into your Writer account on the Web, the Writer app will recognize you and log you in automatically.
If you aren't logged in on the Web, the Writer app will ask you to log in:
Select Get started to be brought to the login screen.
Onboarding
Once you're logged in for the first time, Writer will guide you through a series of onboarding slides navigating you through the desktop app. You can navigate between the slides using the next button. If you wish to exit the Getting started onboarding flow, click Start now on the final slide, or click the X button at any time:
Click the Writer icon in the top navigation bar, then select Getting started to bring back these onboarding slides at any time.
Launching the desktop app
Click the W icon in the navigation bar to launch the desktop app:
You could also click the app icon in the doc to launch the desktop app:
Additionally, you can use control+w to launch the desktop app via keyboard shortcut. (You can customize this keyboard shortcut in the app settings.)
App updates
When the app is running and a new version is available, the Writer for Mac app shows an alert and asks whether the user wants to install it now or following the next app launch.
Customizing the Writer for Mac home page
You and your team admin can customize the look of the Writer for Mac home page, to ensure easy access to your most important tools.
Organize widgets
To reorder or remove the widgets within the home page, select the Edit layout icon in the bottom left corner. Select the X in the top right of a widget to remove it from your home page, or hold down the dots next to the X to drag and drop the widgets into a different order.
Accidentally remove a widget? Select Edit widgets in the top right to readjust - don't forget to select Save at the bottom right to apply your changes.
Always on top
Want to keep Writer at the front - no matter how many applications you have open? Select Always on top in the top right corner to make Writer for Mac overlay any other windows on your desktop.
Favorite apps for quick access
In the Apps widget of the Home page, you'll see a tab for Favorites. To add an app to your Favorites tab, select the star next to the app in the app library.
Using the Writer for Mac app
Start an Ask Writer session
Enjoy the full functionality of our open-ended Ask Writer feature – anywhere! Just ask a question or enter your prompt in the Ask Writer input field and a new session will launch. You can also attach a file or use speech to text to launch your session.
To ask your Knowledge Graph a question, you'll first need to submit your question to Ask Writer. On the next screen, you'll be able to select Knowledge Graph mode.
In the bottom left corner, you can access previous sessions or select + to create a new session.
P.S. New to Ask Writer? Learn more about using Ask Writer here.
Rewrite Ask Writer outputs using voice profiles
Love your Ask Writer output but need to make it sound a little more...you? Skip sending your output to a doc for polishing – you can just rewrite it with a voice profile within Ask Writer!
Transform your writing
Rewrite text
Love using rewrite to get your drafts perfectly polished? The desktop app lets you rewrite text on the go. Just paste your text into Writer for Mac and let us know whether you need it simplified, shortened, or downright Shakespearean!
Translate text
When you select Translate within the Transform widget you can paste your text and select a language to instantly translate your work.
Apply a voice profile
To tailor your work speak for your specific audience select Apply Voice, paste your text and select the voice profile you want to apply. Learn more about voice profiles here.
Capture text from screen
Transform work without the copying and pasting! The Writer for Mac desktop app allows you to capture text on your screen, then incorporate it into a command:
Analyze images with a screenshot
Select the Capture screenshot icon in the bottom left to use the Image Analyzer app to answer questions and generate content based on an image.
Access your previous outputs
To keep working on your previous app outputs from the desktop app, click the Outputs icon in the bottom left sidebar.
Other settings
Updating settings
Need to update which organization you're using, or which team settings you'd like to apply?
Select the avatar menu with your initials in the bottom left corner. Select Settings to switch to a different org.
If you belong to multiple teams, select the team dropdown menu in the bottom right corner to switch.
Get help using Writer
Select the avatar menu with your initials in the bottom left corner. From here, you can access this Help Center, the in-app Learning center, or our Prompt Library.
Sign out
To sign out from the top navigation bar, click the W icon and select Sign out:
To sign out from the desktop app, select the avatar menu with your initials in the bottom left, then select Sign out.
Quit
While you can close the command widget by pressing the X button in the top right corner, the Writer app will continue to run in the background. As long as the Writer app is running, you will see the W icon in your top navigation bar.
To quit the Writer app and stop it from running in the background, click the W icon in the top navigation bar and select Quit:
