What is new in ProWritingAid Desktop Everywhere?

We have listened to your feedback, and we are launching a new version of ProWritingAid Desktop Everywhere that gives you access all the reports and features directly in your writing apps, so you can have a smoother writing and editing experience.

You may have noticed that a new, more visible, floating icon menu has replaced the green/orange dot in your writing apps. From this menu icon, you can easily access all ProWritingAid Reports, including Realtime Goals and Improvements, and other features.

To stay focused, you can now position the icon where it suits you best in the writing apps you use, and disable ProWritingAid suggestions temporarily or permanently.

What is different in this new version?

After listening to your feedback, we have improved both how it works and how it looks:

• ProWritingAid Desktop Everywhere is now more visible than the previous green/orange dot. It is movable, so you can position it to where it works best for you in the writing apps you use.
• You can effortlessly access all features in any writing app from the new ProWritingAid floating icon. This includes Realtime Goals and Improvements, and all other features.
• Clicking on the "eye" icon will quickly disable ProWritingAid suggestions and underlines, so you can write undistracted. If you want the suggestions back, just click on the “closed eye” icon.

What do the icons and colors of the extension mean?

Icons:

• You can use the new ProWritingAid icon to easily access all our features and reports within any writing app you use.
• The “document” icon opens the Reports menu, where you can select and run our individual reports to get actionable insights on your writing. Or, access your settings quickly and easily by clicking on the "cogwheel" icon.
• The “eye” icon activates the focus mode. When Focus mode is active, the icon turns into a “closed eye” and all underlines will disappear, so you can write undistracted. To bring them back, just click on the “closed eye” icon.

Icon Colors:

• When the floating menu icon is plain gray, this means ProWritingAid is active, but is not analyzing text. This is usually because there is no text available.

If you have multiple apps open at the same time, you will see this gray icon in some apps. ProWritingAid Desktop Everywhere will be active (green or pink) in the programme where you are currently working and inactive (gray) in all other apps.

• If the menu icon is green with a green tick, this means Desktop Everywhere has checked your text and could not find any improvements to suggest.

• When the menu icon turns pink, Desktop Everywhere has provided suggested improvements for your document. Simply click on the icon to activate the Real-time sidebar.

• If you’re not logged in to ProWritingAid, you will see a pink menu icon with a red exclamation mark. Make sure you’re correctly logged in to your account to use ProWritingAid.

How can I change the position of the icon?

To move the ProWritingAid menu icon on your screen, simply click and drag it to your preferred position. The new position will be saved and remembered the next time you use the same application.

Does ProWritingAid Desktop Everywhere work in Office for desktop?

The new version of ProWritingAid Desktop Everywhere seamlessly integrates all the functionality of the Desktop Editor and Word Add-In into your writing app. This saves you time and makes editing more convenient by allowing you to check your grammar, spelling, and run reports without having to leave your preferred writing app.

Depending on your writing and editing preferences, you can now replace the Desktop Editor and Word Add-In with this new version of ProWritingAid Desktop Everywhere.

If you are a Windows user, you will still be able to access our reports and features from the ribbon at the top of your Word documents, instead of the new ProWritingAid Desktop Everywhere floating icon.

How can I disable ProWritingAid Desktop Everywhere on an app?

If you want to write undistracted, simply click on the “eye” icon in the ProWritingAid Menu icon. All underlines and suggestions will disappear.

To bring them back, just click on the “closed eye” icon.

If you don’t want ProWritingAid to appear in some programmes at all (either temporarily or permanently), you can turn Desktop Everywhere off in the Settings options here:

You can then choose to turn off ProWritingAid Desktop Everywhere for a specific app temporarily (choose "Disable in this app for 1 hour") or permanently ("Disable in this app").

You can turn ProWritingAid Desktop Everywhere back on for individual programmes by following these steps:

Windows:

1. Locate the ProWritingAid Desktop Everywhere icon on your desktop toolbar, here:

2. Right click on the Desktop Everywhere icon, and select 'Settings' from the options that appear.

3. Go to the section 'Blocked Apps' section and click 'View'.

4. Select the option to 'Remove' the block for your programme, then 'Done' to complete the process.

Mac:

Click on the ProWritingAid Desktop Everywhere icon in the top toolbar of your screen and select “Settings”. On the pop-up, select the app(s) that you’d like to re-enable and click ‘Remove App’.