PenflowPenflow

Changelog

What's new in Penflow

Every release, newest first. Last updated September 27, 2026.

Safer deletes, steadier saves

v0.2.16

Penflow 0.2.16 makes saving and recovery more dependable.

  • Undo brings back your newest words

    Deleting a scene or chapter saves your latest edits first, so Undo restores the words you typed last.

  • Clearer failed deletions

    If a delete fails, Penflow now tells you what happened. An interrupted delete stays recoverable in Recently deleted.

  • Export and backup wait for your edits

    Both wait for pending edits to save first. If those edits can't be saved, they stop and say so.

  • Save fixes

    Fixed overlapping saves that could retry without end. Saving before a quit or an update is now reliably confirmed.

Safer saves and clearer AI controls

v0.2.15

The first release after a full review of the app. Saves are more careful, and automatic AI checks now wait for you to switch them on.

  • Edits are saved before closing

    Penflow waits for pending edits before it closes, quits or restarts for an update. A failed save stays ready to retry.

  • Restore deleted scenes and chapters

    Deleted scenes and chapters can now be brought back.

  • Books past the free limit still open

    Books outside the free editing limit still open for export and backup.

  • A separate switch for automatic checks

    Automatic story-note checks have their own switch in Account, and it starts off. Adding an OpenRouter key no longer turns them on.

  • Clearer AI setup

    AI setup and the rewrite menu explain what you need, which book context is shared, and what it costs in tokens.

  • Native PDF save dialog

    PDF export now uses your computer's own Save dialog.

  • Private backup check

    GitHub backup checks that the destination repository is private.

  • Faster saves, easier reading

    Manuscript saves are faster, settings are grouped, and keyboard access and text contrast are better.

  • Tighter protections

    Updated dependencies, with stronger protections around files, the app's internals and error reports.

A free account covers writing and export for one novel. Supporter adds unlimited novels and optional AI. OpenRouter model usage is billed separately.

Small support update

v0.2.14

The app now tells penflow.dev which version it runs when it checks your license. That helps us help you faster when something goes wrong. No new data is collected, and your writing stays private on your computer.

A new bookshelf

v0.2.13

Your novels now look and feel like real books.

  • Hardcover covers

    Covers have a hardcover look, and books without a cover get a handsome default.

  • Spine-out archive

    Archiving a book turns it spine-out on the shelf.

  • Shelf controls

    Hover a book to open its cover. Rename, archive or delete a novel right from the shelf. Deletes go to your Trash, so nothing is lost by accident.

  • Payment grace period

    If a card payment fails, AI access stays on during the short grace period instead of locking right away.

Small fixes and a backup guide

v0.2.12

  • Your author name sticks

    Your export author name now saves and follows every novel, instead of resetting to "Local profile".

  • New to GitHub?

    A new link opens a plain-English guide to backing up your novel.

  • Anonymous crash and usage reports

    Penflow can send anonymous crash and usage reports so we can find and fix bugs. It's on by default, and you can switch it off any time in Account, Privacy. Reports never include your manuscript text or location.

  • Sign-in fixes

    The sign-in screen's background video now plays in the installed app. Also fixed a rare crash when opening a sign-in link while the app was restarting.

A free account for your license

v0.2.11

Penflow now uses a free account to keep your license safe and recover it on a new Mac.

  • Your novels stay on your computer

    Your manuscripts stay on your own disk. AI stays optional and off until you turn it on.

  • Connect on first launch

    New installs connect an account on first launch. If you were already writing in Penflow, nothing changes until you choose to sign in.

The codex grows

v0.2.10

New codex types and a private section on every entry, plus fixes from a full audit of the app.

  • Groups and Events

    Groups (factions, families, companies) and Events join Characters, Locations, Items and Lore.

  • A private section on every entry

    The AI never reads it, so your twists stay yours until the page reveals them. Starter facts are also sharper for fiction writing.

  • Stronger saves

    Saves are now crash-safe, and drafting placeholders like <TK> no longer vanish from scenes.

  • Stay signed in

    Sessions renew quietly in the background. A sign-in that finishes while the app is closed is no longer lost.

  • No endless spinning

    AI requests now time out cleanly instead of spinning forever.

Prose settings for every novel

v0.2.9

  • Prose settings

    Each book's Settings page now has tense, point of view, an optional POV character from your codex, and US or UK English. The AI follows them in chat, rewrites and proofreading. Leave them unset and nothing changes.

  • AI key fix

    Fixed AI features failing with a decryption error after the 0.2.8 update. If Penflow lost your OpenRouter key, enter it once more in Account settings and sign in again.

A little polish

v0.2.8

  • Its proper name

    Penflow now shows its proper name in the macOS menu.

  • A note after each update

    After an update, a quiet note tells you what changed.

Signed by Apple, updated in the background

v0.2.7

  • Opens without warnings

    Penflow is now signed and notarized by Apple, so it opens cleanly with no security warnings.

  • Background updates

    New versions download quietly in the background and install when you restart. No more manual downloads.

One free book, and a cleaner quit

v0.2.6

  • One free book

    Free accounts keep one book open. Your other books unlock with Supporter, and your writing is never touched.

  • Last edits saved on quit

    Your last edits are now saved properly when you quit the app, and a few rough edges are smoothed out.

Supporter unlocks the AI tools

v0.2.5

Your writing doesn't change. Every book stays on your computer, and your first book stays free.

  • AI with Supporter

    Chat, rewrites, proofreading and your book's second brain now come with Supporter.

  • More than one book

    Keeping more than one book also needs Supporter.

  • Your account in the header

    Your account email now shows in the header, so it's always clear which account you're signed in to.

Your shelf looks like a shelf

v0.2.4

  • Covers on a real shelf

    Book covers stand large on a real shelf. Books without covers get a quiet hardback look.

  • Each book at a glance

    Every book shows its status, word count and chapters.

  • A living shelf header

    The header tells you how much you've written across all your books, and when you last wrote.

Interface size and a safe way to delete

v0.2.3

  • Interface size

    Pick your interface size in Account. Your manuscript keeps its own text size control.

  • Delete a book, your way

    A new danger zone lets you delete a book with a clear choice about keeping its files. Your GitHub backup is never touched.

  • Edit genre in Settings

    Change a book's genre right on its Settings page.

  • Editor polish

    The toolbar follows you down long notes and always shows the style under your cursor. Lists show their bullets and sit tighter.

  • A real color wheel

    The codex color picker gained a proper color wheel.

Smoother updates, portable files

v0.2.2

  • Smoother updates

    The app closes itself during an update, so you can drag the new version straight in.

  • Images as real files

    Images are stored as real files in your book's folder.

  • Portable links

    Links between files are relative, so your book reads well in any editor.

  • A smarter AI index

    The AI's index of your book now knows how your codex entries relate to each other.

Book covers and a rebuilt codex

v0.2.1

  • Book covers

    Upload a cover in Settings. It shows in the header and on the shelf, and you can click it to zoom.

  • Codex names in your prose

    Codex names are highlighted in your prose automatically, with hover cards.

  • A rebuilt codex editor

    Each entry type gets its own fields, with custom colors and image galleries.

  • Quieter details

    A cleaner way to start a new chat, a calmer save indicator, and two-column settings pages.

Your book gets a second brain

v0.2.0

  • Chat that reads your book

    The chat reads your actual scenes and codex pages before answering, and cites what it used.

  • Suggested codex updates

    It can suggest new codex entries and updates. Nothing is written until you approve.

  • Memory for each book

    Each book keeps an index, a history log and a daily continuity check.

  • A plain Markdown codex

    The codex is now plain Markdown you can open in any editor. This release also brings security fixes and design polish.

Proofreading

v0.1.2

  • Proofread button

    Checks grammar, spelling and punctuation. Accept fixes one by one or all at once.

  • Model pickers

    Choose the models for chat and grammar in Account.

Updates from inside the app

v0.1.1

  • In-app update check

    Penflow can check for a new version on its own.

  • A clearer save indicator

    It's easier to see when your work is saved.

  • Scheduled GitHub backup

    Backups to GitHub can now run on a schedule.

  • Design and accessibility

    A round of design and accessibility fixes across the app.