Where Does iA Writer Store Documents?
iA Writer defaults to an iCloud Drive folder with offline copies on each device. Finding files on Mac and iOS, plus local folders.
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iA Writer on Mac defaults to iCloud Drive, so the iA Writer folder there is your library. Files stay cached on-device for offline work and sync when you reconnect. Turn iCloud off and the default becomes an On My Mac folder instead. Either way the app never hides your words in a database.
Extra locations (Dropbox, project folders, external drives) attach through the Organizer with the plus button or drag and drop. Search index, wikilinks and tags derive from a local index that never leaves the device. Favorites, unlike files, stay per-device and need recreating elsewhere.
Where iA Writer stores this, by platform
iCloud Drive/iA Writer
Visible in the Finder sidebar when iCloud Drive is on. Enable it under System Settings > iCloud > Apps syncing. Copy this folder elsewhere for a plain local backup of every document.
Files app > iCloud Drive > iA Writer
Same synced folder, browsable in Files. On My iPhone locations appear when iCloud is off. Smart Folders like Recents follow the account across Mac, iPhone and iPad.
Frequently asked questions
Are my iA Writer files available offline?
Yes. iCloud keeps device copies of everything in the iA Writer folder, and edits sync on reconnect. Conflicting edits prompt you to pick versions rather than silently merging.
How do I back up iA Writer documents?
On Mac copy the iCloud Drive/iA Writer folder to a local drive. They are plain Markdown files, so any backup tool works. The local search index needs no backup since Writer rebuilds it.
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