> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.rxresu.me/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Writing a cover letter
> Create a cover letter as its own document, link it to a resume and a job application, match your resume's design, and download it.
In Reactive Resume, a cover letter is a document of its own. It sits next to your resumes in **Documents**, under the **Letters** tab. A letter can take your name, contact details and design from one of your resumes, and its recipient from a job application, so you only write the body.
## Create a letter
You can start a letter from an application or from **Documents**.
Starting from the job you're applying for is quickest, because the letter is set up for that job.
In **Applications**, select the application to open its details.
Under **What you sent**, select **Write a letter**. The button shows only while the application has no letter.
The new letter is named after the company, for example "Cover letter — Northwind Games". It becomes this application's letter, takes its recipient from the application (the company, and the first contact's name if there is one), and takes your details and design from the application's resume, if it has one.
In **Documents**, select **New**, or press N.
At the bottom of the dialog, select **New cover letter instead**.
The new letter, named "Untitled letter", takes its details and design from the resume you edited most recently. You can link an application and change the resume in the editor.
To bring back a letter you downloaded as JSON from Reactive Resume, import the file from the **New** dialog as you would a resume; it comes back as a letter. See [Importing resumes](/guides/importing-resumes).
## Fill in the letter
The letter editor looks like the resume editor, with two modes: **Write** and **Design**. The panel on the left holds the letter's details, and the page on the right shows the letter as it will print, updating as you type.
Under **For**, select **Link an application** to choose the job the letter is for, or **Change** to pick another. Closed applications aren't listed. Linking fills the recipient's company and name. Choose **No application** to unlink it. Without an application, you fill in the recipient yourself.
Under **To**, check **Name or team**, **Company** and **Date**. The greeting follows the name: "Dear Priya," for Priya Shah, or a greeting to the hiring team when the name is empty.
Under **From**, choose the **Resume** your details come from. With **Use details from** that resume turned on, your name, headline, email, phone and location stay linked: when you change them on the resume, the letter changes too, and tells you the next time you open it.
Turn the switch off to keep a copy of your details in the letter instead. The copy doesn't change when the resume does.
Under **Letter**, select **Write it myself** and type the body. The greeting and sign-off are added around it for you. The editor has the same formatting tools as the resume; see [Formatting text](/guides/formatting-text).
Below the body, **Length** counts your words against the 180 to 320 words most recruiters read, and says whether the letter is short, comfortable or getting long. It's a guide, not a rule.
Changes save automatically. The status under the letter's name in the editor bar shows **Saving…**, **Saved** or, if something went wrong, **Not saved** with **Retry**.
## Draft the body with AI
If you've connected an AI provider, an empty body offers a first draft. See [Connecting an AI provider](/guides/using-ai) to set one up.
Select **Draft from the posting** when the letter is linked to an application, or **Draft from your resume** when it
only has a resume. The draft uses only what the letter is linked to: the posting, your resume, or both. Select
**Stop** to cancel it while it's being written.
When the draft is ready, ask for **Shorter** or **More personal** versions, or select **Discard** to drop it.
Select **Keep** to put the draft in the body. Until you do, the draft never replaces anything, and you can edit it
freely afterwards.
To draft, a letter needs a linked resume or application. You can also open the Assistant with ⌘ J (Ctrl J on Windows and Linux) to rework the letter; see [Using the Assistant](/guides/using-the-assistant).
## Match your resume's design
By default, a letter linked to a resume uses the resume's template, type and colors, so the two always look like a pair. When you change the resume's design, the letter follows.
Select **Design** in the editor bar, or press 2.
With **Match** turned on, the letter follows the resume. Select **Change the resume's design** to open the resume in **Design**.
Turn **Match** off to give the letter a design of its own. It keeps the current design as a starting point, and **Template**, **Type**, **Color** and **Page** settings appear for the letter alone. Hover over a template to preview it on the page.
Turn **Match** back on at any time to follow the resume again. A letter with no resume chosen under **From** always has its own design.
When updating a letter through the API, setting `template` or `metadata` gives it its own design and turns matching off. Set `designLinked: true` in a later update to resume matching.
## Download the letter
Select **Download PDF** in the editor bar, or press ⌘ P (Ctrl P). The PDF includes the header with your name and contact details, and is named after you, for example `David-Kowalski-Cover-Letter.pdf`.
For other formats, select **Share**, or press ⌘ Shift E (Ctrl Shift E). The **Share & export** sheet opens on **Download**:
| Option | What you get |
| - | - |
| **PDF** | The letter exactly as it looks on the page. Best for applying. |
| **Resume + letter** | The linked resume and this letter as two PDFs, named to match. Shows only when the letter has a resume. |
| **Word** | A `.docx` file with simplified layout, for portals that ask for Word. |
| **Markdown** | Plain text with headings, to paste into application forms. |
| **JSON** | A backup of the letter that imports back into Reactive Resume as a letter. |
Edit **File name** if you like, then select the download button.
Letters have no public link. To share one, download it and attach the file.
When you download a resume from its own Share sheet and the resume's application has a letter, you can also tick **Also download the … cover letter** (the label names the company) to get both files at once. See [Exporting your resume](/guides/exporting-your-resume).
## Letters and applications
* Each application has one letter. If you link a letter to an application that already has one, the new letter takes its place.
* When the application moves to **Applied** or a later stage, the letter as it reads then is saved in its **History** as the version you sent. The application shows it under **What you sent** as "Version sent" with the date.
* In **Documents**, a letter's menu has **Link to application…** to link or unlink it without opening it.
To see earlier versions of a letter, open **History** in the editor bar (the clock icon) or the **History** tab in **Share & export**. It works like resume history; see [Undoing changes and version history](/guides/undoing-changes-and-version-history).
## Manage a letter
Select the letter's name in the editor bar to **Rename…**, **Duplicate**, **Lock editing** or **Move to Trash**. A locked letter can't be edited until you select **Unlock editing**. A letter in Trash can be restored for 30 days; see [Using the trash](/guides/using-the-trash).
In earlier versions, a cover letter could be a section inside a resume. Those letters are now letters of their own in
**Documents**, named after the resume and the letter (for example "Frontend Resume — Cover Letter"), still linked to
the resume's details and design. The resume no longer contains them. These older letters keep their recipient block as
you wrote it under **To**, instead of separate name, company and date fields.
## Related guides
Copy a resume for an application and write its letter.
Track stages, what you sent and next steps.
Pick the design your resume and letter share.
Make sure software can read the resume you send with your letter.
This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.