---
title: Settings reference
url: https://www.moldraw.com/docs/settings/moldraw-settings-reference/
section: Settings and layouts
updated: 2026-10-20
publisher: LabCanvas
---

# Settings reference

> Click the gear button (Settings) to open the Settings window. It has eight sections: General, Style, Bonds, Style presets, AI, Plugins, Shortcuts and Touch screen. Changes save automatically, and each section has a Reset to defaults button.

## Where to find it

1. Click the gear button (**Settings**). In the [command palette](https://www.moldraw.com/docs/settings/how-to-use-the-command-palette/), type "settings" and pick a section, such as **Settings: Bonds**.
2. Pick a section in the left list. On a computer, type in **Search** at the top of the list to jump to a setting.
3. Change a value. The footer shows **Changes save automatically**.
4. To undo your changes in one section, click **Reset to defaults**, then click again to confirm.

**Reset all settings…** at the bottom of the list resets every section. It also asks for a second click. Settings live in this browser, on this device. See [Privacy and storage](https://www.moldraw.com/docs/devices/privacy-and-where-your-drawings-are-stored/).

The **Previews** switch in the General, Style and Bonds sections shows a small example structure under options that change the drawing. It is off by default.

## General

### Appearance

| Setting | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
| **Language** | Interface language. See [Change the language](https://www.moldraw.com/docs/settings/how-to-change-the-language-of-moldraw/). | Your browser language on the first visit, else English |
| **Theme** | **Light**, **Elegant dark** or **Ink dark**. Ink dark uses a black canvas with white bonds and atom letters. | Light |
| **Layout** | **Scientific** shows every button. **Educational** shows two compact rows and one tool column. See [Themes and layouts](https://www.moldraw.com/docs/settings/themes-and-layouts-light-dark-scientific-and-educational/). | Scientific |
| **Toolbar icon size** | Small, Medium, Large or Extra large. Buttons and gaps scale too. Computers only. | Small |

### Atom labels

| Setting | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
| **Show explicit H labels** | Draws hydrogens on carbons for display. It does not add real H atoms. | Off |
| **Color atom labels by element** | N blue, O red and so on. Colors you paint always apply. The 3D viewer always uses element colors. | Off |
| **Color bonds to heteroatoms** | Bonds to N, O and other heteroatoms take the label color. | Off |
| **Condensed group labels** | Terminal groups show labels such as CH₃ or NH₂. | Off |
| **R/S and E/Z labels** | Shows CIP labels on stereocenters and double bonds. | Off |

### Drawing

| Setting | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
| **Auto-layout after bond burst** | When you add several bonds quickly, MolDraw tidies that fragment, like Clean up. | On |
| Legacy accelerator for 2D layout | An older layout path that Clean up and SMILES to 2D can try for hard ring systems. Turn it off to use only the built-in layout. | On |
| **Lone pair style** | **Dots** or **Line** (a short bar) for new lone pairs. | Dots |

### Teaching

| Setting | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
| **Structure display** | **Skeletal formula** or **Lewis structure**. Only the view changes. | Skeletal formula |
| **Free sketch mode** | Relaxes chemistry rules. Five switches appear under it, all on: **No automatic hydrogens**, **No valence correction**, **Allow any charge** (up to ±9), **Allow any number of lone pairs** (up to four) and **Allow any number of bonds**. | Off |
| **Show errors** | Amber dot on atoms with too many bonds, amber ring on unclear wedge or dash stereo. Never exported. | On |
| **Error tooltips** | Hover or tap a marked atom to read the error. Shown when Show errors is on. | On |
| **Preview the next atom** | A faint bond and atom show where the next click adds an atom. | On in Scientific, off in Educational |

For teaching use, see [Educational layout and Teaching menu](https://www.moldraw.com/docs/teaching/educational-layout-and-teaching-menu/).

### Canvas

| Setting | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
| **Snap to grid** | Dragged molecules and reaction arrows snap to the grid. Hold `Shift` to move freely. | Off |
| **Show grid** | Draws a light grid on the canvas. | Off |
| **Canvas assistance guidelines** | Alignment lines while you drag, and snap ticks while you draw bonds. | On |
| **Snap curved arrows** | Curved arrows attach to lone pairs, bonds and atoms and move with the structure. Hold `Alt` to place an end freely. | On |

### Export

| Setting | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
| **Reaction component margin size** | Space around reaction parts, 0 to 24 pt. | 1.6 pt |
| **Image resolution** | 1× (match font size), low (2×), medium (3×) or high (4×). Applies to white PNG, JPEG and PDF. Transparent PNG and SVG stay 1×. | high (4×) |

## Style

These change how structures look. The Style ribbon has the same controls. See [Style and display](https://www.moldraw.com/docs/drawing/how-to-change-structure-style-colors-and-display/).

| Setting | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
| **Structure theme** | **Default** (skeletal) or **Ball and stick**. Plugins can add more. | Default |
| **Font** | Font for atom labels, such as Times New Roman, Arial or Helvetica. | Times New Roman |
| **Bold atom labels** | Element and group labels in bold. | Off |
| **Font size** | Label size at zoom 1, 6 to 36 px. | 20 px |
| **Sub font size** | Subscript size, 6 to 36 px. | 16 px |
| **Bond length** | 24 to 80 px. | 45 px |
| **Fixed bond length** | New bonds snap to the bond length while you drag. Off lets you drag any length. | On |
| **Bond spacing** | Gap between double bond lines, 4 to 45 % of length. | 35 % |
| **Bond thickness** | 1 to 14 px. | 1.5 px |
| **Stereo (Wedge) bond width** | 2 to 24 px. | 10 px |
| **Hash spacing** | 0.5 to 14 px. | 3.5 px |

## Bonds

| Setting | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
| **Fixed bond length** | Same switch as in Style. | On |
| **Bond angle snap** | New bonds and rings snap to this angle, 5 to 45°. Use 15° for RSC style and 30° for ACS or Nature. | 30° |

## Style presets

One click sets bond and label values for a journal or for slides. Each card shows aspirin in that style. The presets are **Balanced (screen)**, **ACS 1996**, **ACS, large labels**, **Large (17 pt)**, **RSC**, **Nature Portfolio**, **Nature Chemistry (classic)** and **Slides & posters**. The default is Balanced (screen). For journal figures, see [Publication-ready figures](https://www.moldraw.com/docs/import-export/how-to-make-publication-ready-figures-dpi-size-and-journal-styles/).

## AI, Plugins and Shortcuts

- **AI** sets the **Chat provider** (Gemini, Claude, OpenAI or DeepSeek), the **Model** and an API key for each provider. Gemini is the default. Keys stay in this browser. See [AI providers and API keys](https://www.moldraw.com/docs/ai/how-to-set-up-ai-providers-and-api-keys/). This section also has the **Local session bridge** for AI agents, off by default.
- **Plugins** lists every plugin with **Install**, **Enable**, **Disable** and **Uninstall**. You need to sign in to install plugins. See [Plugins overview](https://www.moldraw.com/docs/plugins/moldraw-plugins-overview-and-how-to-install/).
- **Shortcuts** lists every key. Click **Edit**, then press a new key. `Esc` cancels. **Reset all shortcuts** restores the defaults. See [Keyboard shortcuts](https://www.moldraw.com/docs/get-started/moldraw-keyboard-shortcuts-list/).

## Touch screen

| Setting | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
| **One-finger pan on empty canvas** | With the Select tool, one finger on empty canvas pans instead of drawing a selection box. | Off |
| **Magnifier while drawing** | A 2× loupe above your fingertip while you drag a bond, ring or chain. | On |
| **Pointer debug overlay** | Shows pen and touch details on the canvas. For testing devices. | Off |

See [Phone and tablet](https://www.moldraw.com/docs/devices/how-to-use-moldraw-on-a-phone-or-tablet/) for gestures.

## Tips

- On a phone, Settings opens full screen. Turn on **Show descriptions** at the top to read the help text under each option. **Reset defaults** sits at the bottom.
- If the canvas looks wrong after many changes, reset only the section you changed.

## Questions and answers

**How do I reset MolDraw settings to default?**
Open Settings and click Reset to defaults in the section you changed, then click again to confirm. Reset all settings at the bottom of the list resets every section.

**Why did my settings disappear?**
Settings are stored in your browser. A private window, another browser or clearing site data starts from the defaults again.

**What is the default bond length in MolDraw?**
The default bond length is 45 px with a 30 degree angle snap. Change both in Settings, Style and Bonds.

**Do settings sync between my devices?**
No. Each browser keeps its own settings. Set them again on each device, or use a style preset to get the same look in one click.

## Practice it

- Interactive lesson: [How to set bond length, line width and bond style](https://www.moldraw.com/learn/how-to-set-bond-length-line-width-and-bond-style/)

## Related pages

- [Style and display](https://www.moldraw.com/docs/drawing/how-to-change-structure-style-colors-and-display/)
- [Themes and layouts](https://www.moldraw.com/docs/settings/themes-and-layouts-light-dark-scientific-and-educational/)
- [Command palette](https://www.moldraw.com/docs/settings/how-to-use-the-command-palette/)
- [Keyboard shortcuts](https://www.moldraw.com/docs/get-started/moldraw-keyboard-shortcuts-list/)