Welcome to OpenDraft

The free, open-source screenwriting application. This manual will help you get started and master every feature.

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New to screenwriting software? Start with the Getting Started guide for a quick walkthrough of writing your first screenplay.

Quick Start

Install OpenDraft — Download the desktop app for macOS, Windows, or Linux, or run it in your browser.
Create a project — Click New Project on the Projects screen, give it a name, and open it.
Start writing — Click New Script inside your project, and begin writing your screenplay. OpenDraft handles formatting automatically.
Save your work — Press ⌘S to save, or use File > Versions > Check In to create a version checkpoint you can return to later.

Learn to use the editor, screenplay elements, and auto-formatting to write like a pro.

Jump between scenes instantly and see your script's structure at a glance.

Visual card-based scene browser with drag-and-drop reordering.

Organize your story beats into acts for big-picture planning.

Rich profiles with images, backstories, roles, and dialogue stats.

Tag props, costumes, VFX, and more for production breakdowns.

Check in drafts, compare versions, and restore previous work with built-in version control.

Work with Final Draft, Fountain, PDF, and plain text formats.

Write together with co-writers in real time with live cursors and instant sync.

Speed up your workflow with quick keyboard commands.

Scene Numbering — Show, hide, and lock scene numbers in your screenplay. Essential for production scripts.
Custom Headers & Footers — Configure page headers and footers with dynamic fields like page number, title, and date.
iOS & Mac App Store — OpenDraft is now available on the iOS App Store and Mac App Store.
Modernized UI — Updated menu and toolbar design with a cleaner, more native look.

Spell Check Improvements — Fixed spell check across web and mobile platforms. Per-document ignore list persistence so your ignored words are remembered per screenplay.
Mobile & Responsive Support — Spell check modal now adapts to narrow screens. Improved responsive layout for mobile devices.
Undo History Fix — Undo history now resets correctly when switching documents, preventing cross-document undo issues.
CI Build for All Platforms — macOS builds are now automated via GitHub Actions with full code signing and Apple notarization, alongside Windows, Linux, and Android.