PN Web OS Backup & Restore: Troubleshooting Guide

Problem: Export button does nothing

Symptoms: Click "Export Encrypted Backup" but nothing happens, no download starts

Solutions:

1. Allow popups: Check browser popup blocker settings for www.pn.com
2. Disable ad blockers: Temporarily disable uBlock Origin, AdBlock, etc.
3. Try incognito mode: Open www.pn.com in private/incognito window
4. Check JavaScript: Ensure JavaScript is enabled in browser settings
5. Check browser console: Press F12, look for errors in Console tab

Problem: Backup file is too small (20-30 KB)

Symptoms: Backup file is only ~20-30 KB but you have megabytes of files

Cause: This was a bug in versions before Nov 1, 2025 where file contents weren't included

Solutions:

1. Hard refresh: Press Ctrl+Shift+R (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+R (Mac)
2. Clear cache: Go to browser settings and clear cached images/files
3. Try export again: Create a new backup
4. Verify size: Check file size is now ~1.2× your data size

Expected sizes:

• 1 MB of data → ~1.2 MB backup
• 10 MB of data → ~12 MB backup
• 100 MB of data → ~120 MB backup

Problem: Export fails or shows error

Solutions:

1. Check storage space: Ensure your device has enough disk space
2. Close other apps: Free up memory by closing unnecessary tabs/apps
3. Try smaller export: Delete some files temporarily, export, then restore them
4. Use better browser: Chrome/Edge handle large exports better than Safari/mobile browsers
5. Check console errors: Press F12 → Console tab for specific error messages

Problem: Export hangs or freezes

Solutions:

1. Wait longer: Large exports (100+ MB) can take 30-90 seconds
2. Close other tabs: Free up browser resources
3. Keep browser in foreground: Don't minimize or switch tabs
4. Check if browser responding: Look for "Page Unresponsive" dialog
5. Try desktop browser: Mobile browsers struggle with large exports

Problem: "Incorrect password" error

Solutions:

1. Check Caps Lock: Make sure Caps Lock is off
2. Check for extra spaces: Don't add space before/after password
3. Use recovery phrase for backup decryption: During backup import, you can use your 12-word recovery phrase instead of password to decrypt the backup file
4. Reset password if forgotten: Go to www.pn.com/webos/auth/recover to reset password using recovery phrase
5. Verify correct backup: Make sure it's your backup file, not someone else's
6. Check password changed: If you changed password after creating backup, use OLD password or recovery phrase to decrypt
7. Type carefully in text editor first: Type password in Notepad, then copy/paste

Problem: Files missing after restore

Solutions:

1. Check backup file size: Is it suspiciously small? (See file size issues)
2. Wait for completion: Ensure import finished completely
3. Check all folders: Files might be in different folder than expected
4. Refresh file manager: Close and reopen File Manager app
5. Log out and back in: Sometimes requires fresh login
6. Use correct backup: Make sure using the right backup file

Problem: "Account already exists" error

Solutions:

1. Clear existing data first: Go to Settings → clear all data
2. Use incognito mode: Open in private/incognito window
3. Use different browser: Try importing in a different browser
4. Clear IndexedDB manually: F12 → Application → IndexedDB → delete PN_WebOS_Storage

Problem: Import is very slow

This is normal for large backups!

Expected times:

• 10 MB: 15-30 seconds
• 50 MB: 1-2 minutes
• 100 MB: 2-5 minutes
• 500 MB: 5-15 minutes

Speed up import:

1. Close all other tabs and apps
2. Use desktop browser (not mobile)
3. Use Chrome/Edge (faster than Firefox/Safari)
4. Keep browser in foreground
5. Don't use computer for other tasks during import

Problem: Backup size doesn't match data size

Expected ratio: Backup should be ~110-130% of your data size

If backup is much smaller:

1. Hard refresh (Ctrl+Shift+R)
2. Clear cache
3. Try export again
4. Check browser console for errors

Problem: Not enough storage for import

Solutions:

1. Free up disk space: Delete unnecessary files
2. Use desktop browser: More storage quota than mobile
3. Use Chrome/Edge: Higher storage limits than Firefox/Safari
4. Check browser storage: F12 → Console → run navigator.storage.estimate()

Problem: Backup file too large to handle

Browser limits:

• Chrome/Edge: ~2 GB
• Firefox: ~500 MB
• Safari: ~250 MB
• Mobile: ~50-100 MB

Solutions:

1. Use Chrome or Edge for best capacity
2. Delete unnecessary files before backup
3. Split data across multiple accounts

Problem: Forgot password

Solution: Use recovery phrase to reset password first

Step 1: Reset Password

1. Go to www.pn.com/webos/auth/recover
2. Select your account username
3. Enter your 12-word recovery phrase
4. Set a new password

Step 2: Login & Restore

1. Login to PN Web OS with your new password
2. Go to Settings → Data Management → Import Backup
3. Select your backup file
4. Use your new password OR recovery phrase to decrypt
5. Complete import

Alternative for backup restore only:

If you only need to restore a backup (not login to PN Web OS), you can use your recovery phrase directly during the import process. However, you'll still need to reset your password to access PN Web OS.

If you forgot recovery phrase too:

• ❌ Account and data are permanently inaccessible
• This is by design for security (zero-knowledge encryption)
• No backdoor exists
• No customer support can recover your data
• You will need to create a new account

Problem: Password works in app but not for backup

Cause: You changed your password after creating the backup

Solutions:

1. Use OLD password: The password from when backup was created
2. Use recovery phrase: This never changes and always works
3. Check password manager history: Look for old password versions

Problem: Safari storage limitations

Issue: Safari has strict storage limits (~250 MB)

Solutions:

1. Use Chrome or Edge instead for larger backups
2. Keep data under 200 MB in Safari
3. Enable "Prevent Cross-Site Tracking" exception for www.pn.com

Problem: Mobile browser limitations

Issue: Mobile browsers have very limited storage (~50-100 MB)

Solutions:

1. Use desktop browser for backup/restore operations
2. Keep mobile data minimal
3. Create backups on desktop, use mobile for viewing only

Problem: Firefox private browsing issues

Issue: Private/incognito mode has limited IndexedDB access

Solutions:

1. Use normal browser window (not private)
2. Or accept that data will be cleared when closing private window

Problem: Browser freezes or crashes during import

Solutions:

1. Close other tabs: Free up memory
2. Close other apps: Especially memory-intensive ones
3. Wait for "Page Unresponsive": Click "Wait" if dialog appears
4. Use better computer: If possible, use faster machine
5. Import smaller backups: Try older, smaller backup first

Problem: Import times out

Solutions:

1. Keep browser in foreground (don't minimize)
2. Don't switch tabs during import
3. Disable browser extensions temporarily
4. Close all other tabs
5. Use desktop browser with good specs

Scenario: Accidentally cleared browser data

Don't panic! Your backup will save you.

1. Open www.pn.com/webos
2. Go to Settings → Data Management
3. Click "Import Backup"
4. Select your most recent backup file
5. Enter password or recovery phrase
6. Wait for import to complete
7. Log back in
8. Only lost: changes since last backup

Scenario: Computer crashed or was replaced

Recovery steps:

1. On new computer: Open www.pn.com/webos
2. Get backup file: From USB drive, cloud storage, or email
3. Go to Settings → Data Management → Import Backup
4. Select backup file
5. Enter password
6. Wait for import
7. Everything restored!

Scenario: Imported wrong backup by mistake

Fix:

1. Don't panic - you can import again
2. Go to Settings → Data Management
3. Click "Import Backup" again
4. Select the CORRECT backup file
5. It will overwrite the wrong one

Scenario: Backup file corrupted

Symptoms: Import fails with decryption error

Solutions:

1. Try re-downloading: If stored in cloud, download fresh copy
2. Use older backup: Try previous backup file
3. Check file size: Compare to original size when created
4. Open in text editor: Should see encrypted data, not binary/corrupted text
5. Last resort: If all backups corrupted, data may be lost

"Decryption failed"

Means: Wrong password/recovery phrase, or corrupted backup

Solutions:

• Check password is correct
• Try recovery phrase
• Re-download backup file
• Try different backup file

"Quota exceeded"

Means: Not enough browser storage space

Solutions:

• Clear other website data
• Use browser with higher limits (Chrome/Edge)
• Free up disk space on computer

"Invalid backup format"

Means: File is not a valid PN Web OS backup

Solutions:

• Make sure you selected the correct file
• Check file wasn't modified or corrupted
• Try different backup file