Academica

help

Troubleshooting

Having issues with Academica? This guide covers common problems and how to fix them.

Quick Fixes#

Before diving into specific issues, try these first:

  1. Refresh the page - Press F5 or click refresh
  2. Sign out and back in - Resets your session
  3. Clear browser cache - Removes old data
  4. Check internet connection - Make sure you're online
  5. Update Chrome - Use the latest browser version

Sign-In Issues#

Can't sign in#

Try Google sign-in (recommended)

  • Click "Sign in with Google" - it's the most reliable method
  • Make sure you use the same Google account in both the extension and the web app

Check your credentials (email sign-in)

  • Make sure email is correct
  • Check caps lock for password
  • Try "Forgot Password" if unsure

Clear browser data

  1. Go to Chrome Settings → Privacy → Clear browsing data
  2. Clear cookies and cache
  3. Try signing in again

Check for browser issues

  • Disable extensions temporarily
  • Try incognito mode
  • Try a different browser

Google sign-in not working#

In the web app:

  • Make sure pop-ups are enabled for the site
  • Try clearing your browser cache
  • Try using an incognito window
  • Make sure you're selecting the correct Google account

In the extension:

  • Make sure pop-ups are not blocked for the extension
  • Try restarting Chrome completely
  • Check that you have a Google account signed into Chrome
  • Try removing and reinstalling the extension

Using different accounts in extension and web app#

  • Always use the same Google account in both places
  • If you signed in with email in one and Google in the other, sign out of both and use the same Google account everywhere

"Email not verified" error (email sign-in only)#

  1. Check your inbox for verification email
  2. Check spam/junk folder
  3. Click "Resend Verification" on the sign-in page
  4. Wait a few minutes and check again

Session keeps expiring#

  • Enable cookies for academica site
  • Don't use "private browsing" mode
  • Check if browser clears data on close

Extension Issues#

Extension not working#

Full extension troubleshooting →

Quick checks:

  • Is the extension installed? Check chrome://extensions/
  • Is it enabled? Toggle should be blue
  • Are you signed in? Click the icon to check

Not syncing from Canvas#

  1. Make sure you're on a Canvas page (URL has .instructure.com)
  2. Sign in to the extension (with Google)
  3. Refresh the Canvas page
  4. Click "Sync Now" in the extension popup

Auto-sync not running#

  1. Click the extension icon and check the auto-sync status
  2. Make sure you're signed in to the extension
  3. Check if your Canvas session has expired (visit Canvas and sign in)
  4. Try signing out of the extension and back in with Google
  5. If the issue persists, try removing and reinstalling the extension

Canvas session expired#

Background auto-sync requires an active Canvas session. If your session has expired:

  1. Open a new tab and navigate to your Canvas website
  2. Sign in with your school credentials
  3. The extension will detect the new session
  4. Auto-sync will resume on the next 4-hour cycle

Wrong or missing data#

  1. Visit the specific page in Canvas (Assignments or Grades)
  2. Wait for extension to scan
  3. Click "Sync Now"
  4. Check Academica web app after 10 seconds

Web App Issues#

Page won't load#

Check internet

  • Load another website to verify connection
  • Try refreshing after a minute

Clear cache

  1. Press Ctrl+Shift+Delete (Cmd+Shift+Delete on Mac)
  2. Select "Cached images and files"
  3. Click "Clear data"
  4. Refresh Academica

Try incognito mode

  • Open new incognito window
  • Go to Academica
  • If it works, an extension may be conflicting

Data not showing#

Check filters

  • Go to Assignments page
  • Click "Clear Filters"
  • See if data appears

Check auto-sync

  • Click the extension icon to see when the last sync occurred
  • If it's been a while, click "Sync Now" or visit Canvas to restore the session

Check account

  • Make sure you're signed in
  • Check you're in the right account (same Google account as the extension)

Features not working#

Refresh and retry

  • Refresh the page
  • Try the action again
  • Wait a few seconds between attempts

Check for updates

  • We release fixes regularly
  • Refresh to get latest version

Sync Issues#

Assignments not appearing#

  1. Go to the course in Canvas
  2. Open the Assignments page
  3. Make sure extension is signed in
  4. Click "Sync Now" (or wait for the next auto-sync)
  5. Check Academica after 10-15 seconds

Grades not updating#

  1. Go to the course's Grades page in Canvas
  2. Wait for page to fully load
  3. Click "Sync Now" in extension
  4. Refresh Academica web app

Sync seems stuck#

  1. Check the extension popup for auto-sync status
  2. If Canvas session expired, visit Canvas and sign in
  3. Sign out of extension and sign back in with Google
  4. Try syncing again

Performance Issues#

App is slow#

Browser issues

  • Close unused tabs
  • Restart Chrome
  • Check for Chrome updates

Large data

  • Filter to specific courses
  • Use date range filters
  • Archive old assignments

Device issues

  • Restart your computer
  • Check available memory
  • Close other applications

Extension slowing Chrome#

  • Make sure you have latest extension version
  • Disable other extensions to test
  • Restart Chrome

Error Messages#

"Connection Failed"#

  • Check internet connection
  • Our servers may be temporarily down
  • Try again in a few minutes

"Authentication Error"#

  • Sign out and back in with Google
  • Check your account is active
  • Try signing in through the web app

"Sync Error"#

  • Refresh Canvas page
  • Check you're logged into Canvas
  • Try manual sync

"Session Expired"#

  • Visit your Canvas website and sign in with school credentials
  • Auto-sync will resume once the session is restored

"Data Not Found"#

  • The item may have been deleted
  • Try refreshing
  • Check Canvas to verify it exists

"Permission Denied"#

  • Sign out and back in
  • Reinstall extension if persistent
  • Contact support if continues

Browser-Specific Issues#

Chrome#

  • Most compatible, recommended
  • Keep updated for best experience
  • Check chrome://extensions/ for extension status

Other Browsers#

  • Extension only works in Chrome
  • Web app should work in all modern browsers
  • Firefox/Safari extension coming soon

Mobile Issues#

Web app on phone#

Display problems

  • Use landscape mode for tables
  • Pinch to zoom if needed
  • Try desktop mode in browser settings

Features not working

  • Some features optimized for desktop
  • Try on computer for full experience

No mobile app?#

  • Not yet available
  • Web app is mobile-responsive
  • Add to home screen for app-like experience

Data Issues#

Wrong data showing#

Sync issue

  1. Visit source page in Canvas
  2. Trigger manual sync
  3. Refresh Academica

Report if persistent

  • Use bug report feature
  • Include what's wrong
  • Screenshots help

Data disappeared#

Check filters

  • Clear all filters first
  • Check course filter
  • Check status filter

Check account

  • Make sure you're signed in
  • Verify you're in the right account (same Google account)

Sync again

  • Canvas data will re-sync automatically every 4 hours
  • Click "Sync Now" for immediate refresh
  • Manual entries should persist

Still Need Help?#

Gather information#

Before contacting support, note:

  • What you were trying to do
  • What happened instead
  • Any error messages
  • Browser and extension versions
  • Whether you're using Google or email sign-in

Report the issue#

  1. Use "Report a Bug" in the app
  2. Include all relevant details
  3. Attach screenshots if possible

Contact support#