Last updated: January 27, 2026
ER Mobile version: 2.12.7
 

This page covers the most common issues reported by EarthRanger Mobile users and how to resolve them before opening a support ticket.
Most problems are related to syncing, permissions, or offline behavior. Follow the steps below in order.
 

Subjects

Why can’t I see my subjects?

Most common cause: Permissions

Check that:

• You have permission to view the Subject Group in EarthRanger Web
• The subject is assigned to at least one Subject Group
• The subject is not hidden using the eye icon on mobile
• If using Parent/Child users: you are logged in as the user that actually has the subject permissions

If you don’t have permission in Web, the subject will not appear on Mobile—even after syncing.

Why aren’t my subjects updating?

Most common cause: Sync + permissions mismatch

Try the following in order:

1. Confirm you are logged into the same user on Web and Mobile
2. Verify your permissions on Web have not changed
3. Go to Status → Sync in the mobile app
4. Make sure you have a stable internet connection

Expected behavior:

• Offline → you only see the last downloaded subject updates
• Online → updates appear after sync or app restart

Why can’t I see subject tracks?

You will not see subject tracks if:

• The subject has no tracking data in the last 3 days
• The subject has been stationary (immobile tracks may be filtered out)

This is by design to reduce clutter and noise.

Why does my subject appear in one Subject Group but not others?

Expected behavior:
If a subject belongs to multiple Subject Groups:

• The app automatically assigns it to the first group
• Other Subject Groups may be removed from display

Tip: Use the Search bar to find the subject regardless of Subject Group.

Events

Why don’t I see my Event types?

Most common cause: Permissions

Confirm that:

• You have permission to view the Event category
• Your permissions were not recently changed in Admin
• The Event Category or its values were not recently updated or renamed

Then:

• Go to Status → Sync

If permissions were removed, the Event type will disappear from Mobile.
 

Why can’t I see the Events I created?

This usually happens when:

• You have permission to create Events
• But not permission to view them

Confirm your role permissions in EarthRanger Web.

Why won’t my Event sync?

This can happen for several reasons:

• Your permission changed after the Event was created
• A patrol associated with the Event is still pending sync
• The server returned an error (400 / 500)
• The patrol must sync before the Event (Events depend on patrol serial numbers)

Try:

1. Syncing Patrols first
2. Checking Status → Pending Sync
3. Syncing again with a stable connection

If the issue persists, Support may need the device database.

Why don’t I see Shared Events?

Check the following:

Permissions:

• You must have view permission for the shared Event category

Settings:

• Shared Events must be enabled in Settings
• The selected days range may not include any shared Events

Device limitations:

• Older Android versions (below 11) may prevent database inserts

Then:

• Go to Status → Sync

Why can’t I see a new Event created on Web?

Expected behavior

Mobile does not automatically detect some admin-side changes.

What to try

1. Go to Status → Sync
2. If the change still does not appear, verify that the app is successfully receiving admin updates:
   1. In EarthRanger Web, temporarily change the name of an Event Category or Event Type that you already see in the mobile app
   2. Return to EarthRanger Mobile
   3. Go to Status → Sync
   4. Confirm that the renamed Category or Event Type updates in the app
3. If you can see the renamed item:
   1. The app is syncing correctly
   2. Recheck whether the original change is within your permissions or settings
4. If you do not see the renamed item after syncing:
   1. Close and reopen the app
   2. Sync again from Status

If the renamed item still does not update, contact Support and report that admin configuration changes are not propagating to Mobile.
 

Why do I see “Not authorized” on a pending Event?

Most common cause: Permission mismatch
Ensure:

• Your user profile has the same permissions as the parent user (if applicable)
• Permissions were not modified after the Event was created

After correcting permissions, run Status → Sync.

Why do I see errors in choice fields?

Known limitation

In Mobile v2 Events:

• Choice fields with more than ~45 options may cause errors

Recommendation:

• Reduce the number of choices where possible
• Change v2 to v1 
   

Patrols & Tracking

Why do I see an empty screen when starting a Patrol?

Most common cause: Permissions

Ensure your user has permission to:

• Create Patrols
• View Patrols
• Edit Patrols

After permissions are updated, run Status → Sync.

Why aren’t my Patrols syncing?

Most common cause: State mismatch

Ensure:

• Patrol status on Mobile matches Web (open vs closed)
• You are not starting a Patrol twice

If states differ, duplicate Patrols may be created.
 

Why does my Tracking look incomplete?

This is usually caused by:

• Missing background permissions
• Battery restrictions
• Location services not set to High Accuracy

Review:

• App location permissions
• Battery optimization settings
• Background activity permissions

See: Troubleshoot Tracking Behavior in EarthRanger Mobile 

Why does my Tracking disappear when I stop Tracking or Patrol?

Expected behavior

“Current Tracks” are not permanent:

• When Tracking or Patrol stops, the current Track line disappears
• The full track is still available on EarthRanger Web

My device won’t sync pending tracks

Possible causes:

• Temporary server outage
• Expired authentication token (refresh happens periodically)

Try:

1. Logging out
2. Logging back in with the same user
3. Syncing again

I don’t see my tracking reflected on the Web

Ensure:

• Tracking was enabled
• Your device had Location permissions set to Always
• The subject is included in the Default Patrol Configuration (“Tracked By” subject group) 
   

Maps & Connectivity

The map is grey or not loading

Ensure:

• You have an active internet connection
• The area you are viewing was previously cached for offline use

Expected behavior:
EarthRanger supports offline maps, but not all map areas are cached
Tracking points and lines can continue to work even if the basemap is not visible

Account & Sync Errors

“Your user account could not be synced, please contact your site admin”

This occurs when:

• Your user does not have a properly associated Subject on the server

An admin should:

• Verify whether a Subject is linked to your user
• Create or remove the association as needed

If the issue persists, Support may request app logs.
 

Last-resort recovery steps

Use these only if nothing else works:

• Log out and log back in with the same user
• Force sync from Status