Understanding Page Versions and History
Every document has a history — drafts, revisions, feedback rounds, last-minute changes. The problem is that most tools make this history invisible. You overwrite the previous version every time you save, and if you need to go back, you're out of luck unless you remembered to create a manual backup.
Quixli takes a different approach: every change is automatically versioned. The editor saves your work every few seconds, and significant changes create timestamped snapshots you can browse, compare, and restore at any time. You never need to think about saving, and you never lose work — even if you accidentally delete a section, close the tab, or realize three days later that the previous version was better.
How Auto-Versioning Works
Behind the scenes, Quixli maintains two layers of protection:
- Continuous auto-save: Your content is saved to the server every 3–5 seconds as you type. You'll see a subtle "Saved" indicator in the top bar. If your browser crashes or your laptop dies, you lose at most a few seconds of work
- Version snapshots: Periodically (approximately every 5 minutes during active editing), Quixli creates a named snapshot — a complete copy of the page at that moment. These snapshots accumulate over the life of the page, forming a full editing timeline
Both layers run automatically. There's nothing to configure, nothing to remember, and nothing to click. Just write — Quixli handles the rest.
Accessing Version History
To see a page's full version timeline, open the page and press Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + H, or click the ⋮ menu in the top-right corner and select Version History. A panel opens on the right side of the editor showing all versions, newest first.
Each version entry shows:
Field | Description |
|---|---|
Timestamp | Exact date and time the snapshot was created |
Author | Who was editing when the snapshot was captured (in team workspaces) |
Change summary | Number of blocks added, modified, or removed |
Version name | Auto-generated label, or a custom name you've assigned |
Status badge | "Current," "Named," "Auto-saved," or "Published" |
Version Types
Not all versions are created the same way. Understanding the types helps you navigate the timeline faster:
Type | How It's Created | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
Auto-saved | Automatically every ~5 minutes during editing | Recovery from accidental changes |
Named (milestone) | Manually via "Save Version" or by naming an existing snapshot | Before major edits, reviews, or handoffs |
Published | Automatically when you publish or update a public page | Tracking what readers have seen |
Current | The live version — what you see when you open the page | Your active working copy |
Best practice: Before starting a major rewrite, click Save Version and give it a name like "Before Q2 rewrite." This makes it trivially easy to restore later if the new direction doesn't work out.
Viewing and Comparing Versions
Preview a Past Version
Click any version in the timeline to preview it. The page content switches to that snapshot, and a yellow banner appears at the top: "You are viewing a past version." The page is read-only in this state — you're browsing history, not editing it. Click Back to Current to return to the live version.
Side-by-Side Comparison
To see exactly what changed between two versions, select them both (click their checkboxes) and click Compare. A split view opens:
- Green highlights: Content that was added in the newer version
- Red highlights: Content that was removed from the older version
- Yellow highlights: Content that was modified (same block, different text)
This view is invaluable for review workflows — you can see exactly what a colleague changed, approve the edits, or restore the previous version if something looks wrong.
Restoring a Previous Version
When you find the version you want to go back to, click Restore This Version. Quixli replaces the current page content with the selected snapshot. Importantly, restoring does not delete anything — the version you're overwriting becomes a snapshot in the timeline, so you can always "undo the undo" by restoring it back.
Restoration is Non-Destructive
Every restoration creates a new version entry. If you restore Version 5 over Version 10, Version 10 is still in the timeline. You can't lose work through versioning — it's a safety net with no gaps.
Partial Recovery
Sometimes you don't want to restore an entire past version — you just need one paragraph or table that was deleted. In that case:
- Open the past version in preview mode
- Select and copy the content you need
- Click "Back to Current"
- Paste the recovered content where you want it
This lets you cherry-pick content from history without rolling back everything else.
Named Versions (Milestones)
Auto-saved snapshots are great for recovery, but a long timeline of "Auto-saved at 2:34 PM" entries isn't easy to navigate. Named versions solve this by letting you flag important moments with descriptive labels.
To name a version, click Save Version in the toolbar (which saves and names the current state), or open the version timeline, click the ⋮ next to any existing snapshot, and choose Name This Version. Enter a descriptive name — "Final draft before client review," "v2.0 launch copy," "Pre-redesign backup" — and optionally add notes explaining what changed.
Named versions:
- Are pinned to the top of the timeline for quick access
- Never expire, even if auto-saved versions are eventually pruned
- Can be filtered separately — toggle "Show named only" to hide auto-saved noise
- Support notes and annotations for additional context
Versioning in Collaborative Workspaces
When multiple people edit the same page, version history becomes even more powerful. Each snapshot records who was editing, so you can trace any change back to its author. The timeline also serves as an informal audit trail — "Who changed the pricing section?" is answered instantly by filtering by author.
Quixli's real-time collaboration engine (built on Yjs) prevents conflicts by syncing changes character-by-character. Two people can edit different sections of the same page simultaneously without overwriting each other. The version timeline reflects the merged result, and you can compare versions to see each person's contributions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far back does version history go?
Indefinitely on all plans. Every snapshot ever created is retained. On very old pages with thousands of versions, the timeline loads the most recent 100 first and lets you scroll back further on demand.
Does restoring a version notify collaborators?
Not automatically. If you restore a version on a shared page, collaborators will see the content change in real time (if they have the page open) or on their next visit. For major restorations, it's good practice to leave a comment or notify the team directly.
Can I export a specific version as PDF?
Yes. Preview the version you want to export, then use the page menu → Export as PDF. The exported PDF reflects the content of that version, not the current live version.
What's the difference between Undo and Version Restore?
Cmd/Ctrl + Z (Undo) reverses individual actions within your current editing session — it's granular and linear. Version Restore replaces the entire page with a past snapshot — it's a full rollback. Use Undo for "I just deleted that paragraph," and Version Restore for "I need last Tuesday's version."
Does version history use my storage quota?
No. Version snapshots are stored separately and don't count against your file storage limit. You're never penalized for having a long editing history.