Script Editor
The heart of Screenplay Studio. Learn how to format your screenplay seamlessly.
The Basics
The editor is designed to get out of your way. As you type, it automatically tries to guess the correct formatting element (Scene Heading, Action, Character, Dialogue, etc.) based on standard screenplay norms.
How Autocomplete Works
- Type
INT.orEXT.to instantly trigger a Scene Heading. - Pressing Enter after a Character name automatically switches to Dialogue.
- Pressing Enter on a blank Action line switches to Character.
- Type an open parenthesis
(inside Dialogue to create a Parenthetical.
Keyboard Navigation
You don't need to use your mouse to change formatting. Use the Tab key to cycle through element types on the current line.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Tab | Cycle forward through formatting elements (Action → Character → Dialogue → ...) |
| Shift + Tab | Cycle backward through formatting elements |
| Enter | Create a new line based on context (e.g. Dialogue follows Character) |
| Cmd/Ctrl + B | Toggle Bold text formatting |
| Cmd/Ctrl + I | Toggle Italic text formatting |
| Cmd/Ctrl + U | Toggle Underline text formatting |
The Sidebar (Gutter)
To the left of your script is the "gutter". Hovering over the gutter reveals the element picker button.
Clicking the handle ⋮⋮ next to any line allows you to manually select its formatting type, add notes, or delete the line entirely. This is useful if the automatic detection guesses incorrectly.
Zen Mode
Need to focus? Click the Zen Mode icon in the top right toolbar to hide the sidebars, navigation, and toolbars, leaving you with just your script and a blank screen.