Vellum flower icon Vellum Help

Startup Window

Vellum’s Startup Window is displayed when you first open Vellum. If you’re new to Vellum, you can use the Startup Window to access Vellum help pages or to begin working with your first book. Once you save the Vellum files you create, you’ll see them as Recent Files.

Getting Started

When you first start Vellum, you’ll be shown a simple window with links to learn about Vellum and buttons to begin working.

Vellum’s Startup Window with Buttons to Create New Book and Import Word File

Use the help links to open the Vellum Tutorial or Vellum Help Overview.

You can use the buttons at the bottom to create a new book:

New Book
Want to write your book in Vellum? Use this to create a new, empty book.
Import Word File
Book already written? Use this option to import a manuscript you’ve created in Word.

Recent Files

After you’ve created books in Vellum, the Startup Window will show you a list of files you’ve recently worked with:

Startup window displayed with a list of recent files

Opening Files

You can open any recent file shown in the list by double-clicking it, or by clicking to select the file, then using Open Selected.

Have an older file that isn’t listed here? Use the Open Other button to locate the file on your computer. Additionally, you can always open a Vellum file by locating it in the Mac Finder and double-clicking it.

File Information

For each recent file, you’ll be shown:

Illustration identifying Title, Folder, and Filename for a Recent File
  • The Title of the book
  • The Folder where you saved this file
  • The Filename you used when you saved

And, of course, you’ll also be shown any ebook cover image that you’ve specified.

Want to access the file you’ve saved? Use the Arrow within circle button shown to the right of the folder. This will locate your file in the Mac Finder, where you can move, rename, or even delete the file.

Favorites

If you have a file that you always return to — like a character guide or a template for front and back matter — you can make it a favorite by toggling the ♡ button:

Favorite file highlighted above a recent file in the Startup Window

Favorite files are shown at the top of the list so that they’re always within reach.

Files in Trash

Vellum files can be deleted by dragging them into the Trash using the Mac Finder. In case you’ve done this by accident, the Startup Window will report if any recent files are found in the Trash:

Startup Window warning that four recent files were found in the Trash

Click the Arrow within circle button to view these files in the Trash.

  • If you’re sure you want to delete all files in the Trash, you can use Finder ▸ Empty Trash. Note that this will permanently delete any files there.
  • If you moved a file into the Trash by accident, you can use File ▸ Put Back in the Finder to move the file back to its original folder.
The Put Back command shown in the Finder’s File menu

The warning in the Startup Window will disappear once there are no recent files in the Trash.

Troubleshooting

I don’t see my book in the Startup Window!

If you don’t see your file in the list of recent books shown at startup, you can also open it from the Mac Finder. Simply navigate to the folder where it was saved and use double-click to open the file in Vellum.

If you need help finding where you saved your file, you can make use of your Mac’s Spotlight tool. To find all Vellum files on your computer, enter “kind:vellum” into the Spotlight search field.

If Spotlight doesn't turn anything up, we recommend looking in the Trash in the Mac Finder, in case your file was inadvertently moved there.