FAQ
Is it really free?
Yes. Writing, formatting, export and every file format are free, with no account, no activation and no limit on how many computers you install it on. Cold Open is open-source under the GPL, so any version you have keeps working, and anyone can check what it does.
Does it need the internet?
No. Cold Open never connects to anything: no account, no update check, no usage counting. See Privacy.
Can I open my Final Draft scripts?
Yes, .fdx files, the format Final Draft saves. Cold Open opens them, and saves them back with everything you didn’t edit exactly as it was. Some things don’t travel into .fdx from Cold Open: see .fdx exchange. The older .fdr format isn’t supported; save it as .fdx first.
Will a producer see the same pages I see?
Very nearly. Cold Open lays out pages by the usual screenplay rules, and an .fdx keeps its own page settings. We check the page breaks against reference scripts, and on a 120-page feature they match page for page. Cold Open’s own PDFs come out the same on every computer.
Does it work with other screenwriting apps?
Any app that reads Fountain or .fdx can read what Cold Open writes, and the other way round.
Where’s autosave?
Every keystroke goes into a crash journal as you type, so nothing needs autosaving: a crash or a power cut brings your work back at the next start. You still save (Mod+S) to write the script file itself. See Your work is safe.
Does Cold Open use AI? Does it send my script to an AI?
Only if you connect an agent yourself. Nothing connects by default, and Cold Open sends your script nowhere. If you want an AI agent’s help, you can connect one of your own through MCP. Then every edit the agent makes is a tracked change under its name, which you accept or reject, as you would a collaborator’s note. What the agent does with what it reads is up to that agent and its own privacy policy.
Why does my computer warn me when I first open it?
The builds aren’t signed by Microsoft or notarized by Apple yet. It’s the warning every new, unsigned program gets. Install says what to click, and how to check that your download is the real one.
Can I change the font?
The page is always Courier Prime, a 12-point Courier made for screenplays and free to use. That’s what keeps pages the same length everywhere. The rest of the window uses Atkinson Hyperlegible Next, made for legibility.
Can I use it on two computers?
Yes, on as many as you like. If the same script’s journal turns up on a second computer, through a synced folder say, Cold Open asks before recovering it.
Is there a version for phones, tablets or the web?
Not yet. Windows, macOS and Linux come first. The core is written so it can come to the web and mobile later.
Can I write in other languages?
Accented letters, dead keys and AltGr all work, and Cold Open’s interface is in English. The page font has no Chinese, Japanese or Korean characters yet, and those print as boxes. Input methods for those languages come later.
How do I report a problem?
Report a problem… in the palette, or in About Cold Open, opens a ready-filled page in your browser, with nothing from your script in it. You can also use the GitHub issues, or the form if you don’t have a GitHub account. What feedback helps says what makes a report easy to act on.
What does “alpha” mean here?
All the features are in, and Cold Open is careful with your work, but few people have used it yet. Expect rough edges, and keep copies of anything that matters. Your scripts stay ordinary files you can open anywhere.