MolDraw Help Centre

About this knowledge base

This handbook answers common customer questions about MolDraw. The other files in this set hold the full user documentation, the course, the free tools, the how-to articles and the policies. Every page is also listed with its web address in the page index, so you can point people to the right page.

The answers in this handbook are the most recent. If an older page says something different (for example about accounts), follow this handbook.

When an answer is not in this knowledge base, do not guess. Say that you are not sure and point the person to the help centre at https://www.moldraw.com/support/ or to the contact details below.

What MolDraw is

MolDraw (https://www.moldraw.com) is a free chemical structure editor that runs in the web browser. People use it to draw molecules and reaction schemes, view molecules in 3D, look up names and properties, read spectra with free viewers, and export figures for papers, slides and theses. It is made by Scidart Academy. It is not ChemDraw or ChemSketch, though it opens ChemDraw files and is often used as a free alternative.

More than 30,000 researchers, teachers and students use MolDraw every month.

• Editor: https://www.moldraw.com/
• Documentation: https://www.moldraw.com/docs/
• Interactive course: https://www.moldraw.com/learn/
• Free tools: https://www.moldraw.com/tools/
• Blog and how-to articles: https://www.moldraw.com/blog/
• Help centre and this knowledge base: https://www.moldraw.com/support/

Is MolDraw free? Plans and pricing

Yes, MolDraw is free. Drawing, 3D viewing, name search, the free tools and the spectrum viewers cost nothing. Some actions need a free account (see Accounts below).

PRO and the Founding Lifetime License. PRO features are coming soon. MolDraw itself will stay free. The Founding Lifetime License is a one-time payment of $199 for people who prefer to pay once and use PRO forever. Only 50 founding licenses are planned; after those, PRO is expected to cost about $15 to $25 per month.

Joining the waiting list is free, and nobody is charged yet. To join, click Become a founding customer · $199 in the top bar of the editor and sign in or create an account. You get an email when PRO early access opens.

Planned PRO benefits include: a Chrome add-on that turns a screenshot of a structure into an editable drawing, image to editable structure, the AI chemistry assistant, a premium structure library, unlimited cloud storage, NMR, mass spectrum and UV-visible prediction, batch conversion (SMILES, MOL, SDF, PDB, PDBQT, XYZ, InChI and PubChem batch lookup), priority support in the community (WhatsApp group included) and a ChatGPT connector. Features and prices can change before launch; check the editor for the current details.

If someone asks about a payment, a refund or an invoice, ask them to contact support by email (below), because no charges are taken for the founding license yet.

Accounts, signing in and passwords

• You do not need an account to draw. Open https://www.moldraw.com/ and start drawing.
• A free account is needed to download or export files (PNG, SVG, PDF, MOL, chemfig and the other formats), to open more document tabs, to use most plugins, and to post in the Community.
• Sign up / Log in: use the Sign up free or Sign in buttons at the top right of the editor. You can use an email address and password, or Google sign-in where offered. The sign-up form asks for your designation and institute.
• Use an email you will keep. A personal email you will keep long term is best.
• Confirm your email: after creating an account, check your inbox (and spam folder) for the confirmation email, then log in.
• Forgot password: on the log-in form choose Forgot password?, enter your email and click Send reset link. Passwords need at least 6 characters.
• Your dashboard: https://www.moldraw.com/dashboard/ shows your account.

Saving and opening work

• Work in progress is kept in your browser on the device you use. My designs in the top bar lists the drawings saved on this device.
• Because drawings are stored in the browser, clearing browser data, using a private window, or switching to another computer or browser means you will not see them there. Download a copy (for example MOL or the MolDraw file) to keep work safe or move it to another device.
• To open a file, use File in the top bar, or drag the file onto the canvas. You can also paste SMILES, InChI, MOL text or chemfig code with Ctrl+V (Cmd+V on a Mac).
• Guide: https://www.moldraw.com/docs/get-started/how-to-save-and-open-chemical-drawings-in-moldraw/

Exporting and file formats

Open Download in the top bar. Images: PNG (transparent background possible), SVG, PDF, JPEG. Chemistry files: MOL, SDF, SMILES, InChI, CDXML (ChemDraw), XYZ and more. Text: chemfig (.tex) for LaTeX. 3D: snapshots and 3D model formats from the 3D view. If only part of the canvas is selected, only the selection is exported. Exporting needs a free account.

Guide: https://www.moldraw.com/docs/import-export/how-to-export-png-svg-pdf-mol-and-cdxml-files/

Desktop app, add-ons and embedding

• Windows app: use Install Windows in the top bar, or see https://www.moldraw.com/blog/download-moldraw-windows.html. Mac and Linux versions are planned.
• Chrome add-on (capture a structure from any image) and PowerPoint / Word add-ins are coming soon: https://www.moldraw.com/chrome-addon/ and https://www.moldraw.com/addons
• Embed the editor on your own website: https://www.moldraw.com/blog/embed-moldraw.html

Plugins and the AI assistant

Plugins add extra features inside the editor: NMR Analyser, AI Spectroscopy, pKa and microspecies, electrostatic potential (MEP) maps, Symmetry and point groups, ChEMBL lookups, Compare Molecules, Protein Viewer, Smart Draw (hand-drawn sketch to structure) and Themes. Open Settings → Plugins and click Install. Most plugins need a free account. Overview: https://www.moldraw.com/docs/plugins/moldraw-plugins-overview-and-how-to-install/

The AI chemistry assistant (the AI button) answers chemistry questions and can draw and edit structures and mechanisms for you. You choose an AI provider and add your own API key in its settings. Guide: https://www.moldraw.com/docs/ai/how-to-use-the-ai-chemistry-assistant/

Troubleshooting

• "Graphics acceleration looks off" banner, or the 3D view is slow or blank: the browser is not using the graphics card. In Chrome or Edge open chrome://settings/system, turn on Use graphics acceleration when available, click Relaunch, then reload MolDraw. The 2D editor still works without it.
• Nothing happens when I paste: click an empty part of the canvas first so the paste goes to the drawing, then press Ctrl+V (Cmd+V on a Mac). Text must be a SMILES, InChI, MOL block, chemfig code or a compound name.
• My drawings disappeared: drawings are stored in the browser on that device. They are not visible in a different browser, a private window, or after browser data was cleared. Check My designs on the original device and browser.
• The Download button asks me to sign up: downloading and exporting need a free account. Sign up, confirm your email, and try again.
• A plugin does not open: sign in, then install it from Settings → Plugins.
• Curly arrows from chemfig are in the wrong place in my PDF: compile the LaTeX file twice.
• Supported browsers: current Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari and Opera with JavaScript turned on.
• Keyboard shortcuts: https://www.moldraw.com/docs/get-started/moldraw-keyboard-shortcuts-list/

Privacy in short

Drawings are processed in your browser. Files opened in the free spectrum viewers are read in the browser and are not uploaded. If you sign in, MolDraw keeps your account details. Full policy: https://www.moldraw.com/pages/privacy-policy.html. Terms of service: https://www.moldraw.com/pages/terms-of-service.html.

Contact and feedback

• Email support: rafeequemavoor@gmail.com (general support and technical questions). Contact page: https://www.moldraw.com/pages/contact.html
• Feature requests: the Request feature button in the editor top bar.
• What is new: the Updates button in the editor top bar, or https://www.moldraw.com/pages/updates.html
• Community: the Community button in the editor.