Problems with the phone app
Fixes for the Plainstamp app on iPhone, iPad and Android: "You're offline", Approve or Reject on a notification not working, the camera, sign-in and downloads.
The Plainstamp app for iPhone, iPad and Android is the same Plainstamp you use in a browser, so most answers in this help center apply to it too. These are the problems that are special to the app.
"You're offline"#
The iPhone and iPad app shows "You're offline. Plainstamp couldn't reach the internet. Check your Wi-Fi or mobile data, then try again."
Check Wi-Fi or mobile data, and that Airplane Mode is off.
Tap Try again.
Plainstamp needs a connection to load and save anything; nothing is kept on the phone while it's offline.
Approve or Reject on a notification didn't work#
When you tap Approve or Reject on a notification, a second notification tells you what happened: Approved or Rejected when it worked. If it didn't, the iPhone and iPad app tells you why:
| Notification | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Couldn't reach Plainstamp · "Check your connection, then open Plainstamp to decide." | No internet at that moment. | Open Plainstamp when you're back online and decide there. |
| Couldn't do that · "Sign in to Plainstamp first." | You're signed out of the app on this phone. | Open the app and sign in. |
| Couldn't do that · "This button has expired. Open Plainstamp to decide." | The notification is too old to act on. | Open the request in Plainstamp. |
| Couldn't do that · another reason, such as the request was already decided or changed | Plainstamp checks the same rules as in the app, so a request that changed, or one you can't approve, is refused. | Open My approvals to see where it stands. |
| Open Plainstamp to decide · "This notification can't be answered from here." | This notification has no buttons that work outside the app. | Tap it to open Plainstamp. |
On Android and in a browser, if Plainstamp can't act on the notification, it opens the request in Plainstamp instead.
A request rejected from a notification shows "No reason given" to the person who sent it. To give a reason, open the request and reject it there.
No notifications at all#
Notifications are turned on separately on each phone, from inside the app: Settings › Notifications › Turn on notifications (iPhone and iPad) or Turn on for this device (Android). Signing out turns them off on that phone. See Phone notifications aren't arriving.
The camera doesn't open#
The first time, the phone asks if Plainstamp may use the camera. If you said no:
iPhone or iPad: open the Settings app › Plainstamp › Camera and turn it on.
Android: open the phone's Settings › Apps, tap Plainstamp (if it isn't listed there, Chrome), then Permissions › Camera, and choose Allow.
Then try again. See Nothing happens when I tap Snap a receipt.
Signing in with Google or Microsoft#
On iPhone and iPad, a secure sign-in sheet from Apple opens over the app. Sign in there and you come back to Plainstamp. If you close the sheet, you're back on the sign-in page; try again, or use your email and password. See I can't sign in.
A download didn't open#
On iPhone and iPad, spreadsheets and PDFs open the share sheet so you can save them to Files or send them. If you see Couldn't download the file, check your connection and try again, or download it on a computer.
A page looks out of date#
On iPhone and iPad, pull down on the page to refresh it. New features show up in the app on their own, without updating it from the store.
Still stuck?#
Email support@plainstamp.com and say which phone and app you use (iPhone, iPad or Android), and what you see. Related: Plainstamp on iPhone and iPad and The Plainstamp Android app.