Writing Modes

Typora has a set of modes for different kinds of work. All of them are in the View menu and the command palette.

Mode	Shortcut	For
Source Code Mode	Mod+/	Editing the raw Markdown
Auto Numbering	—	Numbering headings
Readonly Mode	—	Reading without changing anything
Focus Mode	F8	Concentrating on one paragraph or sentence
Typewriter Mode	F9	Keeping your eyes in one place
Flow Mode	—	Writing forward without editing
Zen Mode	Mod+Shift+Enter	Clearing the window

Focus, Typewriter, Flow and Zen Mode show a short message when they turn on, with Undo and the shortcut to leave. Show Less quiets that message.

Source Code Mode

View ▸ Source Code Mode shows the raw Markdown, with line numbers and syntax colouring. Your place in the document carries across when you switch. A Source Code chip in the title bar shows that it is on; click its × to go back.

Auto Numbering

View ▸ Auto Numbering writes numbers into your headings, such as ## 1.2. Overview, and keeps them right as you add and move headings. Because they are part of the Markdown, they appear in exports and in other editors. Turning it off removes them, as one undo step.

Levels count from the document's shallowest heading, and a skipped level writes 0, as in 1.0.1.. Numbers apply to top-level headings, not ones inside a quote or list. A document counts as numbered when every heading already carries the number it should. It isn't available in Source Code Mode.

Readonly Mode

View ▸ Readonly Mode locks the current tab, in both the editor and Source Code Mode, so you can read and scroll without changing anything by accident. It applies to that tab until you turn it off. You can also put it on the title bar's Quick Button.

Focus Mode

View ▸ Focus Mode ▸ Toggle Focus Mode (F8) dims everything except where you are writing. The same submenu chooses what stays lit:

• Paragraph Focus keeps the current paragraph and marks it with a band.
• Sentence Highlight keeps just the current sentence.

Settings ▸ Writing ▸ Focus Mode ▸ Also Turn On Typewriter Mode pairs the two. It isn't available in Source Code Mode.

Typewriter Mode

View ▸ Typewriter Mode (F9) keeps the line you are on in the middle of the window, and scrolls the document past it. Settings ▸ Writing ▸ Typewriter Mode ▸ Also Turn On Focus Mode can dim the rest as well, by paragraph or sentence.

Flow Mode

View ▸ Flow Mode keeps you moving forward. You can type, and press Enter and Tab, but caret movement, deleting, undo and clipboard shortcuts do nothing until you leave. Settings ▸ Writing ▸ Flow Mode ▸ Turn Off Spell Check (on) removes the red underlines while you write.

Zen Mode

View ▸ Zen Mode (Mod+Shift+Enter), or the cup button in the title bar, hides the side panels and leaves the page. Leaving restores the layout you had.

Settings ▸ Writing ▸ Zen Mode chooses what else it does: Hide Titlebar and Hide Toolbar (on), turn on Focus Mode, Typewriter Mode or Flow Mode, and Enter Full Screen. Whatever Zen turned on, it turns off again. Opening a side panel or a new tab leaves Zen Mode.