Preferences and help
Troubleshooting
Recover from sign-in, sync, browser-storage, and Linux update problems without discarding work you still need.
Start with the exact message Glob shows. A sign-in failure, a sync failure, and a page that could not draw need different remedies. If you contact [email protected], include the message and say whether you are using a browser or the Linux desktop app.
Sign-in messages
| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| That email or password is incorrect. | Check the email address and password. Choose Forgot password? if needed. |
| Check your inbox and verify your email address first. | Complete email verification, then sign in again. |
| That sign-in link expired or was already used. Try again. | Start a fresh sign-in from Glob. |
| Your session expired. Sign in again to continue. | Sign in again. |
| Too many attempts. Wait a moment and try again. | Wait before making another attempt. |
| Something went wrong on our side. Try again in a moment. | Retry after a short wait. Contact support if it repeats. |
In the Linux app, Sign-in did not complete. Retry using File → Sign in using browser. names the fallback directly. Choose that menu command, complete sign-in in your browser, then return to Glob. A browser tab telling you it can be closed does not by itself confirm that Glob finished signing in; check the application window.
See the account guide for account recovery.
The sync passphrase is refused
The Sync passphrase is separate from your account password. Use the passphrase associated with this account's synced data, including when opening the account on another device.
If you see Unlock failed. Check the passphrase and try again, check the signed-in account and try the passphrase again. The field clears after an attempt. A network or browser-storage problem can also prevent this step from completing, so check the connection and the storage guidance below before assuming the passphrase is wrong.
The back chevron labelled Back to sign in returns to sign-in. It does not perform the Settings sign-out flow that removes this browser's copy.
Sync and missing changes
- Check Settings → Account → Signed in as on both devices.
- Check the selected project and any list filters.
- Bring Glob into the foreground and reconnect if necessary.
- Choose Sync beside Sync now in Settings, or use the list toolbar's sync button.
The toolbar's Sync failed — try again means you can request another attempt. Offline — sync when you reconnect means sync cannot currently proceed. Settings shows the error message beside Status when one is available.
When saving a project change, you may see Could not reach Glob. Check your connection and try again. Reconnect and retry. Sign in again to save project changes. asks for a new sign-in. For Glob could not save that project change. Try syncing again. or Glob returned an unexpected sync response. Try syncing again., request a sync and retry the action.
If a row says This record cannot be read, keep the message and contact support if syncing does not resolve it.
For file-import errors, see import and export. For an invitation, permission, or shared-canvas problem, see sharing.
AI requests and adding results
| Message or disabled action | What to do |
|---|---|
| This note has no title or text yet. Give it one first. | Add a title or some text to the note before retrying the AI action. |
| No new ideas came back. Try again, or edit the note first. | Add detail to the source note or request another brainstorm. |
| The node could not be created. | Check the current canvas and sync state, then retry the brainstorm suggestion you want to keep. |
| Could not add that summary. Try again. | Check your connection and canvas access, then retry adding the Ask Glob result. |
| Not inside a node on Add to parent root | This action needs a parent canvas. Use another result action at the top level. |
| That cannot be made inside a node yet — leave the node first. | Leave the node's interior and retry the action on the outer canvas. |
For request context, partial replies, and saving an answer, see Ask Glob. For the difference between generating a suggestion and keeping it, see contextual AI.
Edits to instruction cards in Prompts do not change the instructions used by summary runs. If a rewrite says No improvement came back., the existing field remains. See Prompts for the editor's limits.
Browser storage will not open
Another Glob tab is holding this browser's local cache open. Close it and reload. means another tab is preventing access. Close the other Glob tabs, then reload this one.
This browser's local cache did not open. Allow site data for this address, or clear it and unlock again. asks you to check the browser's site-data setting. Allow storage for the Glob address first, then reload. Treat clearing site data as a separate recovery action: it can remove work that has not reached another device.
Changing browser profiles does not move the stored browser copy between them. If you open another profile, sign in and open your synced data there.
A page crashes
The error screen can say Something in the page crashed. or The server hit an error rendering this page. It offers these controls:
- Try again, when available, retries the page.
- Reload reloads the window.
- Copy details copies the error details for a support report. If copying fails, select the displayed details instead.
- Clear cache and sign out removes the stored Glob copies it can find in this browser, after confirmation, and returns to sign-in.
Try again or reload before choosing the clearing action. Reloading can reopen saved sync state; use Lock in Settings when you specifically want the next load to require the sync passphrase.
Clear cache and sign out can affect stored copies for more than one account in the browser. It checks for unsent changes and asks again when something may be lost or cannot be checked. Cancel if you need to preserve that work.
Some browsers cannot list the stored copies. In that case Glob says that nothing will be deleted and directs you to the browser's site-data settings. Do not assume that signing out removed the copy when this warning appears.
Sign-out warnings
The normal Sign out action first asks whether to remove this account's notes from the browser. Glob tries to send pending work before proceeding.
If work still has not reached the server, a second confirmation names the number of changes or note keys held only here. Choosing to sign out anyway can permanently discard that unsent work. Cancel to stay signed in, restore the connection, and sync before trying again.
If a message starts Could not sign out: and ends You are still signed in., the action failed before completing. Keep the browser open, read the reason between those phrases, and retry after addressing it. Contact support if it repeats.
Close Glob in your other tabs to finish deleting this browser's copy. means another tab still has the stored copy open. Close those tabs to let the removal finish.
This browser's copy could not be deleted. Clear this site's data in the browser's settings to remove it. means the removal did not complete. Follow the browser's site-data controls only after checking that you no longer need any unsent work.
Linux launch problems
If the AppImage says it requires Chromium sandboxing and that your system does not permit unprivileged user namespaces, use the deb or rpm format from Downloads. The AppImage deliberately refuses to start without that sandbox facility.
If the installer reports a missing curl, jq, or SHA-256 command, install that prerequisite with your system's package tools before retrying. A checksum mismatch means the selected download failed its check; download it again from the same release.
For Glob could not start or a repeated desktop startup failure, restart Glob and keep the error message for support. Reinstalling the application is separate from removing its stored notes; avoid clearing application data merely to retry a launch.
Linux updates
| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| Update unavailable or verification failed. No update was installed. | Retry Help → Check for updates. If it repeats, check Downloads and contact support. |
| Check for updates and verify a download before installing. | Choose Help → Check for updates before Install downloaded update. |
| Update installation refused. Restart Glob if the server has stopped. | Restart Glob. Check Downloads for a replacement package if the problem continues. |
| An instruction to install package updates with your package manager or installer | Update your deb, rpm, or tar.xz installation using a fresh download. |
An AppImage update needs a verified download before it can install. deb, rpm, and tar.xz installations do not install updates through the Help menu. See Glob on Linux for the update steps.