Troubleshooting
Common issues members encounter with the mobile app, organized by symptom.
Platform Differences
Some features behave differently depending on your device and browser. Check this table first if a feature seems missing.
| Feature | iOS Safari | Android Chrome | Desktop Chrome/Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Install prompt | Manual 3-step guide | Automatic banner | Install icon in address bar |
| Install method | Share > Add to Home Screen | Native OS prompt | Browser prompt |
| Standalone mode | Yes | Yes | No |
| Splash screen | Yes | Yes | No |
| Pull-to-refresh | Yes | Yes | No |
| Push notifications | iOS 16.4+ only | Yes | Yes (Chrome/Edge) |
| Bottom tab nav | Yes | Yes | No (uses sidebar) |
| Safe area insets | Yes | Yes | No |
Install Issues
Install banner or guide does not appear
Possible causes and fixes:
| Cause | Fix |
|---|---|
| Wrong browser on iOS | Open in Safari — Chrome and Firefox on iOS cannot install PWAs |
| Wrong browser on Android | Open in Chrome, Edge, or Samsung Internet |
| Already installed | Check your home screen — the app may already be there |
| Admin has not published the app | Contact your community admin to confirm the mobile app has been enabled and published |
| You tapped Don't remind me previously | Install manually: Safari Share > Add to Home Screen, or Chrome three-dot menu > Add to Home Screen |
| Banner appeared but you missed it | Scroll to top of the page and wait up to 30 seconds |
Tapping Install does nothing (Android)
- Check your internet connection
- Try closing and reopening the browser
- Clear your browser cache and try again
- If still failing, install manually via the three-dot menu > Add to Home Screen
App icon appears on home screen but opens in browser, not full-screen
This can happen if the app was bookmarked rather than properly installed. Remove the icon and reinstall:
- Long-press the icon and delete it
- Follow the install steps again, making sure to use the correct browser
Push Notification Issues
Notifications are not arriving
Work through these checks in order:
- Check permission — Go to your device settings and confirm notifications are allowed for your browser or community app
- Check iOS version — Push notifications require iOS 16.4 or later. Go to Settings > General > About to check your version
- Check in-app preferences — Go to Settings > Notification Preferences and confirm the relevant categories have Push enabled
- Check Do Not Disturb — Your device's Do Not Disturb or Focus mode may be silencing notifications
- Re-enable push — Go to Settings > Push Notifications, disable, then re-enable
The permission prompt never appeared
If you never saw a browser permission prompt when trying to enable push:
- You may have previously blocked notifications for this site
- Follow the steps in Push Notifications > If You Denied the Permission to reset the permission in your browser or device settings
Push stopped working after a browser or OS update
OS and browser updates occasionally reset notification permissions. Go to Settings > Push Notifications and re-enable push. If the permission prompt does not appear, check your device notification settings.
Display and Content Issues
Screen is blank after reopening the app
Usually a network issue on launch. Try:
- Check your internet connection
- Pull down from the top of the screen to trigger a refresh
- Close the app fully (swipe away from app switcher) and reopen
- If still blank, open the community URL directly in your browser to confirm the site is reachable
Content looks out of date
The app caches pages for offline use, so content may be a few minutes behind.
- Use pull-to-refresh — swipe down from the top of the page
- If still stale, close and reopen the app
- On desktop, press Ctrl + Shift + R (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Shift + R (Mac) for a hard reload
App layout looks like the desktop site (no bottom tabs)
The bottom tab navigation only appears when the app is running in installed (standalone) mode. If you are opening the community in a regular browser tab, you will see the desktop layout. Install the app to get the mobile layout.
Login and Session Issues
Logged out unexpectedly
For security, the app clears all cached data when you log out or switch communities. This is expected behavior. Log back in to restore access.
Can't log in while offline
Login always requires a network connection and cannot be performed offline. Connect to Wi-Fi or mobile data, then log in.
Related Guides
Need help? Contact support@uni8.ai