Troubleshooting

The most common things that go wrong, ranked by frequency, with the actual fix. If yours isn't here, write us at [email protected] with a screenshot — we'll add it.

1. Products aren't showing up

Cause: the products don't have the snaptare tag yet, or the tablet hasn't received the latest delta.

Fix:

1. In Shopify admin, confirm the products have the snaptare tag (Bulk edit → Tag → "snaptare").
2. On the tablet, tap the refresh icon next to the search bar. This pulls a fresh delta from Shopify.
3. If still empty, check Settings → Catalog → Last sync. If the timestamp is more than a few minutes ago and not advancing, there may be a webhook delivery issue — restart the app (close + reopen) to force a full re-sync.

2. Sync looks stuck

Cause: typically a transient backend issue or a service worker that needs to update.

Fix:

1. Check the wifi icon in the topbar. If it's crossed out, you're offline — sync resumes when wifi returns.
2. Force-refresh: Settings → Catalog → Force re-sync. Wipes the local cache and pulls everything fresh.
3. If it still doesn't budge, close the app completely and reopen. The service worker checks for updates on boot.

3. Scale won't pair

USB scale not detected:

• Confirm the cable is fully seated and the tablet's adapter is data-capable (some cheap "charge-only" Lightning-to-USB-A cables don't pass data — use Apple's official adapter or a known-good third-party).
• Unplug, wait 5 seconds, plug back in. Some scales need a fresh enumeration.
• On iPad, the WebHID permission prompt only fires after you tap Pair. If you missed it, tap Pair again.

Bluetooth scale not appearing in the picker:

• Web Bluetooth doesn't work on iPad Safari. Use Android Chrome or a Windows tablet with Edge. (See scales §5.)
• Make sure the scale is in pairing mode (usually a long-press on its power button). The picker only sees scales currently advertising.

4. Scale reads wrong values

Cause: usually unit mismatch or stale calibration.

Fix:

1. Confirm the scale's display is showing the same unit Snaptare expects (grams). Many scales toggle between oz and g — check the scale's unit button.
2. Place a known weight (1 L bottle of water = 1000 g) and verify the reading.
3. If consistently off by a fixed amount, the scale may need recalibration per its manual.
4. If consistently off by a percentage (e.g. 5% high), the scale may have drifted significantly — replace or recertify.

5. Voice doesn't hear me

Permission issue:

• Tap the mic orb. If nothing happens, the browser hasn't been granted mic permission.
• iPad: Settings (iOS) → Safari → Microphone → Allow. Then in Snaptare: Settings → Voice → On.
• Android: tap the lock icon in Chrome's URL bar → Site settings → Microphone → Allow.

Recognition issue:

• Confirm Settings → Language matches what you're speaking. The recognizer is biased to one or the other.
• Hold the orb until after it visibly glows before speaking. Saying "carrots" instantly after pressing can clip the C.
• Get within 50 cm of the tablet. Built-in mics aren't magic.

6. Taxes look wrong on receipt

Cause: the source product variant in Shopify has the wrong tax setting.

Fix:

1. In Shopify admin, find the source product → variant → check the Charge tax on this product setting.
2. If your jurisdiction has tax categories (e.g. "Food vs. Other"), check the variant's tax category in Shopify Settings → Taxes.
3. Snaptare reads from the variant — if Shopify says no tax, the receipt says no tax. Fix it in Shopify and the next sale picks up the correction.

7. Offline queue isn't syncing

Cause: wifi is reachable but the backend isn't, or the queue has a corrupt item.

Fix:

1. Check Settings → Sync → Queue. Should show "0 pending" when synced.
2. If it's stuck on the same item, tap Retry now.
3. If a single item keeps failing, tap into it to see the error. Most common cause: the source variant was deleted in Shopify between when the cart was created and when it tried to sync. Snaptare detects this and flags the line; resolve by editing the cart on the tablet.
4. If the queue is genuinely stuck, email [email protected] — we can drain it server-side without losing your sales.

8. Camera permission was denied

If you accidentally denied camera permission on first AI tare:

• iPad: Settings (iOS) → Safari → Camera → Allow. Re-tap "Snap" in Snaptare.
• Android: lock icon in Chrome URL bar → Site settings → Camera → Allow.

Manual tare and presets work without the camera. AI tare just won't be available until permission is granted.

9. App boots to a blank screen

Rare. Usually a service-worker upgrade gone wrong.

1. Force-quit the app (close all browser tabs / quit the PWA).
2. Reopen. The service worker checks for updates on boot — most issues self-resolve.
3. If still blank, clear site data: iPad Settings → Safari → Advanced → Website Data, search "snaptare", remove. Reopen. Note: this also clears local drafts.
4. Email us if it persists — include the tablet model and OS version.