Real-time AI writing help in every app on your machine. One note below matters a lot on Linux — your display server (X11 vs Wayland) — so read it before you install.
The one-press flow (global hotkey → capture selection → paste result back) relies on keystroke simulation, which is reliable on X11. On Wayland, the OS restricts global hotkeys and synthetic keystrokes by design, so WriteCrisp falls back to clipboard-only: copy your text yourself first, trigger a mode, then use the Copy button for the result. For the full experience, log in to an X11 session.
AppImage — make it executable and run it:
chmod +x WriteCrisp-*.AppImage./WriteCrisp-*.AppImage(If it doesn't launch, install FUSE — e.g. libfuse2 on Debian/Ubuntu.)
.deb — install with your package manager:
sudo apt install ./WriteCrisp-*.debOpen Settings (the first-run wizard, or the tray icon → Settings). In the Provider tab pick your service — any OpenAI-compatible endpoint, Anthropic Claude, or Azure AI Foundry — enter your Base URL, API key, and model, and run the connection test. Your key is sent only to the provider you configured.
WriteCrisp encrypts your API key at rest using your desktop's keyring (libsecret — GNOME Keyring / KWallet). If no keyring is available, it falls back to storing the key in plaintext on disk. For encrypted-at-rest storage, make sure a keyring service is installed and unlocked.
A fresh install has no writing shortcut yet. Open Settings → General to record a writing shortcut and an explain shortcut — or use the tray menu's Improve selection / Explain selection. The onboarding "Enable Explain" button wires up Alt + E. (On Wayland, prefer the tray menu.)
Ready to write? The full desktop guide walks through every mode and result view.