Troubleshooting

Type: Troubleshooting
Applies to: Web and Android
Updated: July 29, 2026

Work from the simplest local cause to the broader sync cause. This order prevents chasing device trust when the problem is just unlock, network, or token access.

Diagnostic order

1
Unlock first.
Confirm the vault unlocks with PIN or biometric. Wait out throttling after wrong PIN attempts.
2
Check internet.
GitHub sync and device approvals need network access.
3
Check GitHub repository and token.
Verify owner, repository name, token expiry, and Contents read/write permission.
4
Sync the source device.
The device that made the change must upload it first.
5
Sync the target device.
The other device must download the change after the source upload succeeds.
6
Check device trust.
Open Connected Devices if a device cannot access data or alerts keep appearing.
7
Check platform-specific settings.
Autofill, keyboard, biometric, and recent-app privacy depend on OS or browser support.

Common problems

Problem	Likely cause	What to do
Sync fails	Network, repository, token, or permission problem.	Check internet access, repository name, token expiry, and Contents read/write permission.
PIN input is delayed	Wrong attempts triggered throttling.	Wait for the timer, then type the full PIN with the keyboard on web.
Device is not listed	The device has not linked, restored, or synced yet.	Open GitVault on that device and run sync after setup.
Device alert keeps returning	The trusted state has not synced everywhere yet.	Sync the device where you recognized it, then sync the other devices.
New device cannot access data	It was removed or is not trusted.	Use Link New Device from a trusted device, or restore with recovery and valid GitHub token flow.
Biometric unlock unavailable	The browser or device does not expose biometric support.	Use PIN unlock, or try a supported browser/device.
Web version looks old	GitHub Pages or browser cache has not refreshed.	Wait for Pages deployment, then reload the app. The app also clears old service-worker caches.

Autofill checks

1
Confirm GitVault is selected.
Set GitVault as the Android autofill service.
2
Try Chrome.
Some vendor browsers restrict third-party autofill providers.
3
Use GitVault Keyboard.
Switch keyboards when the target app does not trigger autofill.

Device trust checks

Linked but missing Run sync on the linked device, then sync the device you are checking from.
Recognized but still alerting Sync the recognizing device first. If alerts continue after sync, remove the device and link it again.
Removed device still opens Open it with network access so revocation can be detected and local sync access can be cleared.

When to rotate a token

Rotate the GitHub token when a device is lost, a token may be exposed, or an unknown device alert does not match your own activity.