Release trust
Preview Build Limitations
By KenRich ยท Last updated: August 14, 2026
VeloWrite is usable today, but it is still preview software. This page explains what you can rely on, what still needs caution, and how to test a build before putting important documents into it.
What the preview is good for today
Use the web editor for quick Markdown drafts, live preview, Markdown download, and HTML export. It is a low-risk way to check whether the writing surface fits you before installing anything.
Use the desktop app when you want real local files, direct save, offline work, recent files, local history snapshots, and PDF export. That is the main preview workflow we are hardening first.
# VeloWrite Test
## Try first
- Open a copy of a Markdown file
- Switch between Write, Split, and Preview
- Save the file
- Export HTML or PDF
- Reopen the file and check historyVeloWrite Test
Try first
- Open a copy of a Markdown file
- Switch between Write, Split, and Preview
- Save the file
- Export HTML or PDF
- Reopen the file and check history
NoteStart with a copy. Once the workflow feels safe, move to documents you care about.
Installer warnings are expected in preview builds
The Windows installer is not code-signed yet, so SmartScreen may show a warning. The macOS DMG is also unsigned, so Gatekeeper may require a manual open action.
That warning does not mean the file was modified, but it does mean you should download only from the official VeloWrite download page. Do not rely on mirrored installer files while the project is still unsigned.
Back up important Markdown files yourself
The preview includes local history, but history is not a full backup system. It helps with recent mistakes such as a bad paste, an accidental rewrite, or a saved edit you want to compare.
For important work, keep the Markdown file in a normal folder you already back up. Git, cloud drive folders, Syncthing, Time Machine, Windows File History, or a simple copied folder can all protect files outside VeloWrite.
# Backup note
## Source
Keep the real `.md` file in a project folder.
## Recovery
Use VeloWrite history for recent edits.
Use your normal backup for device loss or older versions.Backup note
Source
Keep the real .md file in a project folder.
Recovery
Use VeloWrite history for recent edits. Use your normal backup for device loss or older versions.
NoteLocal history is a recovery layer inside the editor. A backup protects the file outside the editor.
Export is useful, but still needs review
HTML export and PDF export work for ordinary Markdown documents, but preview builds should still be checked before a file is sent to clients, coworkers, teachers, or readers.
Open the exported file and review the title, contents page, tables, numbered lists, code blocks, page numbers, images, and any Chinese or mixed-language text. Export bugs are easiest to catch with the real document, not a short placeholder.
What is not active yet
AI writing commands, managed sync, encrypted sharing, team collaboration, one-click publishing, automatic update installation, and signed releases are not active in the current public build. Account sign-in and paid desktop checkout are separate services and do not upload Markdown documents.
These later workflows must not weaken the ordinary Markdown work already in the product: reading, editing, saving, previewing, exporting, and recovering files.
How to test a preview build
Use a real sample file, but not your only copy. Open it, edit a few sections, jump through the outline, switch view modes, save, export, close, reopen, and check whether recent files and history behave as expected.
If something feels wrong, report the platform, VeloWrite version, file type, what you clicked, what you expected, and what happened instead. A short reproducible report helps more than a broad complaint.
## Issue
Preview pane scrolls differently from the editor.
## Environment
- Windows 11
- VeloWrite 0.2.8
- Split mode
## Steps
1. Open a long Markdown file.
2. Click a heading in the outline.
3. Scroll the preview pane.
## Expected
The editor should stay near the same section.Issue
Preview pane scrolls differently from the editor.
Environment
- Windows 11
- VeloWrite 0.2.8
- Split mode
Steps
- Open a long Markdown file.
- Click a heading in the outline.
- Scroll the preview pane.
Expected
The editor should stay near the same section.
NoteGood reports shorten the time between feedback and a usable fix.