# Get to know the article editor

_Category: Write articles_

The article editor is where you write, format and publish your help articles. Here's what each part of the screen does, so you always know where to find a tool.

**Who can do this:** Owners, Admins and Editors (Translators work in your other languages) · **Plans:** All plans

## Open the editor

- **A new article:** go to **Articles** and click **New article**.
- **An existing article:** open the **…** menu on its row and choose **Edit article**. Or click the row, then **Open in editor**.

## Write in the canvas

The canvas in the middle of the screen is your article.

1. Type a title at the top. Use the words your customers would search for.
2. Pick a category from the pill under the title.
3. Click below the title and start writing. On an empty line, type `/` to insert a block, such as a heading, a list, an image or a table.
4. Select any text to format it or turn it into a link.

![Screen recording. On an empty line, type / to open the insert menu. Type to filter the blocks, then press Enter. Add a Numbered list the same way.](https://helpcenter-io.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/self/Nejm65TBbPbCRZKAyokcbDFV9SnxjOpPvw19nemm.gif)
Type / on an empty line to add any block.

Once the article is saved, the **Version History** pill next to the category shows earlier versions. The line under the canvas counts your words and estimates the reading time.

## The top bar

- **Articles** (with the back arrow) returns to your article list.
- **New** starts another article in a new tab: **Blank article**, **From a template** or **Duplicate this article**. It appears once the article is saved. A duplicate is a draft titled with "Copy" after the original title, in the same categories. You can also duplicate an article from its row on the **Articles** page: see [See article details and make quick edits](https://self.helpcenter.io/content/article-details).
- **Search articles…** finds and opens another article. Press ⌘K (Ctrl+K on Windows) to open it from anywhere in the editor.
- The speech bubble with a number opens **Comments**: your team's comments and the ones readers left.
- The eye icon (**Preview article**) opens the saved article in a new tab, the way readers will see it.
- **Watch** notifies you when someone changes the article.
- The status pill shows if your work is saved and live (see the table below).
- **Save draft** saves your work without publishing it. On a published article, it only appears if your help center uses staged changes.
- **Publish** makes a draft live. On a published article the button reads **Update**, or **Publish changes** when you have staged changes. The arrow next to it (**More publish actions**) holds **Insert template**, **Save as template**, the review options, **Unpublish (back to draft)** and **Move to trash**.

## What the status pill means

| Status | What it means |
| --- | --- |
| **Not saved** | The article only exists in this browser. Click **Save draft** to keep it. |
| **Unsaved changes** | You changed a saved draft. Click **Save draft** to keep the changes. |
| **Draft saved** | Saved to your account, and not published. |
| **Published** | Live on your help center. |
| **Unpublished edits** | The article is live, but your latest edits aren't. Click **Update** to publish them. |
| **Staged changes** | Only on help centers that use staged changes: your edits are saved, and readers still see the live version until you publish them. |

A brand-new article stays in this browser until you save it, and a banner reminds you. If you switch devices or clear your browser first, the draft is lost, so save early.

## The right-hand panel

| Card | What you do there |
| --- | --- |
| **Access** | Choose who can read the article: **Public**, **Anyone with the link** or **Private**. |
| **Details** | See the author and when the article was last updated, and by whom if it was someone else. To change the author, click the pencil icon (**Change author**) next to their name and pick a teammate. The change is kept when you next save or update the article. Set the type: **Article** or **FAQ**. Translators can't change the author or the type. |
| **URL and search** | Copy the article's link, change its slug, and set the title and description search engines show. |
| **Attachments** | See the files attached to the article and add more. |
| **Related FAQs** | Write or attach short questions and answers that belong with the article. |
| **AI writing help** | Draft the search title and description, suggest a slug, write alt text and check the structure. Catalyst plan, or the AI add-on on Bootstrap and Growth. |

Drag a card by its grip to rearrange the panel. The editor remembers your layout.

## Work in your other languages

If your help center has more than one language, a **Language** bar sits above the canvas. Click a language to write that version. The **Released** switch decides when readers can see a translation. See [Translate an article](https://self.helpcenter.io/content/translate-an-article).

## Related articles

- [Add headings, lists and other blocks](https://self.helpcenter.io/content/add-blocks)
- [Format text](https://self.helpcenter.io/content/format-text)
- [Publish an article](https://self.helpcenter.io/content/publish-an-article)
- [Keyboard shortcuts in the article editor](https://self.helpcenter.io/content/editor-shortcuts)
- [Preview an article before you publish](https://self.helpcenter.io/content/preview-an-article)