App not working? Start here
It worked in the preview. Now it shows a white screen, logs you out, or breaks every time the AI "fixes" it. You are not doing it wrong. These are the most common causes, and how to get unstuck.
Your first report and call are free.
Works in the preview, breaks once live
- Missing settings. Keys and addresses set in the preview are not set where the live app runs.
- Login sends you to the wrong place. The login provider still points to the preview address, or to localhost.
- Refreshing a page shows "not found". The live server is not set up for an app that changes pages without reloading.
- Data that was there is gone. The live app uses a different database, or its rules block what the preview allowed.
Stuck in the fix loop
The AI says it fixed it. It did not. Or it fixed one thing and broke two more. This happens because the AI sees one slice of the app at a time, and patches whatever makes the error go away right now.
- Stop after the same bug has come back three times.
- Undo to the last version that worked, instead of piling fixes on top.
- Describe what you expected and what happened, not just "fix it".
- Keep a copy of your code outside the tool, for example on GitHub.
One fix loop, untangled
A typical case: login works in the preview but fails on the live app. The AI is asked to fix it and rewrites the login code. The error changes. Asked again, it adds a workaround, and now everyone is logged out after an hour.
The real cause was one setting. The login provider only allowed the preview address, not the live one. Undo the AI's changes, add the live address in the provider's settings, and it works. The code was never the problem, which is why changing it kept failing.
When to bring in a person
When the loop is costing you more in credits and time than it would cost to have someone look. When customers are affected. Or when a bug touches payments, logins or personal data. A free Snapshot tells you what is really wrong, in plain words, and what to fix first.
Questions
Why does my Lovable app show a white screen?
Usually an error early in the app, often a missing setting or key in the live version. Compare the live settings with the preview ones first. If nothing differs, the error message the browser hides holds the answer, and an Expert can read it with you.
Why is my Replit app not running after publishing?
Often a missing secret, a different start command, or a database the live app cannot reach. Compare the live settings with the ones in your workspace.
Should I rebuild from scratch?
Rarely. A rebuild often brings the same problems back. Most apps can be fixed in place, one problem at a time.
Related
Your first report and call are free.