Auto-Highlight only reads the text of Native script pages, so to use it on a Sides file, lock the Sides in the Page Manager so Scriptation treats them as Native.

Native vs. Added pages

Scriptation interprets pages in two ways:

• Native — official script pages, in their imported order;
• Added — user-created pages, such as Sides, Facing Pages, and copied/pasted pages.

A new Sides file is made entirely of Added pages. That gives you full flexibility to reorder pages into shooting order, but it means Auto-Highlight can't see the text. Locking fixes that.

Locking and unlocking Sides

To use Auto-Highlight on Sides, lock the Sides file in the Page Manager. To rearrange a locked Sides file later, unlock it first. For the step-by-step walkthrough of both, see How do I lock or unlock a Sides file?

Making Sides for one character's scenes

To collect one character's scenes into a single file (handy for actors working from a long script), use Auto-Highlight to find the pages, then build Sides from them:

1. Turn on Auto-Highlight for your character so their dialogue is highlighted throughout the script;
2. Tap the Page Manager icon on the Top Toolbar, then tap Sides;
3. Select every page that includes your character's highlighted dialogue, then tap Make;
4. Name the Sides file and choose where to save it — it opens in a new tab;
5. Lock the Sides file, then turn Auto-Highlight on for your character again.

That's it! The new file contains only the pages you selected, and your original script isn't changed.

What's Next

How do I lock or unlock a Sides file?
How do I create script sides?
How do I create sides from multiple episodes' scripts?
What is Auto-Highlighting?

Updated on: 08/10/2026