We’re developing and testing the app rigorously. However, as with all technology, the app may have some issues that require investigation and fixing. We have shared the ones we know about below. So, until we fix them, you can use the workarounds where available. If you find anything you think needs reporting, let us know by using the Feedback function in the app, or by contacting the Computing Helpdesk. Thank you!

Frequently asked questions

Most modules are now available in the app. Yours may not be available for several reasons:

• Your module is not available in the app yet: The majority of modules are now available in the app. If your module is not available, use the 'Feedback' option in the app or email us at ou-scdhd@open.ac.uk to let us know. You can still use the 'Study links' section on the app homepage, which will give you bookmarked access to your module website, and other OU websites and services.
• You may not have been registered onto your module yet: Check if you can access your module website using a web browser. If not, contact the Computing Helpdesk.
• Your module website may not have opened yet: Most module websites open around three weeks before their start date. Check if you can access your module website using a web browser. Alternatively, you can check with the Computing Helpdesk.
• Your module may not have been activated yet: Occasionally, there's a short delay between when a module starts and when it's activated in the app. If you find you can't access your module, use the 'Feedback' option in the app or email us at ou-scdhd@open.ac.uk to let us know.

I cannot find all the module website content in the app. What is the solution to that?
Most of your module learning content and activities will be available or signposted in the app. Where you can’t access an activity in the app, you will see an information label asking you to visit your module website in a browser. The blocks on the right-hand side of your study planner on the website do not show in the app. Use the module website in a web browser.

I’m stuck in a login loop. What should I do?
Using autofill when entering your username and password can sometimes be the cause of the login loop. Manually enter your login details. If you cannot, delete and reinstall the app to clear/delete the autofill.

This is the first time I’m using the app and it seems to be loading slowly. How can I solve this?
There is a lot of information on your module website. So, it will take a few minutes for the app to load the first time you use it. Use a Wi-Fi connection for your first use. If it times out, you’ll get an error message asking you to reload the page. Drag your screen down. On future visits, it will get quicker.

It takes a long time to load the module page/study planner/learning materials. What is the solution to that?
Module contents may not be as light as news articles and social media posts. So, the app often requires a couple more seconds to process things. Use a Wi-Fi connection, especially for your first use. On future visits, it will get quicker. Downloading learning materials also helps quicker access.

I've updated/downloaded the recent version (4.2.0.4) of the app and am seeing 'Error connecting to server' or a message stating an error has occurred loading the app. What is the solution to that?
Quit and reopen the app. The app should then load up. If the error message reappears, try quitting and reopening the app again. If a message appears that states an error has occurred and the app will reload, select ‘OK’ and the app should load correctly.

I've updated to the recent version (4.2.0.4) of the app and my progress ticks and some of my icons are missing, what can I do?
If you are missing some of the menu or activity icons within the app and/or progress ticks on the study planner, this is likely to be caused by cached data from the previous version of the app. You can resolve this by removing the data within the app. Select … > App settings > Space usage and delete the user data using the bin icon. Quitting and relaunching the app should then ensure everything is loaded correctly. 

I've updated to the recent version (4.2.0.4) of the app and still can’t access downloaded content whilst offline, what can I do?
If you have downloaded content in a previous version of the app, unfortunately you will not be able to access the content whilst offline within the current app version. If you delete the previously downloaded content and redownload it, this should enable offline access. If this still doesn’t resolve the problem, try deleting and reinstalling the app. 

A notification number appears on the app icon and I cannot get rid of it, what do I do?
Unfortunately, notifications are not something we are currently able to provide for the app so if this appears in means something has gone a bit wrong. Try closing and reopening the app to see if this resolves the issue. If a notification number is still present, try uninstalling and reinstalling the app.

The planners on the app and module website haven’t synced. Will I lose my tracked progress?
No. When you use activity tick boxes or save activities in the app, it can sometimes take a few minutes to update on the module website. Syncing also requires an internet connection. So, if you’re working offline, you’ll need to wait until the app is connected to the internet again.

The app drains my battery. What can I do to avoid this?
Most devices seem to use the amount of battery expected from a content-heavy app (around 15-20% after a few hours of heavy use), however, there are some devices that use a lot more than this. Older Apple iPhones (including 5 and 6 models) and some older Samsung models appear to use around 60-70% within this time. We’re not sure if this is in line with general usage, or if the app is causing additional strain on the device. We’re continuing to collate evidence on this issue, so let us know using the 'Feedback' option in the app if the app uses an unusually high amount of battery on your device.

Fingerprint ID appears when logging in. How can I disable this?
Fingerprint/touch ID has not been enabled in the app. However, this occasionally appears on Huawei devices. If this happens, select the 'Back' option which will clear the fingerprint ID and allow manual login.

Known bugs that are being investigated

Some of the interactive activities on Android don’t display all student data

This is an issue with interactive activities that show you other student inputs so you can compare what you’ve said with other students – commonly polls or word clouds. The issue is that in some cases, you are able to see student inputs within the VLE, but they are not visible in the app. If this happens to you, we advise that you do not add any comments or content to that activity via the app, but complete the activity within your browser, and report it to the Computing Helpdesk. 

Users trying to log out are brought to the home page: Uninstall the app. When you reinstall, this will require a fresh log-in.

The Module Downloads page is showing downloads after 'Delete All' is selected: Close the Module Downloads page and then re-open it. The page will be updated to show all of your downloads as deleted.

Unable to navigate away from downloaded learning materials when internet connection is lost: It has been reported that you may get stuck when trying to access an un-downloaded learning activity, whilst offline. Quit and reopen the app if you're unable to navigate away.

Some small downloads can’t be deleted from Module Downloads: Some downloads don’t appear on the Module downloads page. We plan to include a fix in a later app release. Delete all app data. Within the app, select … > App settings > Space usage.

Known accessibility bugs that are being investigated

The app has had an expert review by the Accessibility and Usability Evaluation team at the OU, who have confirmed there are issues for us to work through. These are mostly around focus order and correct labelling of buttons and features. Once these have been investigated and fixed, our accessibility statements will be updated to cover these known issues.

Unable to use completion icons with iOS screen reader (VoiceOver): We suggest you use the activity tracker on the module website using a mobile web browser.

iOS screen reader (Voiceover) doesn’t recognise links: We suggest you use the module website on a mobile web browser if this functionality is required. 

Android TalkBack doesn’t read pop-up message content before navigation options: When a pop-up message appears, we suggest you navigate back down the page to read the message content. 

Device text size preference isn’t honoured in the app for Apple devices: Apple’s accessibility options aren’t honoured in the app. This has been discussed with Apple, but timescales for a fix are currently unknown. We suggest you use the in-app text size settings. Within the app, select … > App settings > General to customise your app view.