Common Issues and Solutions

Quick fixes for the most common problems in WhichNotes.

Login & Authentication Issues

Can't Log In

Problem: Login fails or shows error

Solutions:

1. Check your email/password - Verify spelling
2. Try password reset - Click "Forgot Password"
3. Clear browser cache - Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + Delete
4. Try different browser - Test in Chrome/Firefox/Safari
5. Disable browser extensions - Ad blockers can interfere
6. Check internet connection - Ensure you're online

Email Not Received

Problem: Password reset or verification email not arriving

Solutions:

1. Check spam folder - Email might be filtered
2. Wait 5-10 minutes - Emails can be delayed
3. Verify email address - Ensure it's correct
4. Try resending - Click reset again
5. Contact support - If still no email after 1 hour

Session Expired

Problem: Logged out unexpectedly

Solutions:

• Simply log back in
• Check "Remember me" for longer sessions
• This is normal after 7 days of inactivity

Note Creation Issues

Can't Create Notes

Problem: "New Note" button doesn't work

Solutions:

1. Check note limit - Free tier: 25 notes max
2. Refresh page - Ctrl/Cmd + R
3. Check internet - Notes require connection
4. Try keyboard shortcut - Ctrl/Cmd + N
5. Clear browser cache - May fix UI issues

Note Won't Save

Problem: Note content not saving

Solutions:

1. Check internet connection - Must be online
2. Try save shortcut - Ctrl/Cmd + Enter
3. Copy content first - Don't lose your work
4. Refresh and try again - Sometimes fixes it
5. Check browser console - Look for errors (F12)

Search Problems

Search Not Working

Problem: Search returns no results or wrong results

Solutions:

1. Check spelling - Try variations
2. Try simpler terms - Start broad
3. Use tags - Search by tag instead
4. Check note exists - Browse manually
5. Refresh page - Reload search index

Can't Find a Note

Problem: You know a note exists but can't find it

Solutions:

1. Try different keywords - Use synonyms
2. Search by tag - Use tag:tagname
3. Browse all notes - Scroll through list
4. Check graph view - Visual navigation
5. Try URL if applicable - For URL notes

AI Processing Issues

Note Stuck on "Processing"

Problem: AI processing doesn't complete

Solutions:

1. Wait 2-5 minutes - Normal processing time
2. Refresh page - Check if status updates
3. Click "Retry Processing" - In note detail
4. Check note content - Very short notes may fail
5. Contact support - If stuck >10 minutes

See: AI Processing Errors for detailed troubleshooting

No Connections Created

Problem: Note processed but no connections

Solutions:

• This is normal if:
  • You have less than 3 total notes
  • Note content is very unique
  • Note is too short (less than 50 characters)
• Try:
  • Adding more notes
  • Making notes more detailed
  • Using similar topics/keywords

Performance Issues

Slow Loading

Problem: App loads slowly

Solutions:

1. Check internet speed - Run speed test
2. Close other tabs - Free up memory
3. Clear browser cache - Storage → Clear cache
4. Disable extensions - Test in incognito mode
5. Try different browser - Compare performance
6. Check device resources - Close other apps

See: Performance Tips for optimization

Graph View Laggy

Problem: Knowledge graph is slow or stutters

Solutions:

1. Zoom out - Rendering fewer nodes
2. Close other apps - Free up GPU
3. Reduce browser tabs - Save memory
4. Update browser - Latest version performs better
5. Try different browser - Chrome often fastest

Import/Export Issues

Import Failed

Problem: File import doesn't work

Solutions:

1. Check file format - Must be WhichNotes JSON
2. Verify file isn't corrupted - Try opening in text editor
3. Check file size - Very large files may timeout
4. Try smaller batches - Split into multiple files
5. Contact support - Send sample file

Export Incomplete

Problem: Export missing notes

Solutions:

1. Check file size - Should match note count
2. Try exporting again - May have been interrupted
3. Clear browser cache - Try fresh export
4. Use different browser - Compare results

Subscription Issues

Can't Upgrade

Problem: Premium upgrade fails

Solutions:

1. Check payment method - Verify card details
2. Try different card - Some cards blocked internationally
3. Disable VPN - May interfere with payment
4. Contact support - We can help manually

Still Shows Free After Upgrade

Problem: Upgraded but still see Free limitations

Solutions:

1. Refresh page - Ctrl/Cmd + R
2. Log out and back in - Refresh session
3. Wait 5 minutes - Subscription update may be processing
4. Check payment confirmation - Verify charge went through
5. Contact support - If still not updated after 1 hour

Display Issues

Dark Mode Not Working

Problem: Theme doesn't change or looks broken

Solutions:

1. Click theme toggle again - Sometimes needs double-click
2. Refresh page - Apply changes
3. Clear cache - Remove old styles
4. Check browser support - Update browser

Layout Broken

Problem: UI elements misaligned or overlapping

Solutions:

1. Refresh page - Ctrl/Cmd + R
2. Clear cache - Browser storage
3. Zoom to 100% - Ctrl/Cmd + 0
4. Try different browser - Check if browser-specific
5. Report bug - Include screenshot

Mobile Issues

Not Working on Mobile

Problem: App doesn't work well on phone/tablet

Solutions:

1. Use responsive browser - Chrome or Safari
2. Rotate device - Try landscape mode
3. Update browser - Latest version
4. Clear mobile cache - Browser settings
5. Try desktop mode - Browser setting

Note: Native mobile app coming soon!

Data Issues

Notes Disappeared

Problem: Can't find notes that existed before

Solutions:

1. Check search - Try finding by keyword
2. Check all tags - May be tagged differently
3. Check account - Ensure you're logged into correct account
4. Contact support immediately - We have backups

Duplicate Notes

Problem: Same note appears multiple times

Solutions:

1. Check if actually identical - May be similar but different
2. Delete duplicates manually - Keep one, delete others
3. Avoid importing same file twice - Causes duplicates

Browser Compatibility

Recommended Browsers

✅ Best Performance:

• Chrome (v90+)
• Edge (v90+)
• Safari (v14+)
• Firefox (v90+)

⚠️ Limited Support:

• Older browsers may have issues
• Internet Explorer not supported

When to Contact Support

Contact us if:

• Issue persists after trying solutions
• You encounter an error message
• Data loss or corruption
• Payment/billing problems
• Account access issues
• Feature request or bug report

How to Contact:

1. Go to Help Center
2. Click "Contact Us"
3. Describe issue in detail
4. Include screenshots if possible

Preventing Issues

Best Practices

✅ Keep browser updated - Latest version ✅ Regular exports - Weekly backups ✅ Stable internet - Avoid spotty connections ✅ Enough storage - Check disk space ✅ Log out properly - Don't just close browser ✅ Clear cache monthly - Prevent buildup

Quick Diagnostic Checklist

Before contacting support, try:

• [ ] Refresh the page
• [ ] Clear browser cache
• [ ] Try different browser
• [ ] Check internet connection
• [ ] Log out and back in
• [ ] Check account limits
• [ ] Review error messages
• [ ] Try incognito/private mode

Next Steps

• AI Processing Errors
• Performance Tips
• Contact Support

Still having issues? Contact us - we're here to help!