Troubleshooting

What to do when something isn't working. Your frame explains each screen and light color.

The frame

Nothing on the screen

• Check that the USB-C cable is in and the outlet has power. With no power, the light is off.
• E-paper keeps its last picture with the power off, so an old picture doesn't mean the frame is on.
• A color frame takes about 15 seconds to show its first screen.

The Wi-Fi setup page doesn't open

1. Stay connected to Featherframe-Setup, even if your phone says it has no internet.
2. Go to http://192.168.4.1 in your phone's browser.

The frame can't join your Wi-Fi

• The frame needs 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. If your router is 5 GHz only, turn on 2.4 GHz in its settings.
• If the setup page says Couldn't find your network, check its name, or bring the frame closer to your router.
• If it says Couldn't join, or you have a new router or moved, change Wi-Fi and enter the password again.
• Networks that ask for a username as well as a password, like eduroam at many universities, don't work. Use your phone's hotspot, or a network that needs only a password.

Can't reach server

The frame is on Wi-Fi but can't reach Featherframe. It keeps trying by itself.

• Check that other devices on the same Wi-Fi can reach the internet.
• Networks that need a sign-in page, like some offices, hotels, and dorms, don't work. Use your phone's hotspot instead.

The code expired

A setup code works for a day, and the frame says when it expires. Within a minute, it shows a new one to scan.

The picture doesn't change

This is often on purpose. See When the picture changes.

Your account

The sign-in email doesn't arrive

• Check your spam folder.
• A sign-in link goes only to the email you set up with, though the page looks the same for any address. Check you typed that one.
• A link works once, for 15 minutes. For a new one, enter your email again at cloud.featherframe.app.

You set up with the wrong email

Your phone stays signed in for 30 days after setup. Before then:

1. In your Featherframe webapp, go to Settings → General.
2. Enter the right email, and click ✓.
3. Click the link sent to the new address.

After 30 days, email help@featherframe.app.

The frame was set up by the person who gave it

If the frame shows pictures but you can't sign in, it's in the giver's account. Ask them to do one of these:

• Change Email in Settings → General to yours. Do this only if it's their only frame: everything in the account moves to you.
• Or give the frame away. You then start at Scan the code.

The confirmation link expired

The link in Confirm your email for Featherframe works for 7 days. Sign in, then click Resend in the notice at the top of your Featherframe webapp.

Detection sources

To check your detection source, click Test connection in your Featherframe webapp. To set one up, see Detection sources.

BirdWeather

Not reachable

• Check the station ID, or paste your station's page URL instead, like https://app.birdweather.com/stations/12345. Open your station on app.birdweather.com to find it.
• On a self-hosted server, its device must be connected to the internet.

No station near you

In your Featherframe webapp, go to Detection source, and paste the URL of the nearest station on the BirdWeather map. Any station shows real detections, just not your neighborhood's.

BirdNET-Pi

Waiting for the test

• In BirdNET-Pi, go to Tools → Settings → Notifications. Check that the Apprise URL and notification body match your Featherframe webapp's. Use the copy buttons. A new URL made in the webapp replaces the old one: paste it in again.
• Send a test notification from BirdNET-Pi, or wait for the next detection. On Featherframe Cloud, it can take 5 minutes to show, or until quiet hours end.
• On a self-hosted server, BirdNET-Pi must be able to reach it on your network.

BirdNET-Go

Waiting for the test

• In BirdNET-Go, go to Settings → Notifications → Channels. Check that Enable Push Notifications and the Featherframe provider are on, and its webhook URL matches your Featherframe webapp's. Use the copy button. A new URL made in the webapp replaces the old one: paste it in again.
• Click Test Provider, then reload the Featherframe webapp. On Featherframe Cloud, the test can take 5 minutes, or until quiet hours end. A rule's play button tests only BirdNET-Go's notification bell, not Featherframe.
• If the webapp doesn't show Test received, BirdNET-Go can't reach Featherframe. On a self-hosted server, both must be on the same network.

Test received, but only new species arrive

• Check the rule on the Rules tab: event Detection Occurred, action Push notification, cooldown 0. With a cooldown, BirdNET-Go sends one detection per cooldown across all species.

Move, give away, or reset a frame

Change Wi-Fi

1. Hold KEY3 for 3 seconds. The frame opens Featherframe-Setup, and the light breathes blue.
2. On your phone, join Featherframe-Setup.
3. Tap Connect to Wi-Fi.
4. Tap Show networks.
5. Tap the new network.
6. Enter its password under Password.
7. Tap Save.

Leave Server as it is. The frame then shows its picture again.

To leave without a change, tap Exit setup. If you don't finish within 10 minutes, the frame goes back to its old network.

Give the frame away

In your Featherframe webapp, click the frame in the Frames list, then click Remove. The frame shows a new setup code, and the new owner follows Set up your frame.

Forget Wi-Fi

Hold KEY3 while you plug the frame in. It forgets its Wi-Fi and opens Featherframe-Setup. It stays in your account.

Reset everything

For a frame you built, the USB installer's Erase device option clears everything the frame has saved. See Flash the frame.

Caution

Don't erase a frame from Wells Workshop. After an erase, a new owner can't set it up on Featherframe Cloud without help, though your own account can still add it with Pair a frame. To hand it on, give it away.

Self-hosted

Problems with a server you run yourself are on Install the server.

Get help

• Featherframe Cloud: email help@featherframe.app. Say what the screen shows and the color of the light.
• Self-hosted, or a frame you built: open an issue. Include the exact error message and your detection source.