Support

Need a hand? Start here.

In-app help

The fastest way to learn ChemPencil is the built-in help browser. Open the Help menu inside the app and pick ChemPencil Help — the same guide covers drawing tools, magic hotkeys, reaction arrows, structure operations, and export options on both macOS and Windows.

Contact the developer

For questions, bug reports, feature requests, or licensing inquiries, email support@chempencil.app. We read every message.

When reporting a bug, please include:

• Your operating system and version — on Mac, Apple menu ▸ About This Mac; on Windows, Settings ▸ System ▸ About.
• Your ChemPencil version — on Mac, ChemPencil menu ▸ About ChemPencil; on Windows, Help ▸ About ChemPencil.
• Steps to reproduce the issue, and, if relevant, a small .chemp or .mol file that shows the problem.

Frequently asked questions

Which files can ChemPencil open?

Native .chemp, MDL Molfile (.mol), SDF (.sdf), RXN (.rxn), RDF (.rdf), SMILES (.smi), and CDXML (.cdxml). All of them can be dragged onto the app icon, opened via File → Open…, or double-clicked from Finder once ChemPencil is installed.

How do I paste a structure into Keynote / Pages / Word / PowerPoint?

Select the structure and press ⌘C on Mac or Ctrl+C on Windows. The clipboard receives vector graphics (PDF on Mac, EMF on Windows), raster PNG and TIFF, and the native ChemPencil format simultaneously — the destination app picks the richest format it understands, so you get crisp scalable art in Keynote, Pages, Word, and PowerPoint, and a high-resolution bitmap in older apps.

How do I get a molecule's IUPAC name?

Draw the structure, choose Structure → Generate Name. To go the other way, use Structure → Structure from Name… and paste in a systematic name.

Where does ChemPencil store my documents?

Wherever you save them. ChemPencil never uploads or syncs your files. If you want cloud sync, save into iCloud Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, or any other synced folder and the operating system handles the rest — the app has no special integration with any cloud provider.

Does ChemPencil send analytics or crash reports?

No. The sandboxed Mac App Store build has no network entitlement, and the Microsoft Store build declares no network capability in its package manifest. Neither version includes analytics or crash-reporting SDKs. See the Privacy Policy for details.

System requirements?

macOS: 12 (Monterey) or later, on Apple silicon or Intel.
Windows: Windows 10 version 1809 (build 17763) or later, or Windows 11. 64-bit only.

Refunds

Purchases and refunds for ChemPencil on the Mac App Store are handled by Apple. To request a refund, open reportaproblem.apple.com and sign in with your Apple ID.

Purchases and refunds for ChemPencil on the Microsoft Store are handled by Microsoft. To request a refund, visit account.microsoft.com/billing/orders and sign in with the Microsoft account used for the purchase.