Skip to main content

Project Settings

Accessing Project Settings

  1. Go to Verkilo > Preferences (Mac) or File > Settings (Windows/Linux)
  2. Or use the keyboard shortcut Cmd+, (Mac) or Ctrl+, (Windows/Linux)

Author Information

Set default author details used across all books in the project.

Field Description
Author Name Your primary pen name or legal name
Email Contact email (optional, used in some exports)

These defaults populate new books. Individual books can override them in Book Settings.

Display Preferences

POV Avatar Visibility

Control whether POV character avatars appear in the editor:

  1. Find POV Display in settings
  2. Toggle Show POV Avatar on or off
  3. When enabled, the current section's POV character appears in the editor footer

This affects display only—POV assignments are preserved regardless of this setting.

Word Count Display

Configure how word counts appear:

Option Behavior
Session Show words written this session
Section Show current section word count
Book Show total book word count
All Show all counts

Database Maintenance

Your project file is a SQLite database. Occasional maintenance keeps it running smoothly.

Checking Database Size

The project file location and size are displayed in Project Settings. Large projects (100,000+ words) may benefit from periodic optimization.

Optimize Database

The optimize function:
- Rebuilds indexes for faster searches
- Reclaims space from deleted content
- Improves overall performance

To optimize:
1. Go to Project Settings
2. Click Optimize Database
3. Wait for the process to complete

Optimization is safe—your data isn't modified, only reorganized.

When to Optimize

  • After deleting many sections
  • If the app feels sluggish
  • After importing large amounts of content
  • Every few months for active projects

Project File Location

Viewing the Location

The full path to your project file (.verk) is shown in Project Settings. This is where all your books, sections, and metadata are stored.

Moving a Project

To move a project to a different location:

  1. Close the project in Verkilo
  2. Move the .verk file using Finder/Explorer
  3. Open the project from its new location

Verkilo remembers recent project locations, so you may need to use File > Open Project to find the moved file.

Backing Up

Your project file is a single file that can be backed up like any other:

  • Copy to an external drive
  • Sync with cloud storage
  • Include in system backups

See Version History for in-app snapshot functionality.

Attachments Directory

Binary files (images, avatars) are stored in a separate attachments directory:

~/Documents/Verkilo/attachments/{project-id}/

Managing Attachments

Attachments are managed automatically:
- Images are copied to the attachments folder when added
- Deleted images are cleaned up during optimization
- The folder syncs with your project

Backup Considerations

When backing up, include both:
- Your .verk project file
- The corresponding attachments folder

Import/Export Settings

Exporting Project Data

Export your entire project for backup or transfer:

  1. Go to File > Export Project Archive
  2. Choose a save location
  3. The archive includes all books, sections, and attachments

Importing from Other Formats

Import content from external sources:

Format How to Import
Docx File > Import > Select Word document
Markdown File > Import > Select .md files
Plain Text File > Import > Select .txt files

Imported content creates new sections in the current book.

Advanced Options

Auto-Save Interval

Configure how often Verkilo auto-saves:

Interval Behavior
Instant Save after every change (default)
5 seconds Save after 5 seconds of inactivity
30 seconds Save after 30 seconds of inactivity

Instant is recommended for most users.

Spelling Language

Set the primary language for spell checking:

  1. Find Spelling in settings
  2. Select your language from the dropdown
  3. Spell check uses this language by default

Individual books can't override this—it's project-wide.

Resetting Preferences

To reset all preferences to defaults:

  1. Go to Project Settings
  2. Click Reset to Defaults
  3. Confirm the reset

This resets display preferences only—your books and content are not affected.

Related