The app opens on a blank screen

Modified on Wed, 29 Jul at 12:09 AM

A blank or half-drawn screen after opening KnotWise almost always clears with a full restart. Work through the steps below in order — and read the warning first, because the most commonly suggested «fix» on the internet is the one that costs you data.

⚠ Do not clear the site data for log.knotwise.app. Your logbook is stored in the browser, and clearing site data deletes the local copy — anything not yet synced is gone with it. Clearing the cache is never the fix for this, and on the Free plan there is nothing on our side to restore from.

1. Close the app completely and reopen it

Not just the window — the app.

Windows, macOS, Linux: use Quit from the app menu or the system tray. Closing the window leaves KnotWise running.
iPad: swipe the app away in the app switcher, then open it again.
Browser or home screen: close the tab or the window and open log.knotwise.app again.

This resolves the great majority of cases, particularly right after an update.

2. Check whether an update is waiting

A half-installed update can leave the app in this state. Open Settings → About KnotWise to see your version, and install any pending update — see Keeping the desktop app up to date.

3. On the Free plan, in a browser: this is not a fault

An upgrade screen is not a blank screen. The browser and home-screen versions are part of the Sync and Share plans. When a trial ends, they show an upgrade prompt instead of the logbook — which is quickly mistaken for the app failing to load. Your data is untouched, and the desktop apps and the iPad app keep working on the Free plan. Details: What each plan includes.

4. Restart the device

Unglamorous, and it does resolve cases where the graphics driver or the system web view is in a bad state after sleep.

Still blank?

Write to support@knotwise.app and include three things — they decide whether we can help in one reply or five:

Your platform: Windows, macOS, Linux, iPad, or which browser
The version from Settings → About KnotWise, if you can reach it
Whether the screen stays blank or something appears briefly first

Last updated: 28 July 2026