Troubleshooting & common issues
Quick fixes for the issues people run into most often. Because rooms are end-to-end encrypted and ephemeral, most problems come down to how the invite link is shared and opened.
I opened the link in multiple browsers or tabs
A room is a 1-to-1 channel between exactly two devices. The first two tabs that open the link complete the key exchange — any extra tabs will see “Waiting for peer…” and will not receive messages. Fix: close every copy of the room except for one tab per person. Then the second person opens the link in a single tab. If you still see “Waiting…”, close all tabs on both sides and re-open the link once on each device.
The copy link button doesn't seem to work
Copy-to-clipboard requires a secure context (HTTPS) and your browser's clipboard permission. On some mobile browsers the permission prompt is hidden. Fix: long-press the URL in the address bar and choose “Copy”, or share the page via the browser's share sheet. If you tapped Copy several times and pasted different copies into different chats, only one of those links matters — pick one to share and discard the rest.
I refreshed and the chat is empty
By design, messages live in browser memory only. Refreshing the tab, navigating away, or closing the browser erases everything — there is no server-side history to restore. Fix: treat each room as a live session. If you need to come back later, create a new room and share the new link.
It's stuck on “Waiting for peer…”
Either the other person hasn't opened the link yet, or they opened it in a tab that has since been closed or backgrounded long enough for the connection to drop. Fix: confirm they have the exact same URL (no extra characters). Ask them to close other copies of the room and re-open the link in a single fresh tab. Both sides should see “End-to-end encrypted” within a second or two.
Mobile keyboard covers the input
Some mobile browsers don't resize the viewport when the on-screen keyboard appears. Fix: scroll the chat up slightly after the keyboard opens, or rotate to landscape. Closing and re-opening the keyboard usually restores the layout.
The fingerprints don't match
If the two fingerprints shown in the room header are different on each device, the channel may have been intercepted, or one side is connected to a different room. Fix: leave the room immediately, create a new one, and re-share the link through a trusted channel (in person, a signed message, or another verified app).
Fingerprint / key mismatch — step-by-step fix
A mismatch means the encryption keys on both sides don't line up. This can happen if the room was opened in too many tabs, the invite link was modified, or there's an unexpected peer in the channel. Exact steps to refresh and rejoin safely: 1) Stop typing — do not send any sensitive messages. 2) Close every tab with this room on both devices. Check that no other browser has the link open. 3) Create a brand-new room from the home page. 4) Copy the new invite link and share it through a trusted channel you have used before (in person, Signal, WhatsApp, or another verified app). Avoid pasting into public chats or email if you suspect interception. 5) Both people open the new link in exactly one browser tab each — no duplicates. 6) Look at the fingerprint codes at the top of the room. They must be identical, character-for-character, on both screens. 7) If they match, the channel is secure. If they still don't match, repeat from step 3 and try a different sharing method.