
Common Issues
Solutions to frequently encountered problems.
Installation
"Cannot be opened because Apple cannot check it"
RiteMark isn't notarized with Apple yet. To open:
- Right-click on RiteMark in Applications
- Select Open
- Click Open in the dialog
You only need to do this once.
App won't open at all
- Check you're on macOS (Windows not yet supported)
- Verify you have an Apple Silicon Mac (Intel not supported)
- Try downloading the DMG again
- Move to Applications folder before opening
Editor
Blank editor / Nothing shows
The editor webview didn't load. Try:
- Reload Window: Cmd+Shift+P -> "Reload Window"
- Restart RiteMark: Quit and reopen
- Check file type: Only
.mdfiles open in WYSIWYG mode
Changes not saving
RiteMark auto-saves after 1 second. If changes aren't saving:
- Check file permissions (can you write to that folder?)
- Look for error messages in bottom status bar
- Try saving manually: Cmd+S
Formatting looks wrong
- Reload the window: Cmd+Shift+P -> "Reload Window"
- Check if the file is valid markdown
- Complex HTML in markdown may not render correctly
Text selection issues
- Click outside the editor, then back inside
- Reload window if persistent
AI Assistant
"AI Offline" in status bar
The AI assistant can't connect. Check:
- Internet connection - Are you online?
- API key - Is one configured?
- API credits - Do you have OpenAI credits?
No response from AI
- Wait longer - some requests take time
- Check for error messages in the AI sidebar
- Try a simpler request
- Verify your API key is valid
"Invalid API key" error
- Cmd+Shift+P -> "Configure OpenAI API Key"
- Enter a valid key (starts with
sk-) - Make sure no extra spaces were copied
AI changes wrong text
- Select text first before making a request
- Check the selection indicator in the AI sidebar
- Be specific about what you want changed
Export
PDF export fails
- Check you have write permission to save location
- Try saving to Desktop first
- Make sure document isn't corrupted
Word export has wrong formatting
- Complex tables may need manual adjustment
- Some markdown features don't translate perfectly
- Consider PDF for consistent formatting
Export button not visible
Export only works for markdown files. CSV and Excel files use different tools.
Files
CSV file shows as text
- Make sure file extension is
.csv - Close and reopen the file
- Check file isn't corrupted
Excel file won't open
- Verify extension is
.xlsxor.xls - File might be corrupted - try opening in Excel
- Very large files may fail to load
Large file warning
Files over 5MB or 10,000 rows may:
- Take longer to load
- Be truncated (CSV shows first 10K rows)
- Cause performance issues
For very large data, use a dedicated spreadsheet app.
Performance
Slow typing / lag
- Close other resource-heavy applications
- Reload window: Cmd+Shift+P -> "Reload Window"
- Very long documents may be slower
High memory usage
- Close unused files
- Restart RiteMark
- This is a known issue being improved
Updates
"Update available" won't go away
- Download the new version from GitHub
- Or dismiss with "Don't show again"
- Settings remember your preference
How to update
- Download new DMG from GitHub
- Open DMG
- Drag RiteMark to Applications (replace existing)
- Launch RiteMark
Still Stuck?
Get Help
- Check Feature Documentation for how things should work
- Review Getting Started for setup steps
Report an Issue
If you've found a bug:
- Note what you were doing
- Note any error messages
- Check if it's reproducible
- Report at GitHub Issues
Quick Fixes
| Problem | Quick Fix |
|---|---|
| Editor blank | Cmd+Shift+P -> Reload Window |
| AI not working | Check internet + API key |
| Can't open app | Right-click -> Open |
| File won't save | Check folder permissions |
| Slow performance | Restart RiteMark |