Troubleshooting

Having issues with Nostria? This guide will help you resolve common problems.

Quick Fixes (Try These First)

Before diving into specific issues, try these general solutions:

  1. Refresh the page (F5 or Cmd+R)
  2. Clear browser cache and cookies
  3. Update to the latest browser version
  4. Check your internet connection
  5. Disable browser extensions temporarily
  6. Try a different browser
  7. Restart the application

Account Issues

Can't Log In

Problem: Unable to access your account

Solutions:

  1. Verify you're entering the correct private key (nsec...)
  2. Check for extra spaces at the beginning or end
  3. Try pasting instead of typing
  4. Verify you're on the real nostria.app (not a phishing site)
  5. Clear browser cache and try again
  6. Try a different browser or device

Lost Private Key

Problem: Can't find your private key

Solutions:

  • Check your password manager
  • Look for physical backups
  • Check encrypted files/USB drives
  • Search email for "Nostria" (if you saved it there)
  • If truly lost: Unfortunately, the account cannot be recovered. Create a new account.

Prevention:

  • Save in password manager
  • Write on paper, store securely
  • Save to encrypted USB
  • Keep multiple backups

Account Showing Incorrect Information

Problem: Profile or posts show old/wrong information

Solutions:

  1. Force refresh (Ctrl+Shift+R / Cmd+Shift+R)
  2. Check if edits were saved
  3. Wait a few minutes for relay propagation
  4. Disconnect and reconnect to relays (Settings → Relays)
  5. Log out and log back in

Posting Issues

Posts Not Appearing

Problem: Your posts don't show up in your feed

Solutions:

  1. Check internet connection
  2. Verify relay connection (Settings → Relays)
  3. Wait 30-60 seconds for propagation
  4. Refresh the page
  5. Check if you're on the correct account
  6. Try posting again

If still not working:

  1. Go to Settings → Relays
  2. Check relay status (should show "Connected")
  3. Try adding different relays
  4. Remove and re-add problematic relays

Can't Upload Images

Problem: Image upload fails or hangs

Solutions:

  1. Check file size: Max usually 5-10MB
  2. Check format: Use JPG, PNG, GIF, or WebP
  3. Compress image: Use tools like TinyPNG
  4. Try different image: Test if it's file-specific
  5. Check internet speed: Slow connection = slow upload
  6. Try different relay: Some relays have better media support

Steps:

  1. Resize image to < 5MB
  2. Convert to JPG if needed
  3. Try uploading again
  4. If fails, try mobile upload or different device

Post Appears Multiple Times

Problem: Duplicate posts in feed

Solutions:

  1. Don't click "Post" multiple times
  2. Wait for confirmation before posting again
  3. Refresh the page
  4. Delete duplicates (click ⋮ → Delete)

Prevention:

  • Click "Post" only once
  • Wait for success confirmation
  • Check feed before reposting

Feed & Display Issues

Empty Feed

Problem: No posts showing in your feed

Solutions:

  1. Follow more people: Empty feed means no follows
  2. Check "Global" feed to see all posts
  3. Verify internet connection
  4. Check relay status
  5. Refresh the page

How to populate your feed:

  1. Go to Global or Explore
  2. Find interesting people
  3. Click Follow
  4. Return to Home feed

Posts Load Slowly

Problem: Feed takes forever to load

Solutions:

  1. Check internet speed: Run speed test
  2. Reduce relay count: Too many can slow things down
  3. Clear cache: Old data can clog things up
  4. Close other tabs: Free up browser resources
  5. Use desktop app: Generally faster than web

Optimization:

  1. Settings → Relays
  2. Keep 5-10 reliable relays
  3. Remove slow or unreliable relays
  4. Enable hardware acceleration (browser settings)

Images Not Loading

Problem: Images show as broken or don't load

Solutions:

  1. Check internet connection
  2. Verify images aren't blocked (check browser settings)
  3. Try different image/media relay
  4. Clear browser cache
  5. Disable ad blockers temporarily
  6. Right-click → "Open image in new tab" to see error

Messaging Issues

Can't Send Direct Messages

Problem: DMs won't send

Solutions:

  1. Verify recipient's public key is correct
  2. Check internet connection
  3. Verify relay connection
  4. Try sending to someone else (test if it's recipient-specific)
  5. Refresh and try again

Messages Not Arriving

Problem: DMs not received or sent

Solutions:

  1. Check both users are online
  2. Verify relay connections
  3. Wait a few minutes for propagation
  4. Try sending again
  5. Ask recipient to check their relay settings

Encryption Errors

Problem: Can't decrypt messages

Solutions:

  1. Verify you're logged in with correct private key
  2. Messages can only be decrypted by sender and recipient
  3. If still failing, may be corrupted (ask to resend)

Connection & Relay Issues

Can't Connect to Relays

Problem: Relay connection errors

Solutions:

  1. Check internet connection
  2. Try different relays: Remove problematic ones
  3. Verify relay URLs: Must be valid ws:// or wss:// addresses
  4. Check relay status: Some may be temporarily down
  5. Restart application

Adding reliable relays:

  1. Settings → Relays → Add Relay
  2. Popular relays:
    • wss://relay.damus.io
    • wss://relay.nostr.band
    • wss://nos.lol
  3. Save and reconnect

Slow Relay Response

Problem: Relays respond slowly

Solutions:

  1. Remove geographically distant relays
  2. Use relays closer to your location
  3. Remove overloaded or slow relays
  4. Premium: Use dedicated relays

Testing relay speed:

  1. Settings → Relays
  2. Check connection latency
  3. Remove slowest relays
  4. Keep 5-10 fastest

Search & Discovery Issues

Can't Find Users

Problem: Search doesn't return results

Solutions:

  1. Try searching by public key (npub...)
  2. Check spelling
  3. User may not have published to your relays
  4. Try adding more relays
  5. Search may take time to index

Hashtags Not Working

Problem: Hashtags don't show results

Solutions:

  1. Verify hashtag format (#example)
  2. Check relay connections
  3. New hashtags may have no posts yet
  4. Try popular hashtags (#bitcoin, #nostr, etc.)

Notification Issues

Not Receiving Notifications

Problem: Notifications don't appear

Solutions:

  1. Browser notifications:

    • Check browser notification permissions
    • Settings → Notifications → Allow

  2. Desktop app:

    • Check OS notification settings
    • App settings → Enable notifications

  3. Nostria settings:

    • Settings → Notifications
    • Enable desired notification types

  4. Check connection:

    • Verify internet connection
    • Check relay connections

Too Many Notifications

Problem: Notification overload

Solutions:

  1. Settings → Notifications
  2. Disable non-essential types
  3. Choose "Important only"
  4. Mute noisy threads
  5. Adjust frequency settings

Performance Issues

App Running Slowly

Problem: Nostria feels laggy

Solutions:

  1. Close other tabs and apps
  2. Clear browser cache
  3. Update browser to latest version
  4. Check system resources (RAM, CPU)
  5. Try desktop app (usually faster)
  6. Restart device

Optimization:

  • Enable hardware acceleration
  • Disable browser extensions
  • Reduce number of relays
  • Use ad blockers to reduce clutter
  • Clear old cached data

High Data Usage

Problem: Nostria uses too much data

Solutions:

  1. Limit media autoplay (Settings)
  2. Use WiFi when possible
  3. Reduce relay count
  4. Don't browse media-heavy feeds on mobile data
  5. Enable data saver mode

Browser-Specific Issues

Chrome/Brave

  • Clear browsing data (Settings → Privacy)
  • Disable problematic extensions
  • Update to latest version
  • Try incognito mode

Firefox

  • Clear cache and cookies
  • Disable tracking protection for nostria.app
  • Check extension conflicts
  • Try private window

Safari

  • Clear website data
  • Check content blockers
  • Update macOS and Safari
  • Allow notifications in Safari settings

Desktop App Issues

App Won't Launch

Windows:

  • Run as Administrator
  • Check Windows Event Viewer for errors
  • Reinstall the app
  • Check antivirus isn't blocking

macOS:

  • Check Security & Privacy settings
  • Right-click → Open (for first launch)
  • Reinstall from fresh download

Linux:

  • Check terminal for errors
  • Verify dependencies installed
  • Try running with --no-sandbox
  • Check file permissions

Update Issues

Problem: App won't update

Solutions:

  1. Manually download latest version
  2. Uninstall current version
  3. Install new version
  4. Data should be preserved

Mobile-Specific Issues

PWA Not Installing

iOS:

  1. Open in Safari (not other browsers)
  2. Tap Share → Add to Home Screen
  3. Verify you're on nostria.app

Android:

  1. Open in Chrome
  2. Look for install prompt
  3. Or Menu → Add to Home screen

Touch Controls Not Working

Solutions:

  • Clean screen
  • Remove screen protector temporarily
  • Restart device
  • Update browser
  • Try different browser

Error Messages

"Failed to Connect"

  • Check internet connection
  • Verify relay URLs
  • Try different relays
  • Check firewall settings

"Invalid Key"

  • Verify key format (nsec... or npub...)
  • Check for extra spaces
  • Try copying from source again
  • Verify you're using private key for login

"Post Failed"

  • Check internet connection
  • Verify relay connection
  • Try posting again
  • Check post length/media size

"Rate Limited"

  • You're posting too fast
  • Wait a few minutes
  • Try different relay
  • Reduce posting frequency

Still Need Help?

If these solutions don't work:

  1. Check the FAQ: FAQ
  2. Common Issues: Common Issues
  3. Ask the Community: Community Resources
  4. Contact Support: Contact Support
  5. GitHub Issues: Report a bug

Emergency Recovery

Complete Reset

If nothing else works:

  1. Export your data (Settings → Import/Export)
  2. Save your private key securely
  3. Clear all Nostria data:
    • Browser: Clear site data
    • Desktop: Delete app data folder
  4. Reinstall/Refresh
  5. Log back in with your private key
  6. Import your data

Data Locations

Browser: Browser DevTools → Application → Clear site data

Desktop:

  • Windows: %APPDATA%/Nostria
  • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Nostria
  • Linux: ~/.config/nostria

Remember: When in doubt, ask the community! The Nostr community is friendly and helpful. 💜