# Compare an earlier version and copy back a passage Open the inspector's History tab (⌥⌘5 / Ctrl+Alt+5), click a saved version to open Compare, and click ⤴ copy beside any passage to bring it back. - - Published 29 October 2026 - Updated 29 October 2026 ## 1. Save a named version before a cut or rewrite InkSpine handles saving on two levels so you do not have to babysit files while you write. First, your text is written to the chapter's [plain Markdown file on disk](https://inkspine.app/blog/why-your-book-lives-in-plain-files) as you type (a moment after you pause), reflected by `Saved to disk` in the editor footer. Second, InkSpine records an automatic version after 5 minutes without typing whenever the manuscript has changed, and records one before high-impact actions such as clearing a chapter, deleting an item, or running book-wide **Find & Replace** (the Replace step lets you skip that version if you prefer). When you are about to try a risky structural cut—such as trimming an opening scene or rewriting a dialogue exchange from another character's point of view—you can mark the moment with your own label: 1. Click the `Saved to disk` status in the editor footer, or open the command palette (`⌘K` / `Ctrl+K`) and pick **Save a version now**. (`⇧⌘S` on macOS, `Ctrl+Shift+S` on Windows and Linux, saves a version straight away without asking for a name.) 2. Type a short note that will make sense to you next month (for example, `Before cutting the harbour prologue` or `Draft two — Eleanor POV`) and press `Return` (or click **Save** in the footer popover). ## 2. Open the chapter's History tab Each chapter, front-matter page, back-matter page, and scratch page keeps its own version list so you only see changes that actually touched the text in front of you: 1. With the chapter open in the editor, click the clock icon in the right-hand inspector to open the **History** tab (`⌥⌘5` on macOS, `Ctrl+Alt+5` on Windows and Linux). You can also click `Saved to disk` in the bottom footer to see the three most recent versions immediately and click **All history** to open the full **History** tab. 2. Browse the list from newest to oldest. Each row shows when the version was saved, your custom label (or `Automatic version`), and the exact word-level diff against the version before it (`+212 −48`). > **Version history on InkSpine Free vs InkSpine Core** > > InkSpine records every version in your project folder on every plan and never prunes old snapshots. On **InkSpine Free**, the full version list is visible and you can open the **3 most recent versions** of each chapter or page in **Compare**. **InkSpine Core** unlocks every version in the list back to the day you started the project. ## 3. Compare the earlier version beside your current draft Click any version row in the **History** tab (or click its **Compare** button) to open the full-width **Compare** view across the manuscript area: 1. Your **Current draft** (left) and the selected earlier version (right) sit side by side with word-level differences highlighted in place: words added since that version are tinted green, and words cut since that version appear in red strikethrough. 2. Scroll through the changes in context, or use the **Comparing against** dropdown above the earlier version to switch to an older or newer version without closing the view. 3. Click **Exit compare** in the banner across the top of the view (or press `Esc`) whenever you want to return to the normal single-column canvas. ![InkSpine’s History Compare pane: the current draft of a chapter beside its first full draft, with changed words underlined or struck through and a copy button beside each change, and the list of saved versions on the right](https://inkspine.app/guide-history-light.webp) *The Compare view places your earlier version beside the current draft with word-level additions and deletions highlighted and a ⤴ copy button on every changed passage.* ## 4. Copy a passage back into your draft InkSpine deliberately avoids a destructive project-wide "overwrite" button that could wipe out work you did in other chapters later that afternoon. Instead, you bring back the exact paragraph, dialogue exchange, or full chapter text you want right inside **Compare**: 1. Locate the cut or altered paragraph in the earlier version pane. 2. Click the **⤴ copy** button beside that changed passage. InkSpine inserts those words back into your live draft at the matching position. 3. If you want to bring back every change from that snapshot for the open chapter, click **Copy all changes** in the banner across the top of **Compare**. 4. Both **⤴ copy** and **Copy all changes** apply as a single normal editor transaction—if you change your mind a moment later, press `⌘Z` (`Ctrl+Z` on Windows and Linux) to undo it immediately. If you deleted an entire chapter, book, scratch page, or [Worldbuilding entry](https://inkspine.app/guides/first-character-and-place-pages) rather than editing inside a chapter, open **Preferences → Project → Recently deleted** (or press `⌘K` / `Ctrl+K` and choose **Recently deleted…**) to recover it as a new item from the snapshot taken automatically right before deletion. For more on how InkSpine protects your work, see the [feature overview](https://inkspine.app/#features) and the [FAQ](https://inkspine.app/faq). ## In InkSpine - **Inspector → History (⌥⌘5)**: Lists every saved version of the open chapter or page with word-count diffs. - **⇧⌘S / Ctrl+Shift+S**: Saves a version of the open chapter or page right now. To give it a name, use the footer's Saved to disk popover or ⌘K → Save a version now. - **History → Compare**: Opens the earlier version beside your live draft with word-level changes highlighted. - **Compare → ⤴ copy**: Copies a single changed passage from the earlier version back into your draft. ## Questions ### How often does InkSpine save versions automatically? Your text is written to the chapter's file as you type (a couple of seconds after you pause, or when you press ⌘S / Ctrl+S if you have set Auto-save to Manual in Preferences → Editor). InkSpine records an automatic version after 5 minutes without typing whenever the chapter has changed, and before actions like deleting an item or a book-wide Find & Replace, unless you choose to skip it. ### How many earlier versions can I open on InkSpine Free? Every version is recorded and nothing is ever pruned. InkSpine Free opens the 3 most recent versions of each chapter or page in Compare, while InkSpine Core opens your full version history back to the start of the project. ### What if I deleted an entire chapter or worldbuilding entry by mistake? Open Preferences → Project → Recently deleted (or press ⌘K / Ctrl+K and type Recently deleted) to recover a deleted chapter, page, book, or worldbuilding entry as a new item on every plan, including Free. ## Related reading - [Export an EPUB for KDP](https://inkspine.app/guides/export-epub-for-kdp): Open Export (⌘E / Ctrl+E), add your book details and cover, preview the Ebook for KDP preset at Kindle size, and click Export (requires InkSpine Core). - [Build your first character and place pages](https://inkspine.app/guides/first-character-and-place-pages): Open Worldbuilding (⌘5 / Ctrl+5) or select a name in prose and click Add to Worldbuilding ▾ to create character and place pages that link automatically. - [Why your book lives in plain files](https://inkspine.app/blog/why-your-book-lives-in-plain-files): InkSpine stores your book as a folder of plain Markdown chapters and JSON notes on your computer, so you can read and open your manuscript anywhere.