Exploring the new Ask WRITER beta

Ask WRITER is getting a brand new look, with powerful new features and exciting capabilities – but we need your help kicking the tires! In this guide, we'll show you how to access some of our experimental features, give a preview of some features you can expect to see soon, and explain how to share your feedback with our team.

Latest updates

6/13/25

• Model selection dropdown added

6/11/25

• Paste text option in doc upload

In this article:

• How to access the Ask WRITER beta
• How to access new features
  • Enabling web search
  • Enabling the canvas
  • Switching Palmyra models
• Features coming in early July
• Features coming later this year
• What can you do during the beta?

How to access the Ask WRITER beta

While in the beta environment, you can select the white button in the bottom left corner which says Switch to legacy design to return to the legacy Ask WRITER environment.

Want to switch back to the beta? Open up Ask WRITER in General mode. Select the purple button in the bottom left corner which says Try the new Ask Writer to open up the beta.

How to access new features

Enabling web search

Search the web for answers to your Ask WRITER queries. Just select the globe icon to enable web search. To disable web search, select the globe icon again.

Enabling the canvas

You can now conduct inline editing with our dedicated canvas feature! Easily rewrite or refine directly in the canvas using Ask Writer - so you can iterate quickly.

When writing your first input, select the canvas icon. Your output will be displayed within Ask WRITER, as well as in a separate, expanded canvas modal. Ask WRITER will provide suggestions and feedback about your content, and any iterations you generate through Ask WRITER will automatically be updated in the canvas.

Switching Palmyra models

You can now work with a variety of models from our Palmyra family of LLMs.

In the input field, select the model dropdown and choose the most appropriate model for your task. You can switch between models at any time.

Features coming in early July

• Ability to set voices through custom instructions
• Enhancements to sources
• Ability to send messages to the canvas
• Ability to send canvases to docs
• Session log support in AI Studio

Features coming later this year

• All Ask WRITER sessions from the legacy experience will be migrated to the new experience
• Enhancements to the canvas
• Voice dictation to speak to Ask WRITER
• Ability to trigger shortcuts using /add
• File manager
• Web search configurability for org admins
• Doc Viewer or enhanced sources

What can you do during the beta?

While we’re completing our beta testing, you and your team can:

• Switch back and forth between the current Ask WRITER experience and the beta experience at any time. 
• Test the new Ask WRITER experience, ask questions internally, and prepare any internal enablement materials to prepare for our general launch in July
• Flag any outputs with the response flag feature which need closer investigation.

Share any feedback on the new user interface, new features, and overall Ask WRITER experience to support@writer.com or your account team.