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Troubleshooting

Sign-In and Account Issues​

I can't sign in with Google or Apple​

  1. Make sure your device has an active internet connection
  2. Confirm you're using the same Google or Apple account you registered with
  3. For Apple Sign-In: go to Settings > [Your Name] > Password & Security > Apps Using Apple ID and verify Unsolicited Advice is listed
  4. Force-close the app completely and try again
  5. If Google Sign-In hangs, check that the Google app or Play Services is up to date on Android

If account linking (upgrading from anonymous to a real account) fails mid-flow, you remain in your anonymous session with no data loss. The error message will include a brief description of what went wrong. Common causes:

  • The OAuth flow was cancelled (tapping "Back" during Google/Apple sign-in)
  • Network dropout during the linking request

Try again from Profile > Create Account. Your anonymous session data (bookmarks, votes, any cached advice) is still intact.

I signed in but my bookmarks are missing​

Bookmarks for free and ad-free users are stored locally. Bookmarks for Basic Subscription users sync via the cloud sync engine. If bookmarks are missing after signing in on a new device:

  • Free/Ad-Free users: bookmarks were on the original device only. They were not backed up
  • Basic Subscription users: check your internet connection and wait for the sync engine to pull remote data. On the Saved tab, pull down to force a sync

Browsing and Discovery Issues​

The Home feed isn't loading​

  1. Check your internet connection — the Home feed pulls fresh content from the server
  2. If offline, the feed shows locally cached advice. An offline indicator banner appears at the top
  3. Force-close and reopen the app to retry the initial content load
  4. If the feed loads but appears empty, it may be an empty cache on a fresh install — connect to the internet to fetch initial content

Search results aren't returning what I expect​

Full-text search matches advice titles and body text. Search does not currently search within stories. Tips:

  • Use shorter, more general keywords — "negotiate" finds more results than "salary negotiation tactics"
  • When offline, search runs against locally-cached advice only; results may be incomplete until you reconnect
  • If you have active topic filters, the search is scoped to those topics — clear filters via the Clear All chip to search all topics

Posting and Contributing Issues​

I can't tap the Post tab​

The Post tab works for anonymous users — tapping it prompts account creation. If the tab appears disabled or unresponsive:

  1. Force-close and reopen the app
  2. Check that you completed the self-selection onboarding (the "This is for me" step on first launch)

My advice post isn't appearing in the topic feed​

After submitting, your post should appear in the relevant topic feeds within a few seconds. If it doesn't:

  1. Check your internet connection — posting requires network access
  2. Pull down on the topic feed to refresh it
  3. Check Profile > Your Posts to confirm the post was submitted successfully

I can't add a story — the button is missing​

The "Add Your Story" button requires an authenticated account (not anonymous). If you are already signed in and the button is still missing, it may mean:

  • You have already added a story to this specific advice post (one story per user per post)
  • The advice post was removed by moderation

I accidentally voted — can I undo it?​

Yes. Tap the same vote button again (upvote or downvote) to remove your vote. You can also switch from upvote to downvote or vice versa by tapping the other button. One vote per user per item.

Offline Mode​

I'm offline — what still works?​

When offline, the following features work from locally-cached data:

  • Reading any advice or story you've previously viewed
  • Viewing and reading your bookmarked advice
  • Searching cached advice (results limited to what was downloaded)
  • Voting (votes are queued and sync when reconnected)
  • Bookmarking (stored locally, syncs for Basic Subscription users when reconnected)

Posting new advice and adding stories require an internet connection.

Subscription and Purchase Issues​

I purchased Ad-Free but ads are still showing​

  1. Force-close and reopen the app — purchase state is checked on launch
  2. Go to Profile > Settings > Restore Purchases and follow the prompts
  3. Make sure you're signed into the same Apple ID or Google account used for the purchase

I subscribed to Basic Subscription but sync isn't working​

  1. Confirm your subscription is active: Profile > Subscription
  2. Make sure both devices are signed into the same account
  3. Check your internet connection and pull down to force a manual sync
  4. If sync errors persist, sign out and back in to re-establish the sync session

I want to cancel my subscription​

Subscriptions are managed through the App Store or Google Play, not through the app:

  • iOS: Settings > [Your Name] > Subscriptions
  • Android: Google Play app > Profile icon > Payments & subscriptions

When a subscription expires, the tier returns to free. Bookmarks and cached data remain on your device.

Content and Moderation​

I want to report harmful advice​

Tap the three-dot menu on any advice card or advice detail screen and select Report. Include a brief reason. Reports are reviewed by the moderation team. You can also report individual stories from their detail view.

Still Need Help?​

Open the app, go to Profile > Settings, and tap Report a Bug. Include your device model, OS version, and a description of the problem. For subscription or purchase questions, include your account email.

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