Troubleshooting Guide
Here’s a detailed list of the most common issues you may encounter when turning your Lovable.dev app into a mobile app with BuildNatively, along with their solutions.
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 special setup to return users to the app instead of a browser.
How to fix:
In BuildNatively, enable Universal Links (Deeplinks) under the Features section.
Make sure your Lovable.dev app redirects users back to your domain after login.
Rebuild your app after enabling Universal Links.
1.2 My Google/Apple login doesn’t work at all
Why it happens: Social Auth requires both your Lovable.dev settings and BuildNatively’s Deeplinks to be configured correctly.
How to fix:
Confirm that Social Auth is turned on in BuildNatively.
Enable Associated Domains for iOS in your Apple Developer account.
Verify your redirect URL matches your Lovable.dev app’s domain.
1.3 Email/password login works in Lovable.dev but fails in the app
Why it happens: Sometimes authentication cookies don’t carry over correctly in the mobile app.
How to fix:
Check that your Lovable.dev app is running under HTTPS (not HTTP).
Test login in a mobile browser first. If it works there, it should work in the app.
2. Payments & Checkout Issues
2.1 Stripe or checkout pages don’t load inside the app
Why it happens: Payment providers like Stripe or PayPal open in secure external pages. If the app tries to load them internally, they may break.
How to fix:
Mark your checkout links as external links in the BuildNatively dashboard.
This ensures they open in the user’s default browser, where payments complete correctly.
2.2 Apple/Google reject my app because of Stripe payments
Why it happens: For digital goods/services, Apple and Google require In-App Purchases (IAP). Stripe can only be used for physical products, real-world services, or P2P payments.
How to fix:
If you sell digital goods/subscriptions, enable In-App Purchases in BuildNatively (powered by RevenueCat).
If you sell physical goods/services, you may keep using Stripe.
3. Push Notifications & Deeplinks
3.1 Notifications show, but nothing happens when I tap them
Why it happens: Notifications need a deeplink to know which screen to open.
How to fix:
In BuildNatively, configure notifications with a specific page URL (e.g.,
/messages/123).Ensure your Lovable.dev app has that page accessible.
3.2 Notifications send me to the wrong page
Why it happens: The deeplink used may not match your Lovable.dev app’s routing.
How to fix:
Double-check that the link in your notification exactly matches the structure in your Lovable.dev app.
3.3 Notifications don’t arrive at all
Why it happens: Push notifications require setup with OneSignal or Firebase.
How to fix:
Check that you’ve uploaded the correct config files in BuildNatively.
Rebuild your app after enabling notifications.
4. Layout & Display Issues
4.1 Some pages look broken or cut off on mobile
Why it happens: Your Lovable.dev design may not be fully optimized for small screens.
How to fix:
Open your Lovable.dev app on your phone and test every key page.
Adjust layouts in Lovable.dev (resize elements, stack content vertically).
4.2 My app looks different in the BuildNatively Preview App
Why it happens: The Preview App does not support all native features.
How to fix:
Use it mainly to check design, navigation, and content flow.
Do a full build to test native features like notifications, in-app purchases, or deeplinks.
4.3 Scroll or zoom issues on forms
Why it happens: iOS automatically zooms in on text fields with small font sizes.
How to fix:
In your Lovable.dev design, increase input font sizes to at least 16px.
5. Links & Navigation
5.1 External links (YouTube, Calendly, Help Docs) don’t work
Why it happens: BuildNatively assumes all links are internal unless marked otherwise.
How to fix:
Add these links as external in the BuildNatively dashboard so they open in the browser.
5.2 Clicking a link sometimes reloads the entire app
Why it happens: If the link structure isn’t set correctly, the app may think you’re leaving the app.
How to fix:
Ensure your internal links all use the same root domain as your Lovable.dev app.
6. Publishing Issues
6.1 Apple rejected my app for missing permission descriptions
Why it happens: Apple requires you to explain why your app asks for permissions (camera, location, microphone, etc.).
How to fix:
In BuildNatively, fill out the Permission Description fields under each enabled feature. Example: “We use your location to show nearby events.”
6.2 My app was rejected for using the wrong payment system
Why it happens: Apple and Google require In-App Purchases for digital goods.
How to fix:
If you sell digital items, enable RevenueCat integration.
If you sell physical goods, Stripe is fine.
6.3 Google flagged my app for unsupported memory pages (NDK)
Why it happens: Google is updating requirements for Android builds.
How to fix:
No action needed now — BuildNatively will handle this automatically in future updates.
7. Other Common Issues
7.1 My app loads very slowly
Why it happens: Your Lovable.dev app may have heavy images or scripts.
How to fix:
Optimize images and videos inside Lovable.dev.
Use fewer large plugins or animations.
7.2 My changes in Lovable.dev don’t appear in the app
Why it happens: You may be looking at a cached version of your app.
How to fix:
Close and reopen your app.
If you changed something in BuildNatively (like features, style, or permissions), you’ll need to rebuild.
7.3 The app works in the browser but breaks inside BuildNatively
Why it happens: Some features behave differently inside mobile apps (compared to browsers).
How to fix:
Check if the feature is listed as unsupported in Preview.
Contact BuildNatively support if it persists after a full build.
Quick Checklist Before Submitting to App Stores
✅ HTTPS link is used.
✅ Internal/external links are set correctly.
✅ Login/signup flows tested (with Universal Links if needed).
✅ Layout looks good on small screens.
✅ Payment flow matches Apple/Google rules.
✅ Permission descriptions are filled out.
✅ Push notifications and deeplinks tested.
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