# Writing Tools

> Writing Tools is a desktop app inspired by Apple Intelligence: select text anywhere, press a hotkey and choose Proofread, Rewrite, Friendly, Professional, Concise or a custom instruction (Windows v9, macOS v6.1, May 2026). It works in any language your chosen LLM handles. You bring the model: local via Ollama, llama.cpp or MLX on Apple Silicon, or cloud APIs such as Gemini or OpenAI, which send your text to that provider. GPL-3.0. No live underlines as you type, and no plagiarism check. Linux is run from source.

- Repository: https://github.com/theJayTea/WritingTools
- Official docs: https://github.com/theJayTea/WritingTools#readme
- Checked: 2026-10-15

## What it replaces
- Grammarly: Grammar and spelling checks, AI rewriting and tone changes, Works in the browser and other apps (partial). On-demand AI proofreading and tone rewrites in any app via hotkey; no live underlines while typing or plagiarism check.

## Facts, with sources

| Question | Status | Answer | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runs on my machine? | Confirmed | Yes, desktop app; fully local only when paired with a local LLM | https://github.com/theJayTea/WritingTools#-privacy | 2026-10-15 |
| Code licence | Partial | GPL-3.0 (copyleft) | https://github.com/theJayTea/WritingTools/blob/main/LICENSE | 2026-10-15 |
| Model weights licence | Confirmed | No bundled weights; licence depends on the LLM you connect | https://github.com/theJayTea/WritingTools#readme | 2026-10-15 |
| Commercial use | Partial | Yes, GPL-3.0 conditions apply if you distribute it; check your chosen model's licence | https://github.com/theJayTea/WritingTools/blob/main/LICENSE | 2026-10-15 |
| Paid services needed? | Partial | None required with a local LLM; cloud LLM APIs (free Gemini tier or paid) are optional | https://github.com/theJayTea/WritingTools#-why-choose-writing-tools | 2026-10-15 |
| Hardware | Confirmed | App itself is light; the suggested local model (Llama 3.1 8B via Ollama) needs about 8GB RAM or VRAM | https://github.com/theJayTea/WritingTools#-optional-ollama-local-llm-instructions-for-windowslinux-v7-onwards | 2026-10-15 |
| Operating systems | Confirmed | Windows (portable app), macOS 14+ (native Swift port); Linux from source, work in progress | https://github.com/theJayTea/WritingTools#-1-minute-installation | 2026-10-15 |
| Setup effort | Confirmed | Easy; download the Windows zip or macOS dmg, then add an LLM provider | https://github.com/theJayTea/WritingTools#-1-minute-installation | 2026-10-15 |

GitHub: 2472 stars, 164 forks, last push 2026-08-19, archived: no.
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Source: RepoQuarry (https://repoquarry.dev/projects/writing-tools). Data licence: CC BY 4.0. Quotes are from project documentation and belong to their authors.