Cloud workspace documents connect to live collaboration automatically when opened. Participants exchange edits while the document remains Markdown. Local desktop workspaces connected to file sync can also join a live session manually.
Before starting
Make sure participants can access the same cloud workspace. Opening a cloud document connects automatically; the status control shows connection and save progress, and opens a list of online members. Local desktop workspaces first need file sync, then Start live collaboration from the document's status control. Documents still being created, unresolved conflicts, missing files, or unsupported Markdown syntax delay collaboration; the panel explains why. Cloud documents connect automatically once these conditions are resolved.
When others open the same document, the panel lists who is present. Members with reader access can view but cannot submit edits.
Disconnections and pauses
During a brief outage, writable local drafts stay on the device and synchronize when the connection returns. A remote deletion, access change, or unsafe session state can pause collaboration; the panel explains the state and keeps local content.
You can retry a paused connection. Closing a cloud document tab disconnects it; reopening restores collaboration automatically. Rename, move, and delete operations wait for collaboration writes to be saved first. If the session cannot continue, the web app offers Keep recovery copies; resolve the issue before retrying. Local desktop workspaces still offer End live collaboration and Keep a copy and return to file sync. Review any reported copies or conflicts before cleanup. Unsent web edits are kept in the current browser session's recovery cache. Wait for synchronization before clearing session data or closing the browser.
Other writing tools
During a live session, ordinary file sync yields the writing channel for that document so two mechanisms do not write it at once. External editors or agents may still change the disk file; review preserved versions when a conflict occurs. Decide on an order of work before using MCP to modify a document in a live session.
See Access control and File access and writes for permissions and file boundaries.
Suggestions and the assistant
Suggestions keep edits pending for individual review; real-time network suggestion editing is not available. Suggestion mode is disabled while a live session manages the document, and the assistant can answer questions but cannot apply file changes. Cloud documents collaborate by default and currently cannot switch to suggestion mode. Local desktop documents can use suggestions after saving and ending the live session.