Can I Download Scrivener On Two Computers
Sibila Tellio
Hi! I love scrivener, except that work in multiple places and on different computers. I just cannot be stuck working on only one device. How do you manage this problem? Is there an alternative with web-based access? Thanks!
If you want to share a Scrivener project between two or more computers you can use a cloud-sync service to automatically sync the project between them. This article will cover syncing between macOS and/or Windows computers. If you're looking for advice on iOS syncing, see our article on Dropbox Syncing with iOS.
Once Dropbox is installed on your computer it will create a folder on your hard disk, which will then sync to your Dropbox account. If you want to share a Scrivener project then it has to be stored that folder. As you work on the project, Scrivener will save the files you change on your local hard drive, these will then be automatically uploaded to Dropbox and then downloaded to the other computers using that Dropbox account.
Follow the above guidelines and you should be able to sync your projects between computers without running into problems. However, no syncing solution is 100% reliable. We can take no responsibility for work lost through syncing problems, or for any other reason -- always be sure to back up!
To find out if the additional computer is eligible for installation without purchasing an additional licence, please review the terms of the user licence agreement. (Please note that a licence is only valid for a single platform, so a Windows licence cannot be used to install Scrivener on a Mac.) In general, you may register and activate Scrivener or Scapple on any Windows computer you own or for which you are the sole user (e.g. a work computer that is used only by you) and on Windows computers of family members living with you.
If the backups are copied to the folder used for automatic backups on your second machine, they will be included when limiting a project's number of backups (set in the Backup options). Please note that if you do not use timestamps in your backups, you may have unique backups with identical names on both computers if you have already been working on the same project on the second computer. Since the backups copied from the original computer are likely to be older, do not overwrite your newer versions unless you are sure you know what each contains. You can instead copy the backups to a location separate from the new automatic backups.
You mentioned that you wanted to work with your WIP from multiple computers. I am the moderator of an online Scrivener Users community of over 4200 members and there are a number of users who use Scrivener with multiple computers.
Not only are people already using Scrivener with Multiple computers but the developer is getting ready to release an upgrade for both Windows and Macintosh as well as the iOS mobile platform that has a newly developed syncing system. This release is scheduled for later this year. They are currently in the alpha testing stage and are choosing beta testers for a private beta testing of the new software.
David, Thank God for you! I found this blog entry thru a Google search after I inadvertently cut a scrivener scene. I wasn't aware of the scrivener backup files until now. I first tried to recover from Dropbox, but saw that I had to convert to zip. I wasn't aware of that either. For me, searching thru Scrivener's back up was less intimidating. I hadn't even known of it's existence, but thanks to you, I do now. So relieved. Thanks again!
Katherine from Scrivener support here. I found this page because one of our users followed your procedure before contacting us.
Just a quick comment on the original procedure. The problem with copying the recovered files back into the Dropbox version of the project is that the original files -- the conflicted copies that Scrivener can't see -- are still in Dropbox, too. When users are working across multiple computers, it's possible for each local computer to have *different* conflicted files, causing much chaos. An invisible "conflicted" file on Computer A might be the live file on Computer B.
So my usual advice is to drag the conflicted files out of the project, then re-import them back into the *local* copy (isolated from Dropbox). Then, once everything's back to normal, overwrite the (damaged) Dropbox project with the (repaired) local project.
I'd agree. I work across multiple computers, so keeping my writing in Dropbox or Drive is ideal for me, but that won't help if a file gets corrupted and propagates to the cloud. For backups I use separate drives I hook up to my computer as needed. I tried Crashplan, but backing up everything I wanted backed up blew through my Comcast data cap in a week.
Hi david,
Thanks for responding so quickly!
I've found, probably all, the work on the dropbox site, as you suggested.
Still I've to find the solution to get it back in the scrivener project folder. I've been trying a lot, but failed so far.
Guess I'll have to ask them.
Cheers,
Frans
thank you thank you so much David, I'm not very tech smart so I found the instructions difficult to follow, but finally, after hours of trying, managed to reinstate an earlier version of my project with the missing chapter. Beyond grateful. just not sure how much i want to keep using scrivener if it's this hard!
Manda
\u2014Through the 1980s, I wrote in The Atlantic and elsewhere about machinery and software. Most of these dispatches, including one about trying to make email connections from a pay phone in Malaysia, and another about the very first \u201Cportable\u201D computers (which were the size of an airline carry-on suitcase) no longer appear to be on line. Some day I\u2019ll scan and digitize my bound-volume copies. Essay topic for grad students: the ways in which \u201Cantique\u201D technology, like bound volumes of magazines, can be more \u201Cfuture-proof\u201D than the successors.
Now the important thing to know is that you need this entire folder, not just the file(s) inside it. My suggestion is that you use Microsoft OneDrive, which will let you easily transfer the files across multiple computers. Just click and drag or copy and paste the folder over there.
I love scrivener for all the reason you mentioned and I probably haven't even touch the surface forvwhatbit can do. My favorite feature is the way it is organized. My inner list maker has a blast with the cork board feature during outlining.
I've been curious about this for ages! The function of separating things into scenes and storyboarding sounds like exactly what I need, and the ability to collate all my thoughts and notes for a project is gold. I do it now with folders and seaparet Word files, but it quickly becomes cumbersome to keep track of. I will probably stick with Word for my current WIP, but will get Scrivener for the next. Hope it will run on my sort-of old Mac computers.
The original version is built for Mac, so I would think it'd run on your computers. I hope.
I'm transitioning completely over to Scrivener now and definitely enjoying the software. It's a great program.
One of the questions I was going to ask after reading all the comments was how to use Scrivener with Google docs or similar program. Maybe Dropbox will work. I write on several computers, though my primary writing station is an old lap top without internet.
Individuals at U-M are ultimately responsible for any infringing software on their computers or devices or for violating the terms and conditions of software licenses. Individuals are responsible for reviewing the SPG on Software Procurement and Licensing Compliance.
Thanks for great blog! I am starting to write my dissertation and finalizing on Scrivener. I want to keep it on home and office laptop. I am using the trial version. Do I have to buy multiple licences or can use one on different computers?
I just purchased the most recent version of scrivener for windows and the icons are still very small and difficult to read. I was hoping this problem would be fixed in the current version. I followed the instructions listed here, but it did not change anything. Do you happen to know of any additional updates that address this issue? I would like to use scrivener on my surface pro 2017 but will not be able to unless I can manage to enlarge the icons.
Can I install Scrivener on multiple computers as well as mobile devices?
Yes, up to five, if the computers are the same operating system. PCs and Mac's require different versions of Scrivener.
Mobile Scrivener for iPhone and iPad must be purchased separately.
That is until Scrivener came along. Scrivener is one of the very few text creation tools that approaches writing in a completely different way from those mentioned above. More important than merely being different, what makes Scrivener noteworthy is that it is designed around the way writers think, rather than the way computers work.
The first step to get your project going is to launch scrivener. You might have an icon on your desktop, or one that you placed in your dock (Mac) or start bar (windows). In either case, the icon will look like the one in the one here.
Scrivener can back up all your work into a folder of your choice. This feature also doubles up as set-and-forget sharing through Dropbox: you can point to a folder inside your Dropbox as the backup destination.
Said another way, your precious words are always safe and available on all your computers after only one step.
- Sync with Mobile Devices