Troubleshooting Guide

This guide covers common issues you might encounter while using the flashcard application and provides solutions.

Understanding Local Storage

How Your Data is Stored

This application is light-weight and runs entirely in your web browser.

This means:

• All your data stays on your device
• The app works offline after first load
• No account or login required
• Your data is private to your browser

Moving to a New Device

To continue your progress on a different device:

1. Export your data:

   • Open Settings on your current device
   • Use the "Export All Data" button
   • Save the export file somewhere accessible

2. Import on new device:

   • Open the app on your new device
   • Go to Settings
   • Use the "Choose File" button
   • Select your exported file

This will transfer:

• Your progress on all cards
• Study statistics
• Custom settings
• Deck organization

Clearing the Service Worker Cache

If the app behaves unexpectedly after an update (e.g., old features persist, blank screen, or stale data), the service worker cache may be outdated.

1. Open Settings
2. Scroll to Storage Management
3. Click Clear Service Worker Cache
4. The page will reload automatically with fresh data

This unregisters the service worker and clears all cached files. Your flashcard decks and progress in localStorage are not affected.

iOS Data Isolation

On iPhone and iPad, the home screen app and Safari use separate storage. Decks imported in Safari will not appear in the home screen app.

Fix: Export your data from Safari, then import it in the home screen app. See Installing as an App for step-by-step instructions.

Common Issues

Import Problems

Issue: Deck import fails or seems stuck

Solutions:

1. Check file format (must be .apkg)
2. Ensure file isn't corrupted
3. Try splitting large decks into smaller files
4. Clear browser cache and try again

Study Session Issues

Issue: Cards appear in wrong order or too frequently

Solutions:

1. Check your session settings
2. Verify new/review ratio settings
3. Ensure you're rating cards accurately

Issue: Basic controls not working (Enter to flip, 1-4 to rate)

Solutions:

1. Ensure focus is on the card area
2. Check if another application is capturing keystrokes
3. Try refreshing the page
4. Verify keyboard language settings

Performance Issues

Issue: Application feels slow or unresponsive

Solutions:

1. Clear browser cache
2. Close other resource-intensive tabs
3. Check internet connection (for initial load)
4. Consider reducing deck size

Data and Progress Issues

Issue: Progress not being saved

Solutions:

1. Check browser storage permissions
2. Ensure you're not in private/incognito mode
3. Clear some browser storage space
4. Export decks regularly as backup

Issue: Statistics not updating correctly

Solutions:

1. Complete the current study session
2. Refresh the page
3. Check if date/time settings are correct

Error Messages

"Storage Quota Exceeded"

This error appears when your browser's local storage is full.

Solutions:

1. Clear other website data
2. Export and delete unused decks
3. Clear application cache

"Failed to Load Deck"

This error occurs when a deck file is corrupted or incompatible.

Solutions:

1. Try re-importing the deck
2. Check file format compatibility
3. Ensure the .apkg file isn't corrupted

Recommended Practices

• Use the same browser and device consistently
• Export your progress regularly as backup
• If you need to switch devices, import your backup

Prevention Tips

Prevent common issues by following these practices:

• Export your data regularly as backup
• Keep browser updated

Still Having Issues?

If you're still experiencing problems after trying these solutions:

1. Clear all browser data related to the application
2. Try a different browser
3. Start with a fresh import of your decks