Getting started with Paper Studio

1. Create your document

Open Paper Studio and create an Article. On Mac, use File → New; on iPad, create a document from the document browser. Choose the format, add your title and author, review the settings, then choose Create and Start Writing.

Expected result: your project opens with main.tex selected. Save it with a recognisable name in your chosen location. Paper Studio requires macOS 26 or iPadOS 26 or later; its interface is in English.

Prefer to follow a finished example? Download First Paper below and open the .ltxs file in Paper Studio. It uses the existing Article format and includes an equation, a figure and a bibliography.

• Download First Paper (.ltxs) ↓

2. Write a short introduction

In main.tex, replace Start writing here with two sentences about your subject. Use Structure to add a section, and Text for emphasis. Replace the highlighted editable fields with your own words.

Expected result: readable LaTeX containing your text and section title. Your source remains editable at every step. On Mac and with an iPad keyboard, Command-K opens the command menu; tap its search field if it is not already focused.

3. Insert an equation

Place the cursor after your paragraph. Open Structure and choose an equation, then enter E = mc^2 in its editable field. Symbols helps you insert mathematical notation without memorising every command.

Expected result: an equation block in the source. It appears typeset in the PDF after you compile.

\begin{equation}
E = mc^2
\end{equation}

4. Compile and inspect the PDF

Choose Compile. Wait for the run to finish, then inspect the Compiled PDF: your title, paragraph and equation. Compilation runs locally without an account or a separate TeX installation.

Expected result: a PDF containing your current work. Run Compile again after changes. PDF out of date means the source changed after the displayed PDF was produced; saving alone does not refresh it.

5. Export and reopen your work

Use Export PDF for the finished document. Use Export project (.zip) to share the sources, or Save a copy (.ltxs) to preserve an editable Paper Studio project. Export file saves the selected source file. Share and Print use the system controls on both platforms.

Expected result: the PDF opens outside Paper Studio, and your .ltxs copy reopens with its text and equation. Keep the editable project as well as the PDF.

Next: add a figure and references

Open Citations & Bibliography, add a source with its author, title and year, and insert a citation from the picker. Add the bibliography using Structure. Paper Studio manages the BibTeX source for this workflow.

Import a PNG or JPEG into the project, then insert a figure referring to that file. The downloadable example includes sample-figure.png and refs.bib so you can inspect a complete working setup.

Expected result: the figure is part of the project and the citation points to a bibliography entry. On iPad, open Project when you need to see the files; on Mac, use the project sidebar.

If compilation needs attention

If compilation fails, read the first diagnostic and check the named file and line when supplied. Common causes are a missing closing brace, a renamed image or an unavailable package. Correct that problem and compile again before chasing later messages.

Expected result: compilation succeeds and the corrected content appears in the PDF. If a citation is unresolved, check that its key matches an entry in refs.bib. Use the compatibility guide for package and bibliography limitations.