Frequently Asked Questions

Thetapad is a privacy-first online LaTeX editor that compiles your documents directly in your browser using WebAssembly technology. Unlike traditional cloud-based editors, your documents stay on your device by default, ensuring complete privacy for your research and writing. Thetapad offers real-time PDF preview, syntax highlighting, and collaboration features while maintaining the privacy-first approach that academics and researchers need.

Getting started is simple! Visit our editor page and start writing LaTeX immediately - no account required. Your documents are stored locally in your browser. If you want to sync across devices or collaborate with others, you can create a free account. We also offer a Demo page where you can explore the editor's features with sample documents before committing to your own work.

No, you can use Thetapad without creating an account. Your documents will be stored locally in your browser's IndexedDB storage. However, creating an account enables additional features like cloud sync, collaboration, GitHub integration, and access to your documents from multiple devices. The free tier is generous and sufficient for most individual users.

Thetapad works best on modern browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. We recommend using the latest version of your preferred browser for the best experience. Since Thetapad uses WebAssembly for local LaTeX compilation, you need a browser that supports WebAssembly (all modern browsers do). Internet Explorer is not supported.

Basic LaTeX knowledge is helpful, but not required to get started. Thetapad provides syntax highlighting, auto-completion, and helpful error messages to guide you. We also have a comprehensive blog with tutorials ranging from beginner to advanced topics. Our template library includes pre-made documents you can customize, making it easy to start even without prior LaTeX experience.

Click the 'Compile' button in the toolbar or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl/Cmd+Enter. Thetapad compiles your document locally using SwiftLaTeX, which runs entirely in your browser. Compilation is typically very fast - most documents compile in under a second. The PDF preview updates automatically, and any errors are highlighted in the editor with helpful messages.

You can add images by uploading them to your project's file browser (drag and drop or use the upload button) and then referencing them in your LaTeX code using \includegraphics{filename}. Make sure to include the graphicx package in your preamble with \usepackage{graphicx}. Supported formats include PNG, JPG, and PDF. Images are stored locally with your project.

Thetapad supports most common LaTeX packages including amsmath, amssymb, graphicx, hyperref, geometry, babel, and many more. The SwiftLaTeX engine includes a comprehensive package library. If you need a specific package that's not available, please let us know through our GitHub issues page and we'll work on adding support.

Create a .bib file in your project with your bibliography entries, then reference it in your main document using \bibliography{filename} (without the .bib extension). Use \cite{key} to cite references in your text. Thetapad handles BibTeX compilation automatically. You can also use our free BibTeX Generator tool to create entries from DOIs, URLs, or ISBNs.

Thetapad supports many keyboard shortcuts including: Ctrl/Cmd+Enter to compile, Ctrl/Cmd+S to save, Ctrl/Cmd+B for bold, Ctrl/Cmd+I for italic, Ctrl/Cmd+/ to toggle comments, and Ctrl/Cmd+F to find. Press Ctrl/Cmd+K to open the command palette which shows all available commands and their shortcuts. You can also customize shortcuts in the settings.

Yes! Thetapad offers a library of 77+ templates including academic papers, theses, CVs, presentations, and more. Browse our Templates page to find templates for journals like IEEE, ACM, and Elsevier, as well as general-purpose templates. You can preview templates before using them and customize them to fit your needs.

You can export your document as a PDF directly from the preview panel using the download button. You can also export your project as a ZIP file containing all source files, which is useful for backup or submitting to journals. For GitHub users, you can sync your project directly to a repository for version control.

Compilation errors usually occur due to LaTeX syntax issues. Check the error panel below the editor for specific error messages and line numbers. Common issues include missing closing braces, undefined commands (often due to missing packages), and math mode errors. Our blog has a comprehensive guide to the 15 most common LaTeX errors and how to fix them.

First compilation may take longer as packages are loaded. Subsequent compilations should be faster. If compilation remains slow, try breaking large documents into smaller files using \input or \include. Very large images can also slow down compilation - consider reducing image resolution. If issues persist, try clearing your browser cache.

Missing fonts usually occur when using special characters or non-Latin scripts. Make sure you're using the appropriate packages - for example, \usepackage[utf8]{inputenc} for UTF-8 encoding, or fontspec with XeLaTeX/LuaLaTeX for advanced font support. For mathematical symbols, ensure you have amsmath and amssymb packages loaded.

If you were working locally (not signed in), check if clearing your browser data removed your documents. Unfortunately, local documents can be lost if browser data is cleared. This is why we recommend creating an account for important work - your documents are then synced to the cloud. Always maintain backups of important documents using the export feature or GitHub sync.

Try clicking the compile button manually or pressing Ctrl/Cmd+Enter. If the preview still doesn't update, check for compilation errors in the error panel. You can also try refreshing the page (your work is saved automatically). If issues persist, clear your browser cache and reload. Make sure you don't have any browser extensions blocking WebAssembly execution.

To collaborate, you need a Thetapad account. Open your project, click the Share button, and invite collaborators by email. They'll receive an invitation to join your project. Multiple people can edit simultaneously with real-time cursor presence showing where each person is working. Changes sync instantly across all collaborators.

Yes! When sharing a project, you can set permissions to 'View Only' which allows collaborators to see the document and compile it, but not make changes. This is useful for sharing drafts with reviewers or supervisors who need to review but not edit your work.

Thetapad supports track changes through its collaboration features. When enabled, edits from collaborators are highlighted, and you can accept or reject changes. For more detailed version control, we recommend using GitHub integration, which provides a full history of all changes and the ability to compare versions.

Connect your GitHub account in settings, then link a project to a GitHub repository. Changes can be committed and pushed directly from Thetapad, and you can pull updates from GitHub. This provides full version control, backup, and the ability to collaborate using standard Git workflows. It's especially useful for teams already using GitHub.

By default, your documents are stored locally in your browser's IndexedDB storage and never leave your device. If you create an account and enable sync, your documents are encrypted and stored on our secure servers. We use industry-standard encryption both in transit (HTTPS) and at rest. You can export and delete your data at any time.

No! Unlike other online LaTeX editors, Thetapad compiles your documents entirely in your browser using WebAssembly technology. Your LaTeX source code and PDF output are never sent to any server for compilation. This is a core principle of our privacy-first approach - your research stays on your device.

Yes, Thetapad is designed with GDPR compliance in mind. We minimize data collection, provide full data portability, and allow you to delete your account and all associated data at any time. Our privacy policy clearly explains what data we collect and how it's used. For most users working without an account, we don't collect any personal data at all.

Documents stored locally are protected by your browser's security model. For synced documents, we use encryption in transit (TLS/HTTPS) and encryption at rest on our servers. We're also working on end-to-end encryption where even we cannot read your documents. Check our roadmap for updates on this feature.

The free tier includes unlimited local projects, access to all templates, all LaTeX tools (Symbol Finder, BibTeX Generator, Table Generator), cloud sync for up to 3 projects, and basic collaboration. It's generous enough for most individual users and students. No credit card is required for the free tier.

Yes! We offer a 50% discount for students and educators. To claim your discount, sign up with your .edu email address or verify your student status through our partner verification service. The discount applies to all paid plans and renews annually as long as you maintain student/educator status.

You can cancel your subscription anytime from your account settings. After cancellation, you'll retain access to paid features until the end of your billing period. Your documents will remain accessible, and you can export them at any time. If you change your mind, you can resubscribe at any point.

To delete your account, go to Settings > Account > Delete Account. This will permanently remove your account and all synced data from our servers within 30 days. Local documents stored in your browser will not be affected. We recommend exporting important documents before deleting your account.

We accept all major credit and debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express) through our secure payment processor, Stripe. We also support Apple Pay and Google Pay where available. All payment information is handled securely by Stripe - we never see or store your full card details.