Scroll FAQ
Is Scroll only a Markdown editor?
No. Markdown is Scroll's primary format for durable prose, but a Scroll Project can also help you:
- manage characters, locations, organizations, events, tasks, and references as visual cards;
- inspect the same data through 11 built-in Story views for fields, time, relationships, maps, and canvases;
- track writing tasks, progress, works, and manuscript versions; and
- edit supported TXT, YAML/YML, and
.vnstext in Source view.
Markdown remains a durable, externally readable format for prose. Story, Tasks, References, and delivery workflows organize that local material instead of moving the manuscript into a proprietary cloud database.
Where is a Scroll Project stored, and must I stay online?
A Scroll Project is an ordinary local folder that you create or open with the system folder picker. Prose, visual cards, and imported research stay in that folder. Project settings, tasks, saved views, canvases, and delivery records are stored in hidden directories inside the same Project. See Manage local Projects and files.
Scroll requires account sign-in. After a plan is verified online, paid features can remain available offline for up to 24 hours. If the verification window expires, Plus or Pro actions lock temporarily until you reconnect and refresh the plan; the local Project files are not deleted. See Sign in and work briefly offline.
How do I back up, move, or restore a Scroll Project?
Save and close Scroll first. Then use Finder, File Explorer, or another trusted backup tool to copy the complete Project folder, including hidden files and folders. Copying only the Markdown prose leaves out tasks, saved Story views, canvases, reference records, and delivery configuration.
To restore a backup, leave the original backup unchanged, make a working copy, and open that copy with Open Project. Check Search, relationships, Story views, and Works before continuing. The data import and export controls in Global Settings are currently unavailable, so they do not replace a complete folder backup. See Data safety, Trash, and recovery.
Which files can Scroll import, and how does it manage research?
General text import supports Markdown, TXT, YAML/YML, and .vns files or folders. Before importing, check UTF-8 encoding, duplicate names, and paths that differ only by letter case. Afterward, spot-check the hierarchy, Wiki links, and YAML frontmatter.
Import PDF, image, Word, audio, and other research files through References. Scroll makes a managed copy inside the Project and creates a reference card. It does not move the external original, and later changes to the original do not overwrite the Project copy automatically. Importing a source is not the same as citing it: basic reference cards are included with Free, ordinary reference links require Plus, and bibliographies and citations require Pro. See Collect research, add citations, and search.
What are the Story views for?
All 11 built-in Story views are included with Free, and each presents a different question about the same Project cards and fields:
- Timeline, Gantt, Calendar, and Subway inspect time and event order.
- Relationship graph inspects explicit links among people, places, and settings.
- Map inspects locations and coordinates.
- Spreadsheet and Gallery filter, compare, and browse cards.
- Mindmap, Whiteboard, and Flowchart support structural and visual planning.
Story does not duplicate source files or replace the text editor. Some edits and drags update card fields, while a canvas node can belong only to that view; read the confirmation shown before changing or deleting material. Start with the Story workspace overview.
How is Scroll different from Scribe?
They support different stages of the publishing workflow:
| Stage | Scroll | Scribe |
|---|---|---|
| Ideation and planning | Characters, locations, events, relationships, maps, and canvases | Not its primary purpose |
| Drafting and revision | Long-form editing, tasks, search, research, and progress | Receives an approved manuscript source |
| Design and publication | Organizes works and versions for delivery | Appearance, pagination, PDF, EPUB, and publication output |
Scroll focuses on what you are writing and how you plan and revise it. Scribe focuses on how a finished manuscript is designed and exported. The two apps can work with the same local Project, but each owns a different stage of the workflow.
Do I need Scroll or Scribe?
- If you are planning, drafting, or revising, start with Scroll.
- If your manuscript is final and your main task is page design, pagination, and publication output, choose Scribe.
- If you want both stages, compare Writing Suite, which includes Scroll and Scribe under the same annual Plus or Pro subscription. See the Writing Suite guide for purchasing and plan-change steps.
Prices, available plans, and checkout details are shown on the official website. Even when you use both apps, save and verify the intended manuscript version in Scroll before opening it in Scribe. Do not let both apps save the same prose file at the same time. See Prepare a manuscript for Scribe for the complete workflow.