Create a file
Open Files, choose New, then click the title area and start writing.
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Quick start
Write without worrying
3AM saves automatically. Watch for Saving… and Saved near the document title.
Collect side thoughts
Use Notes for research, reminders and outlines. Note words never advance your writing goal.
Back it up
In Settings → Data, download a backup regularly—especially before importing or replacing a cloud copy.
The writing screen
The main editor is the centre of 3AM. The top tools control the current file and writing session.
✍️
Formatting and modes
- Choose rich text or plain text in Settings.
- Use the formatting bar for headings, emphasis, links, highlights, rules and code blocks.
- Letterbox mode keeps the active line comfortably positioned.
- Fullscreen removes distractions; the global mute button sits beside it.
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Writing game
- Start the game when you want pressure to keep typing.
- Difficulty controls how quickly warnings appear.
- Global mute stops current and future sounds immediately.
- Typing sound can be muted separately while global sound is on.
Pasting is safe: pasted text is added at the cursor, saved automatically, and does not count toward your daily goal.
Syftr side-by-side writing
Syftr opens a second writing area beside the main editor. Choose another file or note for either side. It is useful when rewriting, comparing drafts, or checking research while you write.
Locking a document
Lock stops accidental changes to the current file. Choose Lock again when you are ready to edit. Locking is not password protection; use Privacy Mode when you need to hide the app.
Install and offline use
When your browser offers it, choose Install to add 3AM Writer like an app on your device. The main writing tools work offline after they have been loaded. CloudSync waits until you are online again.
Files tab
Files hold your main writing. They can stand alone or become books with nested chapters.
📕
Books and chapters
- Drag a file by its top-left handle onto another file to nest it as a chapter.
- Double-click a book to open or close its chapters.
- Use Out in a chapter menu to return it to the top level.
- Export Book exports the book and its chapters.
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Workflow stages
Move work through Idea, Research / Outline, Draft, Edit, Format, Visuals, Ready, Published and Update / Revise. Stage colours fill file cards; Idea uses off-white.
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Colour tags
Colour tags are separate from stages. Name the ten colours at the bottom of Files or Notes. In Files, a tag changes only the left border so the workflow colour remains visible.
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Find and manage
- Filter by title, stage, colour tag or file type.
- Select several files to change, move or delete them together.
- Rename, copy, pin, lock, delete or open History from the three-dot menu.
- History keeps up to 30 earlier versions of each document.
Export options in Files
Export all documents, all documents with notes, or all notes as PDF or Doc. Every file and note begins on a separate page. Printable exports use 🔰Freewriter branding by default. You can remove it in Settings.
Notes tab
Notes are for everything useful around the draft: research, outlines, scene fragments and reminders.
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Where notes appear
- Local: belongs to the current file.
- Nest: appears throughout one book and its chapters.
- Global: appears throughout the app.
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List mode and nesting
- The title appears before the bullet list.
- Drag only from a note’s grab icon.
- Drop on the right side of another note to nest it.
- Use Out to remove nesting.
Goal rule: typing or pasting in Notes never counts toward the document-writing goal.
Actions tab
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Export and sharing
Export the current file as Text, Doc, PDF, HTML or Markdown; print it; copy it; or prepare it for email. Attached notes, when included, start on separate pages.
⏱️
Timer
Choose a duration, then Start or Reset. The large blue clock shows the remaining session time.
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Footer
Build reusable author, biography, website and date information for text-based exports. Copy Footer sends the composed footer to your clipboard.
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Characters
Copy common special characters and emojis. The Unicode Characters button opens a larger external reference.
Import, append and make a copy
Import adds text from a file. Append adds imported text to the current document instead of replacing it. Save As makes a separate copy of the current file.
Stats tab
Stats turn your writing activity into a compact dashboard without counting note text as document progress.
What is measured?
Current document and book words, goal progress, writing averages, best day, game results, typing time, session time and overall activity.
Can I rearrange or reset stats?
Yes. Drag cards to reorder them, collapse sections you do not need, or reset an individual section from its card. Resets ask for confirmation.
Settings tab
Aa
Writing preferences
Set text size and font, rich/plain mode, smart punctuation, sentence capitalisation, letterbox mode and the space-themed game appearance.
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Goals
Choose words or pages and set the target. Goals count only words typed into documents today—not pasted words or notes.
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Privacy Mode
Protect the app with a four-digit PIN. Strict mode can lock when changing tabs or screens. Keep a backup; a forgotten PIN is not a recovery method.
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Data
Backup downloads the whole state. Restore imports it. Legacy import brings compatible writing from older Freewriter versions.
CloudSync tab
CloudSync is optional. Local saving works without an account or subscription.
How automatic sync works
When enabled, CloudSync uploads your writing after it is saved in the browser. Only one device can sync at a time. The app checks for different browser and cloud copies before replacing anything.
What happens during a conflict?
Automatic sync pauses. The app shows the file and word totals for the browser and cloud copies, then offers: Keep browser copy, Use cloud copy, or Download cloud backup. Nothing is silently replaced.
What should I do before replacing a copy?
Download both the browser backup and cloud backup. Compare them, then choose the copy you intend to keep.
Keeping your work safe
Automatic saving
Your writing is saved in two storage areas inside your browser for extra protection.
Version history
Open a file’s menu → History to restore an earlier saved version.
Recently Deleted
Restore deleted files and notes from Settings. The newest 100 deleted items are retained.
Downloaded backups
When CloudSync is off, download a backup to protect your writing if browser data is cleared or your device is lost.
Keyboard and accessibility
Keyboard navigation
Use Tab and Shift + Tab to move through controls. Use Enter or Space to activate buttons and Esc to close dialogs and item menus.
Screen readers and motion
Save, network and sync warnings are read aloud by screen readers. Pop-up windows have clear names and return you to the previous control when closed. If your device uses reduced motion, extra movement is turned off.
Touchscreen sorting
Use the visible grab handle. Pointer sorting works across mouse, touch and pen input; the writing text itself is not the drag target.
Troubleshooting
A PDF is blank
Reload the app so the latest PDF exporter is active, then retry. Ensure the PDF library is not blocked by a network or content-blocking extension.
I cannot see all menu options
Scroll inside the open panel or menu. On a small screen, close other accordions to create more room.
Sorting will not work
Start the drag on the handle—not the title, checkbox or menu. Move over the target and release. Dropping on its right side nests where nesting is supported.
My goal changed unexpectedly
The goal starts again each day and counts words typed into documents that day. Notes and pasted text do not count.
CloudSync says another device is active
Close 3AM Writer on the other device or wait about a minute. Avoid editing on both devices at once, and download backups before choosing which copy to keep.
I still need help
Visit support and describe what you were doing, your device/browser, and any visible error message.