FocusWriter 1.8.13

FocusWriter is a distraction‑free, full‑screen word processor that hides UI chrome until you need it, prioritizing flow with themes, goals, timers, focused text, autosave, and robust spell‑check via Hunspell on Windows and Linux. It’s free, open source, and actively maintained, making it a pragmatic drafting tool when complex layout isn’t required.

If you’re asking “Is FocusWriter open source and what license does it use,” the project is free software under GPL‑2.0‑or‑later with source available, built on Qt with Hunspell dictionaries for spell‑check and multilingual support. Platform support centers on Windows and Linux with official builds and package options that integrate cleanly with desktop environments.

FocusWriter key features and interpretations

For productivity questions, like “How can I set a daily word count goal in FocusWriter and track it live?” the answer is simple. It is covered by goals by words or minutes plus a live session footer that updates as you type.
How do I show live word count and session statistics in FocusWriter while typing? It is handled by real‑time counters for words, characters, and paragraphs in an unobtrusive status area.
How do I enable Focused Text to highlight the current sentence in FocusWriter? Just use a dim‑others mode at line, three‑line, or paragraph granularity.
Personalization is deep: “How can I customize FocusWriter themes and set a custom background image” and “How do I change themes or enable dark mode in FocusWriter” are good questions, and they are solved with theme presets, user fonts, spacing, and custom images.
Ambience tweaks answer “How do I enable or disable typewriter sounds in FocusWriter” so the writing space can be silent or tactile as you prefer.
Reliability addresses “How do I turn on autosave and recover unsaved work in FocusWriter” using autosave, session restore, multiple tabs, and re‑opening the last document on launch.
If you’re wondering “How do I enable distraction‑free full‑screen mode in FocusWriter,” full‑screen with edge‑triggered menus is the default interaction model, so you’re writing on a blank canvas by design.
For cadence and discipline, timers and alarms support sprinting, while “How can I set a daily word count goal in FocusWriter” helps maintain targets for novels, academic work, or blog output without heavyweight project management overhead.
To maintain flow, “How do I show live word count and session statistics in FocusWriter while typing” keeps unobtrusive metrics visible so you can avoid compulsive menu‑checking, and “How do I enable Focused Text to highlight the current sentence in FocusWriter” curbs context‑hopping by dimming nearby text.
Comfort and fatigue matter too, so “How do I change themes or enable dark mode in FocusWriter” and “How do I enable or disable typewriter sounds in FocusWriter” let you tailor the environment for long sessions without eye strain or auditory clutter.

How do I download FocusWriter safely on Windows

Download links

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What’s new in the latest versions

Version 1.8.13 includes crash and stability fixes, such as resolving a drag‑related crash with justified text to safeguard long drafting sessions. Preceding updates improved symbol dialog behavior, dictionary handling, and theme performance, keeping everyday writing smoother without altering the minimalist core.

Formats and compatibility

Users often ask “Does FocusWriter open DOCX files or only ODT, RTF, and TXT,” and the supported core formats are plain text, RTF, and basic ODT geared for drafting and simple styling.
For “How do I import and edit RTF files in FocusWriter without losing formatting,” stick to RTF/ODT for bold, italics, and alignment during drafting and convert to DOCX later in a full word processor if you need complex layout.

Portability and workflow

If you prefer mobility, and question “Is there a portable version of FocusWriter I can run from a USB drive?” appears in your mind – it is covered by a portable edition on Windows aligned with the latest release for zero‑install scenarios.
Linux users, who ask “How do I install FocusWriter on Linux from Flathub” can grab the Flatpak, which integrates with menus and updates through the standard desktop flow.

Privacy and synchronization

FocusWriter doesn’t bundle cloud sync, so if your question is How do I sync FocusWriter documents with Dropbox or Google Drive safely, it is best handled by saving into your provider’s synced folder while relying on autosave and session restore for resilience. This preserves the app’s light footprint and leaves versioning to your storage provider.

If you are interested in more classic versions of text editors or other useful utilities for working with documents, visit our Office & Productivity section.

Installation on Fedora and Debian

If you’re asking “How do I install FocusWriter on Fedora using dnf step by step,” use Fedora’s package manager or Software center to install the focus‑oriented editor from the official repos.
For “How do I install FocusWriter on Debian with apt and add it to the menu,” install from Debian repositories and your desktop environment will create the launcher automatically.

Comparison with iA Writer and OmmWriter

FocusWriter vs iA Writer which is better for distraction‑free writing on Windows

FocusWriter is free, open source, and centered on goals, timers, focused text, themes, autosave, and Hunspell spell‑check, ideal when you want minimalism without a Markdown workflow on Windows.
iA Writer is a polished commercial editor with Markdown and syntax‑highlighting for style and structure checks, offering a different philosophy that appeals to writers who self-edit inside a Markdown environment on Windows.

FocusWriter vs OmmWriter key differences

OmmWriter emphasizes ambience and meditative soundscapes with extreme minimalism, suiting writers who value mood and sonic cues over document management or format range.

How to use FocusWriter — Pro Tips

Start sessions by setting a modest daily goal, enable focused text, and keep stats visible to reduce context‑switching during sprints.
Use dark themes and custom backgrounds for comfort, then fine‑tune fonts and spacing to reduce fatigue over multi‑hour stretches.
Turn on autosave and store files in a synced folder for off‑device backups while keeping the app lean and responsive.

System requirements

Windows 10/11, 64‑bit build with bundled Qt runtime.
Minimal disk footprint
No dedicated GPU required.
Hunspell dictionaries included/available for spell‑check.

Unique takeaways and final verdict

FocusWriter delivers a clean, configurable writing space with full‑screen focus, daily goals, timers, focused text, live stats, themes, autosave, and capable spellcheck, all without the cost or complexity of heavier suites. The trade‑offs—no native mobile app and no built-in cloud sync—are manageable via portable builds on Windows and saving into a cloud‑synced folder when you need cross‑device access and backups.