FAQ and Troubleshooting

FAQ & troubleshooting

Quick answers to common questions. If something isn't here, the linked pages go deeper.

General

Do I need an account? No. Gubbins has no account and no sign-up — it runs [[locally in your browser|How-Your-Data-Is-Stored]].

Does it work offline? Yes, fully. Everything runs on your device; no connection is ever required.

Where is my data stored? In your browser's private storage on your device — see [[How your data is stored|How-Your-Data-Is-Stored]]. Nothing is uploaded unless you turn on an optional feature pointed at your own storage.

Is my data sent anywhere? No — see Privacy & security. Only features you enable (sync, the bridge, scraping) ever move data, and always to destinations you choose.

Using Gubbins

A feature this wiki describes isn't showing up. Why? It's almost certainly switched off in Modular UI. Turn it back on there — your data is untouched.

How do I add a lot of items at once? Paste or import a list — see Export & import. Coming from another app? See Migrating from another tool.

How do I use Gubbins on my phone and my computer? Turn on cloud sync to your own folder or drive, or move a backup across.

Why does an item show "Unassigned" for location? It hasn't been put in a location yet. Assign one on the item, or drag its card onto a location.

Troubleshooting

My data disappeared / the app is empty. The most common cause is the browser clearing its storage for Gubbins. Restore from a backup or re-sync. To prevent it, [[install the app|Installing-Gubbins]] and grant persistent storage.

I'm running low on storage. Use storage triage to see what's using space and reclaim it (downgrading old images usually helps most), keeping a backup first.

Notifications aren't arriving. They need the app installed and permission granted, and support varies by device (limited on iOS). See Reminder notifications.

The camera scanner won't start. It needs the Live camera scanning capability enabled and camera permission. Printed labels work regardless.

💡 Tip Whatever the issue, a recent backup is the best safety net — take one before big changes and you can always get back to a known-good state.

Related pages

• Privacy & security — the privacy details in full.
• Backup & restore and Storage triage — keeping data safe and lean.
• Modular UI — why a feature might be hidden.