Browser storage & recovery

What is a browser-local World?

A World is your writing project: its chapters, characters, planning notes, and other story material. A browser-local World is saved in Plotscribe’s storage inside the browser you’re using, rather than in a folder on your computer.

Browser editing requires a purchased Plotscribe license and a sync subscription. Without both, you can still read and download existing local Worlds. Subscribing does not automatically upload them; choose Set up sync on a World’s row when you want to link it.

In the browser, the Library’s Worlds list shows All Worlds and your Workspaces, with no Local entry. Local storage still exists: the missing entry does not remove your writing or turn it into synced work. The license and sync requirement applies to changes in local-only Worlds too.

It belongs to this browser profile on this device. Opening another browser, another profile, or another computer won’t bring that local World with you. Signing in identifies your account; it does not, by itself, back up a local World or turn on sync.

Download your World

Start in the same browser and profile where you wrote. Downloading makes a separate copy; it doesn’t remove the World from the browser.

1. Open your Worlds list.

   In the Plotscribe web app, go to Worlds. If the access dialog appears, choose Continue read-only. Select All Worlds in the Worlds list (in the sidebar, or along the top when the sidebar is collapsed) and clear any search that hides your World. The browser has no Local entry.

2. Find the browser-local World.

   Look for the World you want to keep. Its location is shown as Stored in this browser.

3. Select Download World.

   Use Download World beside the local World. Your browser saves the download or asks where to put it, depending on your browser settings.

4. Check the saved copy.

   Find it in your browser’s downloads list or chosen folder. Check Plotscribe’s export message too: if it reports files that couldn’t be read, keep the original World and resolve that before relying on the copy.

Downloading and exporting existing writing remain available without a purchased license or sync subscription. Continue read-only dismisses the dialog but does not unlock editing. If you don’t see Download World, check that you’re looking at a local-only browser World, rather than a synced World.

Open your downloaded copy

Need the installer? Choose Your account in the access dialog and open Desktop app, or open the download/sign-in page. Sign in there if asked. The installer does not transfer your Worlds. Desktop writing requires an active trial or license, not a sync subscription.

A single .plotscribe file

In the desktop app’s Worlds list, choose Import World and select the downloaded file. To bring a .plotscribe file into the web app instead, choose Open file. Browser imports require both a purchased license and sync because they create writing data; read-only access only preserves reading and export of existing Worlds.

A ZIP with media

Extract the ZIP first. In the desktop app, choose Open folder and select the extracted folder containing project.plotscribe. Keep the media files in their exported locations inside that folder.

A download is a snapshot of that moment. Later edits in your browser do not update the downloaded file, and editing the desktop copy does not automatically update the browser copy. Download again after important changes, or set up Workspace sync separately.

Keep your writing safe

• Keep regular downloads somewhere you back up, not only in your Downloads folder.
• Don’t rely on private or incognito browsing for a lasting copy. Its storage is temporary.
• Download before changing browser profiles, clearing site data, or signing out. Browser storage can also be removed by the browser or your device.
• If a local World disappears, return to the original browser and profile first. Signing back in cannot restore local-only writing that was erased; you’ll need a saved copy.