Foldwriter
Support
Need a hand? Email richard@vanyperen.com. Tell me your iPhone model and iOS version, and what you expected to happen. I read every message and usually reply within two working days. Dutch or English, both fine.
Common questions
Does the person I write to need Foldwriter?
No. Your letter goes out as an ordinary picture, PDF or video, through Messages, Mail, WhatsApp or any app in the share sheet. Anyone can open it.
How do I pull the page?
Tap Pull page at the top. On the iPhone Duo you can also close the phone with a page in the machine: the page comes out and the envelope waits on the outer display (you can turn this off in Settings). Return only ever returns the carriage, so a letter is never pulled by accident. Changed your mind on the envelope? Go back to the letter and nothing is lost. After posting, Keep typing brings the same page back.
How do I fix a typo?
Like a real typewriter, backspace moves the carriage back but does not erase. Type over the letter to overstrike it, which is half the charm. If you'd rather hide mistakes, turn on correction tape in Settings.
How do I change the typewriter?
Open Settings and pick a machine: Sunday (a 1950s portable), The Editor (a 1920s desk machine) or Rosso (a 1969 pop portable). Each looks, sounds and feels different. All three are included.
Where do the sounds come from?
They are recordings of real manual typewriters, used under CC0 and CC BY 4.0 licences. See the sound credits, also in the app under Settings, About.
Does it need an iPhone Duo?
No. Foldwriter works on any iPhone running iOS 17 or later. On the Duo it uses the fold: half-folded, the paper sits above the hinge and the keys below it.
I can't hear the keys
Check that sound is on in Foldwriter's Settings and that your volume is up. By default the machine is heard even when your iPhone is on silent, like a video. If you'd rather it follow the silent switch, turn that off in Settings.
Can I use a hardware keyboard?
Yes. A connected Bluetooth or Smart keyboard types on the machine, bell and all.
How do I remove the "typed on Foldwriter" line?
Open Settings in the app and turn it off. It is on by default so the people you write to know where the letter came from.
Where are my letters stored?
Only on your iPhone, in the letter box. Nothing is uploaded. You can re-send or delete a letter from the letter box. See the privacy policy.
Can I write more than one page?
Not in this version. Foldwriter is made for one sheet to one person, like a postcard with more room. Long-form writing belongs in a different kind of app.
Refunds
Purchases go through Apple. You can request a refund at reportaproblem.apple.com.