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Troubleshooting

What to check when the server, a screen, screen sharing, room signs or the license don't behave, organized by what you see.

Start with the three quick checks, then find what you're seeing below. Use the search box at the top left to jump straight to a message.

#Three quick checks

1. Is the server running? On the server PC, the Vistapane icon in the taskbar says Running. If it doesn't, right-click it and choose Restart server.
2. Can the device reach the server? On the display PC, tablet or laptop that's having trouble, open the admin address in a browser, for example http://vistapane-server:8080/admin/. If the sign-in page appears, the network path is fine.
3. What does the log say? Right-click the taskbar icon and choose Show server log. The newest lines are at the bottom.

#The server

#The admin page won't open

Try it on the server PC itself first: open http://localhost:8080/admin/.

• It opens on the server, but not from other computers: see the next section.
• It doesn't open on the server either: the service isn't running. Right-click the taskbar icon and choose Restart server. If the icon is missing, open Services (services.msc), find Vistapane Server and click Start. If it stops again, check the server log.

#Other computers can't reach the server

This is almost always a firewall or a network boundary.

• Windows Firewall: run VistapaneServer.exe again and click Update. It puts the firewall rule back and removes any rule that blocks Vistapane.
• Other firewall or antivirus software: allow TCP 8080 and 8443 and UDP 3478 to the server.
• Different networks or VLANs: the devices must be able to reach the server's address. Ask your network team to allow those ports from the display and staff networks to the server.
• Wrong address: if you use the server's name, check it resolves, or try its IP address instead.

#Setup says the port is still in use

Something else is already using port 8080, usually an old copy of Vistapane.

• If you used start-server.bat before, close its window and run setup again.
• If another program needs port 8080, change PORT in C:\ProgramData\Vistapane\server.ini (Reference).

#Windows SmartScreen blocks the installer or the player

The programs aren't code-signed yet. Click More info, then Run anyway. If your organization blocks unsigned programs, ask IT to allow VistapaneServer.exe and VistapanePlayer.exe.

#The server's IP address changed

Give the server a fixed address (a DHCP reservation or a static IP) so this doesn't happen again. Then:

1. Displays: Vistapane Player searches for the server again. If a display was set to an address with --server, press Ctrl+Shift+S on it and enter the new one.
2. Screen sharing certificate: the HTTPS certificate is made for the old address. Stop the server, delete the certs folder in C:\ProgramData\Vistapane\data (as an administrator), and start the server again. It makes a new certificate.
3. Presenter PCs: if you installed the old certificate on them, install the new one from Settings → Connecting devices.

#Uploads fail or stop partway

• Each upload can be up to 4 GB by default. Raise MAX_UPLOAD_MB in server.ini for bigger files.
• Check there's free space on the server's drive.
• Keep the browser tab open and the computer awake until the upload finishes.

#Weather or news says it's unavailable

The server needs internet access for weather and RSS feeds. Display PCs don't. Check the server can reach the internet, through your proxy if you use one.

#Displays

#The screen says "Connecting to the signage server…"

The display can't reach the server.

1. Check the server is running (quick checks).
2. On the display PC, press Ctrl+Shift+S and check the server address.
3. Open the admin address in a browser on that PC. If it doesn't load, see Other computers can't reach the server.

Screens that already had content keep playing it while they reconnect.

#The pairing code isn't accepted

• Type all 6 characters exactly as shown. Codes never use 0, O, 1, I or L.
• If the display restarted, it may show a new code. Use the one on screen now.
• Displays that are on and waiting appear under Displays waiting to be paired on the Screens page. Pair from there.

#A screen is black

• Operating hours: outside them, the screen goes black on purpose. Check Screens → Edit → Operating hours.
• Nothing assigned: the screen card says so. Give the screen default content, or set the default in Settings → General.
• The TV: check it's on the right input, and use Identify to make sure you're looking at the screen you think you are.

#A screen shows old or unexpected content

• The screen card says what it's playing and why: its default, a group default, a schedule or a push. A push or a high-priority schedule may be overriding what you expect.
• Use Reload player on the screen's card. If it still shows old content, use Clear offline cache.

#A web page or dashboard is blank

• Many sites refuse to be shown inside other pages, including Google, Facebook and many banks. Use a version made for embedding, like Power BI Publish to web.
• Pages that need a sign-in can't sign in on a display.
• YouTube and public websites need internet access on the display PC.

#A video doesn't play, or has no sound

• If the admin says Browser cannot read this video format, convert the video to MP4 (H.264) and upload it again.
• Sound: set the screen's Volume in Screens → Edit, check the item isn't set to Always muted, and check the TV's own volume.
• Browser players only play sound automatically when set up with the display setup script (Display PCs).

#The screen shows the Windows desktop, a sign-in screen or goes to sleep

• After a power cut or Windows update, the PC needs to sign in by itself: see Make it recover from power cuts.
• If someone quit the player with Ctrl+Shift+Q, sign out and back in, or start Vistapane Player from the Start menu.
• For browser players, turn off sleep in Windows power settings.

#Vistapane Player says WebView2 is missing

Install the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime from the link the player shows, then start the player again. It's built into current versions of Windows 10 and 11.

#There's a small red dot in the corner

The screen has lost its connection to the server. It keeps playing what it has. Check the display's network connection and Connecting to the signage server. The dot only shows when that option is on in Screens → Edit.

#"Unlicensed · Vistapane" shows in the corner

The server's license isn't active. See Licensing.

#Screen sharing

#The browser shows a certificate warning

That's expected on the first visit. Click Advanced → Continue, or install the server's certificate on presenter PCs to remove the warning for good (Screen sharing).

#"Could not reach the screen over the network"

The laptop and the display can't connect to each other directly.

• Put the laptop on the same network as the display. Guest Wi-Fi usually blocks this.
• If they're on different networks or VLANs, they must be routed to each other.
• Turn off the laptop's VPN, or ask IT to allow local network traffic while it's on.

#Sharing connects but the screen stays black

• On a Mac, allow the browser to record the screen: System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen Recording, then restart the browser.
• Try sharing a single browser tab instead of the whole screen.
• Check the network points above.

#The PIN isn't accepted

Type the 4-digit code shown on the screen right now. PINs change every time a share ends. Admins who are signed in don't need one.

#No sound, or the video is choppy

• In the browser's share window, turn on the audio option. Sharing a tab carries its sound most reliably.
• Check the screen's volume in Screens → Edit.
• Choose Smooth video for video, and use a wired connection or strong Wi-Fi.

#Room signs and calendars

#"Calendar not connected", or Save and test fails

• Check the Directory (tenant) ID and Application (client) ID from the app's Overview page.
• Paste the client secret's Value, not its Secret ID. They look alike.
• Client secrets expire. If it worked before, make a new secret in Entra.
• The permissions must be Application permissions (Calendars.ReadWrite and Place.Read.All), with Grant admin consent clicked.

See Register an app in Microsoft Entra.

#"No rooms found", or a room has no meetings

• Rooms must be room mailboxes in Microsoft 365, not user mailboxes.
• If you set up an application access policy, check it includes the room.
• New rooms can take a while to appear in Microsoft 365's room list.

#Bookings made on the sign don't appear in Outlook

Check the app has Calendars.ReadWrite (not Calendars.Read), with admin consent granted.

#The Android tablet won't lock

Android refuses the full lock while any account is on the tablet. Remove all Google and Samsung accounts, or factory reset it and skip adding accounts during setup (Vistapane Panel).

#The tablet can't find the server

Type the server's address on the setup screen, for example vistapane-server:8080. Automatic search needs the tablet on the same network as the server.

#The Join Teams meeting button never appears

Use More → Check meeting setup on the screen's card. It shows which step is missing. If it says the meeting has no Teams link, see This meeting has no Teams link.

#Emergency alerts

#An alert didn't appear on some screens

• Alerts reach screens that are online. Check the Screens page for any that are offline.
• Check the alert was sent to the right screens or groups.

#The alarm tone doesn't play

Check the screen's volume and the TV's volume. Browser players need the display setup script to play sound by themselves.

#Licensing

#Activation fails

• The server needs internet access to license.vistapane.cloud on port 443. If you use a proxy or filter outbound traffic, allow it.
• Check the key: VP- followed by four groups of 4 characters.
• If it says This copy can't activate licenses, email hello@vistapane.com.

#Screens show the Unlicensed mark

Open Settings → License. The message there says why. What the license messages mean explains each one. Screens keep playing either way.

#Admin and sign-in

#I forgot the admin password

Reset it at the server PC: Forgot the admin password.

#I lost the phone for two-step sign-in

Use a recovery code, or reset the password at the server: Lost your phone.

#Collect what support needs

When you email hello@vistapane.com, include:

• What you see, with a photo or screenshot, and which screen or room it's on.
• When it started, and what changed around then (a Windows update, a new network, a moved PC).
• The Vistapane version. It's listed under Windows Settings → Apps → Vistapane Server on the server.
• The server log: right-click the taskbar icon → Show server log, or C:\ProgramData\Vistapane\logs\server.log. The last 200 lines are usually enough.
• For a display problem, the player log from %LOCALAPPDATA%\Vistapane\Player on that display PC.