Common Problems & Solutions

Quick solutions to the most common Nostr issues and questions

A quick reference guide for the most frequent issues Nostr users encounter.

Problem: “My Feed is Empty” 📭

Symptoms

• No posts showing up
• “No events found” message
• Blank timeline

Causes & Solutions

1. Not following anyone

• Cause: New account with no follows
• Solution: Search for users or interests, follow 10-20 accounts
• Quick fix: Follow popular accounts from the Finding Community guide

2. Relay connection issues

• Cause: Not connected to any relays
• Solution: Check Settings → Relays, ensure you’re connected to 3-5 relays
• Quick fix: Add popular relays: wss://relay.damus.io, wss://nostr.wine

3. Client cache is empty

• Cause: New install or cleared data
• Solution: Wait 30-60 seconds for content to load
• Quick fix: Pull down to refresh (mobile) or press refresh button

Prevention

• Connect to multiple relays during setup
• Follow active users immediately
• Keep client updated

Problem: “I Can’t See My Old Posts” 🕐

Symptoms

• Posts from yesterday/week ago are missing
• “No notes” on your profile
• Incomplete post history

Causes & Solutions

1. Relay storage limits

• Cause: Free relays delete old content to save space
• Solution: Connect to more relays (increases redundancy)
• Long-term: Use paid relays or personal relay for important content

2. Different relay configuration

• Cause: Posted from Client A (Relays X,Y), now using Client B (Relays Z)
• Solution: Ensure both clients use the same relays
• Quick fix: Import your relay list (NIP-65)

3. Content not broadcasted

• Cause: Client failed to post to all relays
• Solution: Check which relays received your post
• Note: Once posted, can’t re-broadcast to new relays retroactively

What Syncs vs What Doesn’t

Problem: “My Posts Aren’t Showing Up” 📤

Symptoms

• Posted but no one sees it
• No likes/replies/zaps
• Post appears locally but not on other clients

Causes & Solutions

1. Relay not accepting posts

• Cause: Rate limited, banned, or relay down
• Solution: Check relay status, try different relays
• Test: Can you see your post in a web client like Primal?

2. Only connected to read-only relays

• Cause: Some relays only allow reading, not writing
• Solution: Check relay settings, ensure you have “write” relays
• Quick fix: Add wss://relay.damus.io (allows writing)

3. Posting too fast

• Cause: Hitting rate limits
• Solution: Slow down, wait a few minutes
• Note: Most relays limit to 1-5 posts per second

Problem: “Someone is Impersonating Me” 🎭

Symptoms

• Fake account with your name/picture
• Someone claiming to be you
• Confused followers asking which account is real

Causes & Solutions

1. Get NIP-05 verified

• Solution: Set up NIP-05 identity (see guide)
• Why: Verified badge distinguishes real from fake

2. Share your npub widely

• Solution: Post your real npub on other platforms
• Why: People can verify your identity cryptographically

3. Report the impostor

• Solution: Use client report feature or community moderation
• Note: Can’t delete their account (decentralized), but can block/mute

Prevention

• Verify yourself with NIP-05 as soon as possible
• Post your npub on Twitter/website
• Build reputation quickly so your real account is obvious

Problem: “Spam in My Feed” 🗑️

Symptoms

• Unwanted promotional content
• Bot accounts posting constantly
• Off-topic or inappropriate content

Causes & Solutions

1. Following spam accounts

• Solution: Unfollow spam sources
• Better: Don’t mass-follow; curate carefully

2. Relay with poor moderation

• Solution: Disconnect from low-quality relays
• Better: Use paid or invite-only relays

3. No mute list

• Solution: Create a mute list in your client
• How: Profile → Muted accounts → Add spammers

Best Practices

• Mute early, mute often
• Use interest-specific relays
• Enable word filters if client supports it
• Don’t follow accounts without checking their content first

Problem: “Client Crashes” 💥

Symptoms

• App closes unexpectedly
• Freezes or becomes unresponsive
• Errors when loading content

Causes & Solutions

1. Outdated app

• Solution: Update to latest version from app store
• iOS: App Store → Updates
• Android: Play Store → Manage apps

2. Too many relays

• Cause: Connected to 20+ relays overwhelms the client
• Solution: Reduce to 4-8 active relays
• Optimize: Use NIP-65 outbox model

3. Corrupted cache

• Solution: Clear app data (you won’t lose posts/follows)
• Nuclear option: Reinstall app, re-import keys

Try a Different Client

If one client consistently has issues, try another:

Problem: “Lost My Keys” 🔑

Symptoms

• Can’t log in to client
• No backup of nsec/npub
• Keys only on one device that broke

The Hard Truth

⚠️ If you don’t have a backup of your keys, your account is unrecoverable.

This is by design—Nostr has no “forgot password” because there’s no central server holding your keys.

What You CAN Do

1. Search for backups

• Check password managers
• Look for screenshots
• Check email for welcome messages
• Check other devices with client installed

2. Check if client has keys stored

• Some clients cache keys
• Try logging in without pasting key
• Check browser extensions (Alby, Nos2x)

3. Create new account

• Generate new keys
• Announce on other platforms that old account is lost
• Start rebuilding your follows

Prevention (Do This NOW)

1. Write down your nsec on paper
2. Store in password manager (1Password, Bitwarden)
3. Use a signer app (Amber, Nos2x) to avoid typing nsec
4. Make multiple backups in different locations

Problem: “Can’t Connect to Relay” 🔌

Symptoms

• “Connection failed” error
• Relay shows as offline
• Posts not syncing

Causes & Solutions

1. Relay is down

• Test: Open relay URL in browser (should show error or ws page)
• Solution: Check relay’s status page or social media
• Fix: Remove temporarily, re-add when back

2. Network issues

• Test: Can you access other websites?
• Solution: Check internet connection, try different network
• Note: Some networks block WebSocket connections

3. Wrong relay URL

• Check: Must start with wss:// (secure) or ws:// (insecure)
• Common mistake: https://relay.com instead of wss://relay.com
• Fix: Edit relay URL in settings

4. Relay is full

• Cause: Some free relays hit capacity limits
• Solution: Try again later or use different relay
• Long-term: Consider paid relay

Problem: “Zaps Not Working” ⚡

Symptoms

• Zap button unresponsive
• “Payment failed” errors
• Can’t send or receive zaps

Causes & Solutions

1. No wallet connected

• Solution: Connect Lightning wallet in client settings
• See: Zaps Guide

2. Insufficient balance

• Check: Wallet balance
• Solution: Add funds to your wallet
• Minimum: Usually need 100+ sats for fees

3. Wallet offline

• Cause: Non-custodial wallets need to be online
• Solution: Open your wallet app, ensure it’s running
• Alternative: Use custodial wallet like Alby

4. Wrong Lightning address

• Check: Is your Lightning address correct in profile?
• Test: Try sending yourself 10 sats
• Fix: Update address in profile settings

Problem: “Images Not Loading” 🖼️

Symptoms

• Broken image icons
• Spinning loaders
• No media in posts

Causes & Solutions

1. Relay media limits

• Cause: Some relays don’t store images, only text
• Solution: Images hosted on separate servers (Blossom, etc.)
• Fix: Check if images load on web client

2. Image host down

• Cause: The server hosting the image is offline
• Test: Try opening image URL directly
• Note: Nothing you can do if host is down

3. Client settings

• Check: Settings → Media → “Load images”
• Some clients: Have data-saving modes that block images
• Fix: Enable media loading in settings

4. Slow connection

• Cause: Large images on slow internet
• Solution: Wait for load, or switch to faster network

Quick Decision Tree 🌳

Having issues? Follow this:

1. Can’t see anything? → Check relays, add more
2. Can’t post? → Check write relays, rate limits
3. Account issues? → Verify keys are correct
4. App crashes? → Update, clear cache, or try different client
5. Still stuck? → See below

Still Stuck? 🆘

Community Help

Telegram:

• Nostr Protocol - General help
• Damus - iOS-specific
• Amethyst - Android-specific

Other Platforms:

• r/nostr - Reddit community
• Stacker News - Bitcoin/Nostr forum
• Nostr itself - Post with #help tag

Resources

• Nostr Wiki
• Client-specific docs
• NIP specifications

Reporting Bugs

If you found a bug in a client:

1. Check if it’s already reported (GitHub issues)
2. Create detailed bug report:
   • What you expected
   • What actually happened
   • Steps to reproduce
   • Client version and platform

Bookmark This Page 📑

Keep this guide handy for quick reference. Most issues have simple solutions once you know where to look!

Test Your Troubleshooting Skills

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Related Guides

• Relays Explained - Fix connection issues
• Quickstart Guide - Switch clients
• Zaps Guide - Fix payment issues
• Keys & Security - Prevent lockouts