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Sync Issues

Symptom​

Your custom dictionary, preferences, or settings are not syncing between your Macs. Changes made on one device do not appear on the other.

Quick Fix​

Open TalkWriter Settings and click Force Sync (if available), or sign out and sign back in.

Step-by-Step Diagnostic​

✅ Step 1: Check That You Are Signed In on Both Devices​

Sync only works when you are signed into the same TalkWriter account on all devices.

  1. Open TalkWriter on each Mac
  2. Go to Settings → Account
  3. Verify the same email address is shown on each device
  4. If one device is not signed in, sign in with the same account

✅ Step 2: Force Sync​

  1. Open TalkWriter Settings
  2. Go to the Account or General tab
  3. Look for a Sync Now or Force Sync button
  4. Click it and wait 10-15 seconds
  5. Check if your changes appeared on the other device

✅ Step 3: Check Internet Connection​

Sync requires an internet connection on both devices:

  1. Make sure both Macs are connected to the internet
  2. Try visiting talkwriter.ai in a browser on each device
  3. If one device is offline, sync will resume automatically when it comes back online

✅ Step 4: Sign Out and Sign Back In​

This forces a full re-sync from the server:

  1. On the device that has outdated data:
    • Open TalkWriter Settings → Account
    • Click Sign Out
    • Close TalkWriter
    • Reopen TalkWriter
    • Sign back in
  2. Your settings and dictionary will be downloaded fresh from the server

✅ Step 5: Check Backend Status​

  1. Visit status.talkwriter.ai
  2. Check if the sync or API service is experiencing issues
  3. If there is an incident, wait for resolution — your local changes are preserved and will sync when the service recovers

✅ Step 6: Check for Conflicting Changes​

If you edited the same setting on two devices while one was offline:

  • The most recent change wins (based on timestamp)
  • Dictionary entries: additions from both devices are merged; deletions follow the most recent action

Still Not Working?​

FAQ​

How long does sync take? Changes typically sync within 5-10 seconds when both devices are online.

What data is synced? Custom dictionary, TalkTone preferences, hotkey settings, and language preferences.

What data is NOT synced? Pill position (display setting), window positions, and local accessibility permissions.