Werdsmith

App Guide

This guide describes Werdsmith on iOS and iPadOS 26 or later. It follows each screen from top to bottom and explains how the app works in detail and anything that is likely to cause confusion.

On older operating systems, controls may look different or appear in slightly different positions. Their labels and functions are generally the same. For a shorter overview, read How does Werdsmith work?.

Projects and Ideas

On iPhone, Werdsmith opens to the Projects and Ideas screen. Selecting a document replaces this screen with the editor.

On iPad, the app opens to the editor. Projects and Ideas are in a sidebar on the left.

If Werdsmith is being shown in a small window or side-by-side with another app on iPad, the UI is closer to the iPhone version.

Read Ideas and Projects for the difference between the two document types.

Top of the screen

Profile

On iPhone, the Profile button appears near the top-right of the main screen. On iPad, it appears on the top right of the editor.

It may look like:

  • The user's profile photo.
  • The Werdsmith logo.
  • An orange warning triangle.

The warning triangle means you need to verify your login details. While in this state, you can still use the app, but features that require login, such as syncing and sharing, are unavailable. This can happen after moving to a new device.

All writing stays on the device, but account backups and syncing pause until the user verifies the account. Tap the triangle, then use Verify passkey, Verify email or Verify. Read Accounts and memberships, Passkeys, Logging in and Syncing between devices.

Logging out is different from verifying. Logging out removes local writing from the device after a warning and confirmation process. Export a backup first if the account or its backups are uncertain. Read Saving and backups.

Projects

The first section is titled Projects. It contains active writing projects.

Projects appear as horizontally scrolling cards. Each card shows the Project title. A progress bar appears beneath the card when the Project has a word goal.

Tap a card to open it. Word goals are explained in Goals, Daily Target and Ritual and Stats.

Ideas

The next section is titled Ideas. This section is for notes, story ideas, plot ideas or character ideas that can later be moved to Projects.

Tap an Idea to open it.

Swipe an Idea to the left to reveal the Archive button. Werdsmith asks for confirmation before archiving an Idea that contains writing. A blank Idea archives immediately. Archived writing can be recovered from Archive.

Conditional message above the bottom controls

One of the following messages may appear.

“You’ve reached the writing limit”

The free app allows up to 10 active Projects and Ideas combined. Creating a free account does not change this limit. Archived documents do not count while they remain archived.

The user can:

  • Archive an active document to make room.
  • Export writing before archiving or deleting it.
  • Become a member for unlimited active documents.

The same limit can prevent an archived document from being restored. Archive another active document or start a membership, then try again. Read Ideas and Projects.

“1 free document left” or similar

The user is approaching the 10-document limit. The number includes active Projects and Ideas. Another document can be created until the remaining count reaches zero.

“Previewing…”

The free app includes the Text writing mode and Shakespeare theme. Novel, Poem and Screenplay modes and the Hemingway, Austen, Bronte and Baldwin themes are membership features.

Werdsmith allows a temporary preview of a paid mode or theme. When the preview ends, it may open Membership and return to the previous free setting. Tap the message for more information.

Read Formatting, Text, Novel, Poem, Screenplay and Accounts and memberships.

Bottom controls

On iPhone, a Search control at the bottom opens the search field. On iPad, the search field appears in the sidebar.

A result can show the document title, matching text and additional excerpts. Tap a result to open that part of the document.

Search may show "Setting up search. This might take a moment" after installation or while rebuilding the index. If you see this message, you can try again later.

Add

On iPhone, the + button appears at the bottom-right. On iPad, it appears at the lower edge of the sidebar.

Tap it to create a blank Idea. If it opens Membership instead, the 10-document free limit has been reached. Archive a document or become a member. Read Ideas and Projects.

Document screen

Tap a Project or Idea to open it. The document has viewing and editing states.

Viewing a document

The keyboard is hidden.

Top of the screen

A Previewing… banner may appear when the document uses a member-only writing mode. It has the same meaning as the preview message on Projects and Ideas.

On iPad, the Profile button appears in the top toolbar.

Document content

The title appears first, followed by the writing.

An untitled document displays a placeholder title. A document with no title or body may show an inspirational quote. The placeholder and quote disappear as the user writes.

Tap the body to enter editing mode.

Conditional message above the bottom toolbar

“Updating”

Werdsmith is fetching newer account or document information because it has not synced recently. The user can normally continue reading or writing while this happens.

This refers to Werdsmith account sync, not iCloud. Read Syncing between devices.

Bottom toolbar

From left to right, the toolbar contains the following controls.

Back

On iPhone, the back button returns to Projects and Ideas.

On iPad, there's a button in the top left corner that shows the Projects and Ideas sidebar. This is only visible while in viewing mode. If it's not visible, tap the button in the bottom right of the keyboard to dismiss the keyboard and put the editor into viewing mode.

Word count

The word count appears near the bottom-right.

If the Project has a word goal, a progress ring appears beside it. The ring becomes a checkmark when the goal is reached.

Tap the word count to open Stats. From top to bottom, Stats can show:

  • Word goal and completion percentage.
  • Total words and estimated reading length.
  • Words added during tracked writing sessions.
  • Time spent writing.

The Project word goal can be changed here. Read Goals, Daily Target and Ritual.

Return to the end

The downward arrow scrolls to the end of the document and resumes writing there.

More menu

The … button opens the document menu. If it is hidden, dismiss the keyboard first.

The menu contains:

  • Archive — moves the document out of Projects or Ideas and into Profile → Archive.
  • Formatting — changes between Text, Novel, Poem and Screenplay.
  • Move to Projects or Move to Ideas — changes the document type.
  • Find & Replace — searches and replaces text in this document.
  • Chapters, Scenes or Sections — the label and structure depend on the writing mode.
  • History — shows earlier versions of the document.
  • Export — creates a file containing the writing.
  • Share — manages a Live Link and Portfolio publishing.

History

Without an account, History can contain only recent temporary versions stored on the device. A free account adds server history. Membership retains server versions for longer.

If Werdsmith cannot reach the server, History shows recent local changes only. Restoring a version replaces the current document after confirmation. Read History, Recovering writing and Accounts and memberships.

Export and Share are different

Export makes a copy as plain Text, formatted editable Document or formatted PDF. It does not require an account or membership. The exported file does not stay connected to the Werdsmith document. Read Importing and exporting and Printing.

Share creates a Live Link. This requires a free account, but not membership. Anyone with the link can read the document, and a publicly posted link may be indexed. Disable Link stops access and removes the Project from Portfolio. By default, everything you write in the app is private.

Portfolio is the user's public writer profile. Tapping Publish puts this project on the user's portfolio. Unpublish removes a Project from Portfolio but leaves its Live Link enabled. Read Privacy before sharing writing publicly.

If Share says the Project could not be sent to Werdsmith's servers, the link may be out of date until syncing succeeds.

Editing a document

The keyboard is visible. The normal bottom document menu stays hidden until the keyboard is dismissed.

Controls above the keyboard

The available controls depend on the writing mode and the insertion point.

Import

Import appears when the document body is empty. A title does not hide it and is preserved when content is imported.

Werdsmith can import plain text, Markdown, RTF, DOCX, some Google Docs and PDFs with selectable text. The maximum file size is 5 MB. Import copies the content into Werdsmith; later changes do not update the source file.

Sharing a file to Werdsmith from Files, Mail or another app creates a new document instead. This also requires space under the active-document limit.

Common failures include an unsupported or damaged file, no selectable text, a file over 5 MB or an attempt to open a Werdsmith backup. Read Importing a document.

Writing Prompts

The sparkle control is labelled Prompt. The feature is called Writing Prompts in Help and Ghostwriter in parts of the app. These names refer to the same feature.

Tap Prompt to ask Ghostwriter to add writing at the insertion point. Read the Writing Prompts overview.

How Ghostwriter decides what to write

Ghostwriter can use the document title, the writing immediately before and after the insertion point, the current section and the writing mode.

  • On a blank page, it creates an opening based on the available context. For some blank-page prompts, it can use short examples from other documents.
  • In an existing document, it continues from the insertion point.
  • Text, Novel, Poem and Screenplay request different kinds of suggestions.

Ghostwriter sends short snippets only when the user requests a prompt. Read Writing Prompts and privacy, Data handling and Ownership of suggestions.

While a prompt is being generated

The document stays visible above the keyboard.

At the bottom-left, an information button opens information about Writing Prompts or membership. When allowance information is available, it also shows prompts remaining and the total allowance, such as 29/30.

After a prompt appears

The suggestion appears highlighted in the document.

  • Start typing or tap Finish editing to keep it as normal document text.
  • Tap Retry to remove it and ask for another suggestion. A retry can use another prompt from the allowance.
  • Press Delete once to reject and remove the whole suggestion.
Prompt allowance

The free app currently includes 30 prompts each month. A current membership includes the larger monthly total shown for its plan; prompts are still limited.

Allowances reset on the first day of each month and do not roll over. Retries use the allowance. A blank or blocked result can sometimes use a prompt.

A member must create or log into a free Werdsmith account to use the plan's additional prompts. A logged-out member first uses the anonymous free allowance. When it runs out, Werdsmith may show Your membership includes more prompts and Create a free account to keep writing with Ghostwriter.

Read How do credits work? and Accounts and memberships.

Prompt problems

“Ghostwriter couldn’t write a prompt for this” means the service returned no usable writing or blocked the response as sensitive. Keep writing or try another part of your document or a different document. Learn More opens Why isn't Ghostwriter returning any writing?.

“You’ve used up all your prompts” includes the date when the allowance resets. A non-member may be offered membership. A member may be offered a plan with a larger allowance. A logged-out member may be asked to create an account. Read How do credits work?.

Dismiss keyboard

The keyboard-down button, or Finish editing, returns the document to viewing mode. The word count and … menu then become available again. You can also slide down on the top of the keyboard to dismiss it.

Progress bar

If the Project has a word goal, a progress bar appears above the keyboard controls. Read Goals, Daily Target and Ritual.

Profile

Profile opens as a separate screen.

The content below changes according to account and membership state.

Warning or membership area

This is the first area below the top toolbar.

“Backups paused — Please fix your device clock”

Werdsmith's server detected that the device's clock is inaccurate. This interferes with syncing your work between devices, and has to be fixed before you can continue syncing. You can continue writing, but your writing won't sync to your account.

Tap Open Settings, open the device's Date & Time settings and enable Set Time Automatically.

“Backups paused — Please verify your account to resume”

Sometimes you need to verify your account. Available actions may include Verify passkey, Verify email, Verify and Log out. Verification restores account backup and sync without removing local writing. Read Logging in, Passkeys and Saving and backups.

If the app says That login method belongs to a different account, the chosen passkey or email belongs to another Werdsmith account. Use the login method for the account already on the device, or export a backup before logging out. Read Finding your account.

An expired email code produces Check your email — That code has expired. We’ve just sent you a new one. Use the newest code.

App Store payment warning

A yellow warning means the App Store reported a billing problem. Membership may remain active until the displayed expiry date, but it can expire if the payment method is not fixed.

Tap the warning or Update payment method to open App Store billing settings. This is separate from the Profile-button triangle, which concerns the Werdsmith account. Read Cancel membership and Request a refund.

“Your membership is expiring”

Membership remains active but is not expected to renew. The message shows the expiry date and offers an option to renew. Paid features and the member prompt allowance remain available until that date. Read Cancel membership.

Membership promotion

A user without current membership may see Unlock Ghostwriter, Discover Ghostwriter or another membership message. This is an offer, not an account error. Read Accounts and memberships and How do credits work?.

Create account and Log in

A logged-out user sees information about protecting writing with account backups, followed by Create account and Log in.

Logging into an account adds existing local writing to that account. Logging out removes local writing from this device after confirmation. The logout flow may ask the user to add a passkey or export a backup first. Read Accounts and memberships, Logging in and Saving and backups.

Writer summary

From top to bottom, the summary shows:

  • Profile image and account name when logged in. Tap the profile image to update it.
  • The number of words you've written today.
  • The number of words you've ever written using Werdsmith.
  • Daily Target progress.

Read Stats and Goals, Daily Target and Ritual.

Profile menu

The menu appears in this order.

Account

Visible only when logged in. It contains the account email, name and passkey status. Read Accounts and memberships and Passkeys.

Membership

Shows membership and App Store subscription information. The screen is mapped in the Membership section below. Read Accounts and memberships.

Ritual

Controls the writing reminder. If notifications are disabled, the screen explains that they must be enabled in Settings. Read Goals, Daily Target and Ritual.

Daily Target

Sets the number of words the user aims to write each day. Read Goals, Daily Target and Ritual and Widgets.

Portfolio

Visible only when logged in. It controls the public writer profile. Publishing a Project is done from that Project's Share screen. Read Publishing and the Writer's Portfolio and Sharing your writing.

Studio

For most iOS 26 users, Studio shows Theme followed by Font Size. The Face ID, Touch ID or Passcode row is a legacy app-lock setting and remains visible only for users who enabled it previously. New users can use iOS's system Require Face ID option.

Werdsmith provides its included themes and text-size controls, but does not support custom fonts. Read Can I change the font?.

Archive

Contains archived Projects and Ideas. Read Recovering writing.

Backups

Shows backup locations and dated backup files. The screen is mapped below. Read Saving and backups.

Bottom section

Help

Opens this list of support articles. To contact Werdsmith, open Report a bug or send feedback.

Account and membership are different

A Werdsmith account is free. It adds:

An account does not include paid app features by itself.

Membership is paid. It unlocks paid features, but does not create an account or replace one. A membership can be active on a logged-out device, but its additional prompt allowance cannot be used until it is connected to a free account.

Creating an account does not purchase membership. Deleting the account or app does not cancel an App Store subscription. Read Delete account and Cancel membership.

Account

Open Profile → Account. From top to bottom, the screen contains:

  • An account explanation.
  • Email field.
  • Name field.
  • Passkey status.
  • Add passkey, when the account does not have one.

Changing the email address requires a passkey. Werdsmith may also send a verification code to the new address.

The … menu at the top contains the Account ID and Log Out.

Logging out removes all local writing from the device. There is no need to log out from Werdsmith after finishing a writing session. If you'd like to prevent other people from opening the app, we suggest tapping and holding on the app icon on your Home Screen, then tapping Require Face ID.

Read Accounts and memberships, Logging in, Passkeys, Finding your account and Saving and backups.

Membership

Open Profile → Membership.

What works without membership

Without membership, a user can:

  • Save writing automatically on the device.
  • Keep up to 10 active Projects and Ideas combined.
  • Use Text mode.
  • Use the Shakespeare theme.
  • Use the current free monthly Writing Prompt allowance.
  • Read, edit and export existing writing.

A free account adds backup, sync, server history, Live Links and Portfolio. It does not require membership.

What membership includes

A current standard membership includes:

Read Accounts and memberships, Formatting and Why does Werdsmith have paid features?.

Membership is not required to keep, read, edit or export existing writing. When membership expires, writing is not deleted.

The membership screen allows you to:

Restore Purchases

Asks the App Store to restore a membership purchased with the current Apple Account. Use this if the user has paid but Werdsmith does not show membership. If it finds nothing, confirm that the device is using the same Apple Account that made the purchase.

Manage membership

Appears when Werdsmith sees an active App Store subscription.

Inside this screen:

  • Change membership opens Apple's subscription manager.
  • Cancel membership appears while automatic renewal is on.
  • Request a refund appears instead when automatic renewal is already off.

Apple controls App Store purchases, renewals, cancellations and refunds. Cancelling stops renewal, but your membership benefits are available until the expiry date.

Memberships are managed by Apple through the App Store. Deleting Werdsmith or its account does not cancel membership. Werdsmith cannot cancel your membership for you.

Read Cancel membership, Request a refund and Delete account.

Archive

Open Profile → Archive.

The screen lists archived documents.

  • Tap a document, then tap Restore to return it to Projects or Ideas.
  • Swipe a document to reveal Delete.

Deleting from Archive is permanent. If Restore reports that the writing limit has been reached, archive another active document or become a member before trying again. Read Recovering writing.

Saving, syncing, Backups and History

Read Saving and backups, Syncing between devices, History and Recovering writing.

Backups

Open Profile → Backups.

Here you'll see a list of any backup files that are available to export.

This might be useful if you want to move to a different app, have lost a piece of writing or want to keep an extra backup of your writing.

  • Tap a backup to export it.
  • Swipe a backup to delete it.

Werdsmith backup files are for recovery outside the app and cannot be imported into Werdsmith. We recommend emailing them to your computer and opening them in a text editing app.

Privacy and ownership

Writing is stored locally by default. A free account sends a copy to Werdsmith for account backup and sync. iCloud stores separate backup files. Live Links and Portfolio expose only writing the user explicitly shares.

Werdsmith does not sell writing or use it to train AI models. The user keeps ownership of their writing. Read Who can see my writing?, Data handling, Who owns my writing?, Sharing your writing, Writing Prompts and privacy and Ownership of suggestions.

Help

Open Profile → Help.

Here you'll find comprehensive articles about every aspect of the app.

Tap a category, then an article to read it. Almost all questions can be resolved by reading these articles.

To contact Werdsmith, open Report a bug or send feedback. The available contact options depend on the email apps installed on the device.

Frequently requested locations