1Writer Keyboard Shortcuts
1Writer is built for iOS and iPadOS specifically, and its shortcut set reflects that touch-and-keyboard hybrid environment more than a pure desktop app would — many of its most useful bindings are designed to work with an external keyboard connected to an iPad, letting a fundamentally touch-first app support a genuinely keyboard-driven writing workflow when one is attached. Because 1Writer's other headline feature is a scriptable action system (JavaScript-based actions that can transform text, insert templates, or connect to other apps via URL schemes), several of its shortcuts exist specifically to trigger a saved custom action rather than a fixed built-in command, meaning the exact shortcut behavior can vary meaningfully between users depending on what actions they've built or installed. Markdown formatting shortcuts follow conventions broadly shared with other Markdown editors (Cmd+B for bold syntax insertion), which matters since 1Writer's core appeal is fast plain-text Markdown writing with iCloud or Dropbox sync rather than a rich WYSIWYG editing experience. Version history is another area where 1Writer leans on iOS conventions rather than inventing its own — documents synced through iCloud benefit from the OS-level document versioning Apple provides system-wide, rather than 1Writer building a separate proprietary undo-history feature layered on top. For writers who specifically want a distraction-minimal, keyboard-first Markdown environment on iPad without committing to a heavier app like Ulysses or Scrivener, 1Writer's willingness to be scripted and extended through its action system is often the deciding factor over competitors that are more locked-down and closed. Word-by-word cursor navigation in particular is worth calling out since it's easy to underrate how much faster precise text editing becomes with an external keyboard attached versus tapping repeatedly to reposition a cursor on a touchscreen, which is part of why 1Writer's target audience so consistently pairs the app with a hardware keyboard rather than relying purely on touch input for serious writing sessions.
Formatting
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insert bold Markdown syntax | — | Cmd+B (external keyboard on iPad) | Surrounds the selected text with double asterisks for Markdown bold, and since this is a true keyboard shortcut rather than a touch gesture, it only works with an external keyboard paired to the iPad or iPhone. |
| Insert italic Markdown syntax | — | Cmd+I (external keyboard) | Wraps selected text in single asterisks for Markdown italic syntax, following the same external-keyboard-dependent pattern as bold. |
| Insert heading Markdown syntax | — | Cmd+1 through Cmd+6 (external keyboard, varies) | Inserts the appropriate number of # characters for a heading level at the cursor position, following Markdown's standard heading syntax convention. |
| Insert Markdown link syntax | — | Cmd+K (external keyboard) | Wraps selected text in Markdown link syntax with the cursor positioned to type the URL, matching the Cmd+K convention shared broadly across web and Markdown editors. |
| Insert strikethrough Markdown syntax | — | Cmd+Shift+X (external keyboard, varies) | Wraps selected text in double tildes for Markdown strikethrough syntax, following the same external-keyboard-dependent pattern as the other formatting shortcuts. |
| Select all text in document | — | Cmd+A (external keyboard) | Selects the entire contents of the current document, standard convention available with an external keyboard connected. |
Navigation
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Create new document | — | Cmd+N (external keyboard) | Creates a new blank document in the current folder, usable with an external keyboard attached rather than only through the touch-based '+' button. |
| Search documents | — | Cmd+F (external keyboard) | Opens document search to find files by name or content across your 1Writer library, functioning with an external keyboard the same way Cmd+F would in a desktop text editor. |
| Toggle document list sidebar | — | Cmd+1 (varies, external keyboard) | Shows or hides the document/folder list sidebar on iPad, giving more horizontal writing space when hidden. |
| Toggle Markdown preview | — | Cmd+P (external keyboard, varies) | Switches between the raw Markdown source view and a rendered preview showing formatted headings, bold, links, and other syntax as they'll actually appear. |
| Move cursor by word | — | Option+Left/Right (external keyboard) | Jumps the cursor a full word at a time rather than one character, standard text-navigation behavior available once an external keyboard is connected, considerably faster than tapping to reposition the cursor on a touchscreen. |
Actions Scripting
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Run a custom action | — | Assigned per action in Action settings | Triggers a user-defined JavaScript-based action — which could transform selected text, insert a template, or call another app via URL scheme — with the exact keyboard shortcut depending entirely on what's been configured, since 1Writer's action system is user-scriptable rather than fixed. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do 1Writer's keyboard shortcuts work without an external keyboard, using just the on-screen keyboard?
Most of the modifier-key shortcuts described (Cmd+B, Cmd+F, etc.) require a physical or Bluetooth external keyboard connected to the iPad or iPhone, since iOS's on-screen keyboard doesn't provide the same modifier-key combination support; touch-only users instead rely on toolbar buttons and menus for the equivalent actions.
What exactly are 'actions' in 1Writer, and how customizable are they really?
Actions are small JavaScript scripts that can manipulate the current document's text, prompt for input, or communicate with other apps through URL schemes and the Shortcuts app — ranging from simple text transformations (like converting selected text to uppercase) to fairly elaborate automation chains, and many users install community-shared actions rather than writing their own from scratch.
Does 1Writer sync documents across devices, and does that affect keyboard shortcut behavior?
1Writer supports syncing via iCloud or Dropbox, keeping documents consistent across your iOS devices, but sync itself doesn't affect keyboard shortcuts directly — shortcuts remain tied to whatever device and keyboard configuration you're currently using, since iOS keyboard shortcut support is a per-device, per-session capability rather than something that syncs with your documents.
Does 1Writer support version history if I make an editing mistake I want to undo later?
1Writer relies on standard in-session undo/redo for immediate mistakes, and documents synced via iCloud additionally benefit from iOS's own document versioning at the system level, rather than 1Writer maintaining its own separate proprietary version-history feature on top of that.
Can I use 1Writer entirely with touch, or is an external keyboard basically required?
1Writer works fully via touch with its own on-screen toolbar for formatting and navigation, so an external keyboard isn't required to use the app — it specifically unlocks the desktop-style keyboard shortcuts documented here, which is an enhancement for users who've attached one rather than a requirement for basic functionality.
Where do community-shared 1Writer actions typically come from?
Many are shared through forum posts, GitHub gists, or the developer's own community links, since there isn't a centralized official actions marketplace built into the app; installing one typically means importing a shared action file or pasting its JavaScript into 1Writer's action editor manually.
Does 1Writer support exporting documents to formats beyond plain Markdown?
Yes, 1Writer can export or share documents as PDF, HTML, and rendered rich text in addition to plain Markdown, using its built-in rendering engine to convert the Markdown syntax into a properly formatted output file for sharing outside the app.
Can I lock or password-protect individual documents in 1Writer?
1Writer doesn't offer a built-in per-document password lock; document-level security instead depends on the device's own lock screen and, for synced files, whatever access controls the connected iCloud or Dropbox account itself provides.
Does using an external keyboard change how the app feels compared to touch-only use?
Considerably — while 1Writer's on-screen toolbar covers the same underlying actions, an attached external keyboard unlocks word-by-word cursor movement, select-all, and the full set of Markdown formatting shortcuts documented here, turning what would otherwise be a tap-and-toolbar touch experience into something much closer to writing in a genuine desktop text editor, which is precisely the audience 1Writer's keyboard shortcut set is built for.