Troubleshooting

• Open Application Settings → Info and record Desktop, build, and bundled CLI versions.
• Record the macOS version and whether the problem affects every project or one repository.
• Copy the exact error text, but redact secrets, license keys, activation tokens, private identities, and local usernames in paths.
• Run git status --short before retrying a write operation.

• Confirm macOS 13 or newer and download a fresh DMG from the official download page.
• Move Ghostable to Applications before launching it.
• If Gatekeeper rejects the signature or notarization, do not bypass the warning; replace the download and contact support with the exact message.
• If a window is off-screen or unresponsive, quit Ghostable normally, reopen it, and test the launcher before opening a project.

Activation limit reached

Release an old device from its License settings or use Manage licenses. Seats and activations are distinct from project devices.

License is unverified or offline time expired

Connect to the internet, check system date and time, then choose Validate Now. A perpetual license can still need a fresh signed offline entitlement.

License key missing

Request recovery using the purchase email. Do not create a second purchase merely to work around a recoverable key.

Project remains blocked after activation

Close and reopen the project window after License settings reports a valid entitlement. If the plan is valid but the project still fails, collect both version numbers and the exact message.

• Confirm the launcher path still exists and points to the repository root.
• Use the Setup badge as a hint, then verify .ghostable/ghostable.yaml exists in the selected folder.
• For a new clone or machine, complete the device join and access-grant workflow; a repository clone alone cannot decrypt values.
• Pull the latest project state and resolve Git conflicts before retrying.
• When moving a repository, update its launcher or Project Settings path instead of editing application metadata manually.

Info should show a bundled CLI version. If it reports unavailable, reinstall the current Desktop build. Desktop uses its bundled engine for project commands; a different global ghostable binary does not repair a missing app bundle.

Command errors preserve their CLI message. Check repository permissions, project identity access, the selected environment, Git conflict markers, and whether an input file is inside the project root.

Reproduce read-only behavior with the matching CLI documentation when useful, but do not run an unfamiliar write command against production state merely to gather more output.

• If pull cannot write, check folder permissions and whether another process holds the file.
• If push shows unexpected changes, stop and compare the local file with the selected shared environment.
• If cleanup lists an important file, leave dry-run enabled and adjust the operation rather than confirming.
• If .env.example loses comments, restore it from Git and regenerate only after reviewing replace mode.

• Confirm the environment selected in the sidebar matches the diagnostic.
• Inspect global rules and environment overrides for the key.
• Review the project's scan level and ignored paths.
• Treat a hard-coded secret finding as potentially real until the credential pattern and source are understood.
• Do not add a broad ignore or fake placeholder only to make the count reach zero.

If no update appears, compare the installed version and updates-through date in License settings. Renewal required means the newer release is outside the included update period; it does not invalidate the already-covered version.

If an eligible update fails to install, download the current build directly and replace the application after quitting Ghostable. Preserve the license key or recovery email before wiping application data.