Troubleshooting Guide

Here’s a detailed list of the most common issues you may encounter when turning your Base44 app into a mobile app with BuildNatively, along with their solutions.

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1. Login & Authentication Issues

1.1 My login opens in Safari/Chrome instead of inside the app

• Why it happens: Social login (Google, Apple, or Facebook) requires deep links (Universal Links/App Links) to send users back to the app after login.

• How to fix:

  1. Enable Deep Links in BuildNatively.

  2. Turn on Social Auth in the Features section.

  3. Rebuild your app.

• Tip: Make sure your Base44 login flow redirects users back to your main app domain.

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1.2 My email/password login works in Base44 but fails in the app

• Why it happens: Sessions can break if cookies or redirects move across different domains.

• How to fix:

  • Check that your Base44 app is fully on HTTPS.

  • Keep login and authentication on the same domain.

  • Avoid unnecessary redirects to other subdomains.

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1.3 I get stuck on a blank page after login

• Why it happens: Post-login redirects may point to a popup/modal instead of a full page with a URL.

• How to fix:

  • In Base44, make login and post-login screens full pages with stable URLs (e.g., /dashboard).

  • Update your redirect settings accordingly.

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2. Payments & Checkout Issues

2.1 Stripe or checkout pages don’t load properly

• Why it happens: Many payment providers require opening in the device’s browser for security.

• How to fix:

  • Mark your checkout pages as external links in BuildNatively.

  • This ensures they open in Safari/Chrome and complete properly.

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2.2 Apple/Google rejected my app because of payments

• Why it happens: App Stores require In-App Purchases for selling digital goods or subscriptions.

• How to fix:

  • Use BuildNatively’s In-App Purchases feature (via RevenueCat) for digital products.

  • Use Stripe/PayPal only for physical goods or real-world services.

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3. Push Notifications & Deeplinks

3.1 Notifications arrive but do nothing when tapped

• Why it happens: Notifications need a deeplink to open the correct screen.

• How to fix:

  • Include a unique URL in your notification (e.g., /orders/123).

  • Make sure that URL exists in Base44 and loads the correct page.

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3.2 Notifications open the wrong page

• Why it happens: The deeplink doesn’t match your Base44 routing.

• How to fix:

  • Double-check that the deeplink matches your Base44 page structure exactly.

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3.3 Notifications don’t arrive at all

• Why it happens: Push setup may be incomplete.

• How to fix:

  • Confirm that push notifications are enabled in BuildNatively.

  • Verify that the correct configuration files (OneSignal/Firebase) are uploaded.

  • Rebuild your app after enabling push.

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4. Layout & Display Issues

4.1 Some pages look broken or cut off on small screens

• Why it happens: The Base44 layout isn’t optimized for mobile.

• How to fix:

  • Test your Base44 app on a real phone browser.

  • Adjust layouts in Base44 (stack elements vertically, avoid wide tables).

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4.2 iOS zooms in too much on forms

• Why it happens: iOS automatically zooms when input text is too small.

• How to fix:

  • In Base44, set input text sizes to at least 16px.

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4.3 Scrolling feels broken or clunky

• Why it happens: Nested scroll areas or heavy animations can cause problems.

• How to fix:

  • Avoid multiple scrollable sections on the same page.

  • Reduce heavy scripts or animations.

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5. Links & Navigation

5.1 External links don’t work (YouTube, Calendly, Help Docs)

• Why it happens: BuildNatively treats all links as internal by default.

• How to fix:

  • Mark these links as external in BuildNatively so they open in the device’s browser.

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5.2 Clicking a link reloads the entire app

• Why it happens: The link may point to a different domain or subdomain.

• How to fix:

  • Ensure internal links use your app’s primary domain.

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5.3 My bottom tab bar doesn’t work correctly

• Why it happens: Each tab needs a valid internal URL.

• How to fix:

  • Check that each tab links to a real Base44 page with a stable URL.

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6. Media, Camera & Files

6.1 Camera or microphone don’t work

• Why it happens: Permissions aren’t enabled.

• How to fix:

  • In BuildNatively, enable Camera/Microphone.

  • Add clear permission descriptions (e.g., “We use your camera to upload a profile picture”).

  • Rebuild your app.

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6.2 File uploads fail inside the app

• Why it happens: Uploads may use insecure endpoints or unstable routes.

• How to fix:

  • Make sure your upload endpoint uses HTTPS.

  • Test uploads on a full Base44 page, not a popup.

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6.3 Images and videos make my app slow

• Why it happens: Large media files increase load time.

• How to fix:

  • Compress images and videos in Base44 before uploading.

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7. Location & Permissions

7.1 Location services don’t work

• Why it happens: Permissions are missing.

• How to fix:

  • Enable Geolocation in BuildNatively.

  • Add a clear permission description (e.g., “We use your location to show nearby events”).

  • Rebuild and test again.

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7.2 Apple rejected my app for permissions

• Why it happens: Apple requires descriptions for each permission you request.

• How to fix:

  • In BuildNatively, write clear, user-friendly permission explanations.

  • Example: “We use your contacts to help you invite friends to the app.”

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8. Publishing Issues

8.1 Apple rejected my app for being “just a website”

• Why it happens: Apple requires apps to have native functionality.

• How to fix:

  • Enable at least one native feature (push notifications, deep links, native share, camera, etc.).

  • Resubmit with these features enabled.

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8.2 My app icon or splash screen didn’t update

• Why it happens: Old assets may be cached.

• How to fix:

  • Upload the new assets in BuildNatively.

  • Rebuild your app.

  • Uninstall the old version from your phone before testing again.

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8.3 My app loads slowly on startup

• Why it happens: The Base44 homepage is too heavy.

• How to fix:

  • Optimize images and videos.

  • Remove or delay loading of unnecessary scripts.

  • Keep your homepage lightweight.

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9. Preview vs. Built App Differences

9.1 Some features don’t work in the Preview App

• Why it happens: The Preview App does not support every native feature.

• How to fix:

  • Use the Preview App to check layout and navigation.

  • Do a full build to test native features like notifications, deep links, and in-app purchases.

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10. General Tips

• Always use HTTPS for all assets and APIs.

• Use stable URLs for important screens.

• Mark checkout and external services as external links.

• Always add clear permission descriptions.

• Test your Base44 app on a real phone before wrapping it.

• Rebuild your app in BuildNatively after changing native features.

11. App Store & Play Store Rejections

11.1 My app was rejected for being “just a website”

• Why it happens: Apple requires apps to offer native value beyond a simple web wrapper.

• How to fix:

  • Add at least one native feature in BuildNatively (push notifications, deep links, native sharing, camera, location, in-app purchases, etc.).

  • Resubmit after enabling these features.

11.2 My app was rejected for payments not using in-app purchases

• Why it happens: Apple and Google require you to use their In-App Purchases (IAP) for digital goods, content, or subscriptions. Using Stripe or PayPal for digital items leads to rejection.

• How to fix:

  • If you sell digital items (ebooks, lessons, access to content, memberships): enable In-App Purchases (via RevenueCat) in BuildNatively.

  • If you sell physical goods or services (clothing, coaching, bookings): you can use Stripe/PayPal.

  • Update your app and resubmit.

11.3 My app was rejected for missing permission descriptions

• Why it happens: Apple requires clear reasons for every permission (camera, microphone, contacts, location, etc.).

• How to fix:

  • In BuildNatively, add clear descriptions for each enabled permission.

  • Examples:

    • Camera: “We use your camera to let you upload a profile picture.”

    • Location: “We use your location to show nearby events.”

    • Microphone: “We use your microphone to let you record voice messages.”

  • Rebuild and resubmit.

11.4 My app was rejected for “broken links” or “poor navigation”

• Why it happens: Internal links may not be set up correctly, or external links weren’t marked as external.

• How to fix:

  • Test all links inside your app.

  • Mark external links (YouTube, Stripe, Calendly, external docs) as external in BuildNatively so they open in the device browser.

  • Rebuild and resubmit.

11.5 My app was rejected for “slow loading” or “poor performance”

• Why it happens: Your Base44 app loads too slowly on mobile devices.

• How to fix:

  • Optimize Base44 by reducing large images, videos, and heavy scripts.

  • Keep your homepage lightweight so the app starts faster.

  • Resubmit after improving performance.

11.6 My app was rejected for “insufficient content”

• Why it happens: Stores sometimes reject apps with little or placeholder content.

• How to fix:

  • Make sure your Base44 app is complete and has real content (not “Coming Soon” pages).

  • Test your app end-to-end before resubmitting.

11.7 My app was rejected for “not following guidelines”

• Why it happens: Each store has rules on content, payments, and privacy. Common issues include:

  • No privacy policy page.

  • Selling digital goods without IAP.

  • Asking for permissions without justification.

• How to fix:

  • Add a Privacy Policy page to your Base44 app and link it in the app store listings.

  • Review Apple and Google guidelines for your type of app.

  • Rebuild and resubmit with fixes applied.

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