This article is for any user having issues logging into or using a mobile app. There are many apps for products that OTC uses, such as Microsoft Office mobile apps, the Canvas app, and more. The following article will include general troubleshooting good for most mobile apps. If the troubleshooting here doesn’t resolve your issue, please contact app provider’s company for specialized tech support. You can find the contact information for your app listed on its store page.

Introduction

If you are having trouble signing into or using an app, there are some general app troubleshooting steps that are good for almost any app provided below. Please note that these instructions may vary by version of Android or iOS, or by make and manufacturer of your device. You may need to do a web search for exact instructions relating to your version of Android or iOS.

Clear your Cookies

A good first step to navigating app sign-in issues is to clear your cookies so that your app doesn’t try to use cookies that won’t work properly for it.

The difference between a web page and an app is astonishingly thin at times. Many apps redirect to your organization’s login pages when you put in your email address, and this login is generally launched with your mobile device’s default browser. This process can be so fast you don’t see the app switching occur, it can occur in the background without displaying on your screen, or it may redirect entirely to a version of your default browser to login. This will depend entirely on the device, the speed of your network connection, and the programming of the app itself.

If you have cookies from logging into this page previously, the browser and your app may get confused over what’s happening. Your browser may be trying to redirect you back to a page in your organization’s domain that you’ve visited before, fail to switch back to the app and login, or exhibit other behaviors.

This article has links to instructions for clearing cookies for many commonly used web browsers on mobile devices.

Check for App Updates

Clear the app Storage and Cache

Please note these instructions may vary by device make and manufacturer. You may need to do a web search for exact instructions for your device. This will clear locally cached data on your device, and will not clear any data saved in the cloud.

Android

Open Settings
Navigate to Apps or Applications
Select the app you want to clear the storage and cache for
Tap the option to clear storage, and tap the option to clear cache (how this is laid out varies by version/manufacturer)

iOS

iOS does not give an option to clear the local cached data for apps. Please skip to the Uninstall/Delete and Reinstall the App section.

Remove and Re-Add your Account to the App

This varies greatly by app, there is no universal way to do this. But most modern apps follow a general rule of having an Account icon somewhere in the main screen. Click on this, select your account, and remove it.

Then, login as if you were logging in for the first time.

If you don’t see an intuitive way to manage your account in the app, you may need to do a web search for instructions for the specific app.

Uninstall/Delete and Reinstall the App

Occasionally, an app will update in a fashion where it no longer offers updates through the existing version. They do not always make this abundantly clear when this has occurred. If all else fails, reinstall the app.

Mobile Device App Troubleshooting