Quick Start

Get started with Nebula Writer in under 5 minutes and learn the basics of a local-first writing workspace.

When to Use This Page#

• You are installing Nebula Writer for the first time
• You want to open a folder and create your first project
• You want a quick tour of documents, AI, and supported formats

Download & Install#

Nebula Writer is available for macOS, Windows, and Linux.

1. Download Nebula Writer from the Download page
2. Open the installer for your platform
3. Launch the app
4. Sign in when you want AI assistance

You can write and manage local files without signing in. AI features require an account and internet connection.

Open a Project Folder#

Nebula Writer works directly with folders on your computer.

1. Choose Open Folder... from the start screen or app menu
2. Select a project folder on disk
3. Nebula Writer discovers supported files and shows them in the sidebar

Use separate folders for separate projects. Your files remain standard files on disk, so you can still use Git, Finder, File Explorer, or another editor when needed.

Bring in Existing Work#

Put files in the folder and Nebula Writer will pick them up:

• Markdown: .md and .markdown notes, drafts, and documentation
• LaTeX: .tex, .bib, and project assets
• DOCX: Word documents with formatting preserved
• Spreadsheets: .xlsx, .xls, .csv, .tsv, and tabular data files
• Presentations: .pptx slide decks
• PDFs: reference documents for viewing and extraction

Create Your First Document#

1. Click the + button in the sidebar
2. Choose a document type
3. Name the file
4. Start writing

Common starting points:

Preview Your Work#

Markdown renders a live preview while you write. LaTeX documents also include Edit, Split, and Preview controls for switching between source and compiled PDF context.

Use the AI Assistant#

Open the assistant from the right sidebar or press Cmd + L / Ctrl + L.

Try prompts like:

Summarize this document.
Rewrite the introduction to be more concise.
Compare this draft with @research-notes.md.
Find citations for the claims in the Method section.
Analyze this spreadsheet and suggest figures for the report.
Use Python to create a chart from the workbook.
Create a three-slide summary from this brief.

AI edits are reviewable. Nebula Writer shows proposed changes before they are applied so you can accept or reject them.

Save, Export, and Share#

• Save with Cmd + S / Ctrl + S
• Save DOCX, spreadsheet, and presentation edits back to their original formats
• Compile LaTeX with the built-in Tectonic runtime
• Export supported documents to PDF where available

Keyboard Shortcuts#

Next Steps#

• Read Core Features to learn the full workspace
• Explore AI Assistant, Models & Settings, and Diffs & Version History
• Use Spreadsheets, Presentations, and Python Code for data-heavy work
• Check out LaTeX & Academic Writing and DOCX Editing for document-format workflows