Troubleshooting
What to do when a bot is stuck, a message shows ⚠, the app can't connect, an update fails, This PC or voice won't work, and how to contact support.
Find your problem below. Most things are fixed with Stop, Kick, or a new thread.
A bot is stuck
The timer keeps counting but nothing happens.
Stop
Click Stop in the chat header, or send stop.
Kick
If it's still stuck, click Kick in the chat header (it appears on long turns). Kick is also in the bot's profile card (click the bot's face in the chat header), and when you right-click the bot in the sidebar. Kick stops the turn, reconnects to the bot's computer, and reloads the thread. If needed, it restarts the computer. Files are kept.
Restart the computer
Open the bot's computer and click Restart on the Computer tab.
Start a new thread
If the thread keeps getting stuck, start a new one. Download any files you need from the old one first.
A message shows ⚠
A bot reply starting with ⚠ means Machine couldn't do what you asked.
"Machine Desktop ran into an issue"
When the AI model's provider fails behind the scenes, the reply is a calm line instead of the technical error:
⚠ Machine Desktop ran into an issue, please try again or message support if this happens again
(In the phone app it says Machine ran into an issue.) This isn't something you did, and there's nothing in your account to fix. Send your message again, or pick another model. If it keeps happening, contact support. The full error is kept in the app's log, so sending support your diagnostics gives them the details.
Other messages
Other errors keep their own wording. When the cause is clear, Machine Desktop adds a short next step after a dash, like adding credits, signing in again, waiting a minute, compacting the thread, reconnecting an app, or picking another model. Common ones:
| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| Could not reach this bot's computer | Try again. If it keeps happening, use Kick. |
| Cursor models run on the Cursor plan of the person who started this thread | Pick a different model, or start your own thread. See Use your own subscription. |
| Your Claude subscription runs only in threads you started | Same as above. |
| Claude isn't signed in for this session | Sign in to Claude for the session on the web, then send again. |
| A This PC message about a folder, or the computer being offline | See This PC problems. |
To try again, use Regenerate response on the reply, or edit and resend your message. See Message actions.
The bot's sidebar dot turns red after a failed turn. It clears when you send another message.
The bot's answer isn't good enough
- Be more specific. See Write good requests.
- Try a more capable model. See Choose a model.
- Raise the effort. See Reasoning effort.
- Start fresh in a new thread if the conversation has gone off track.
A long thread is slow or expensive
The model re-reads the whole thread every time. When the usage chip in the header turns amber or red, open Export conversation → Compact this thread, or start a new thread. See Find, share, and export.
"Machine is unreachable right now"
Check your internet connection, then click Try again. You stay signed in while offline. If you use a VPN or a company network, it may be blocking Machine: try without it, or ask your IT team.
New threads from the web don't show up
Click Refresh threads at the top of the sidebar.
I can't sign in
See Sign in for every sign-in message and what to do.
Updates
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| No update has been published for this platform yet | You already have the newest version for your system. |
| Couldn't reach the update server | Check your connection, VPN, or firewall, then click Try again. |
| An update keeps failing | Download the latest version from the download page and install it over the old one. Your sign-in and settings are kept. |
| No update ever appears, and you installed from the Microsoft Store | The Microsoft Store updates this copy, not the app. Check for updates in the Store. |
See Updates.
This PC problems
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| Messages wait and the thread says to choose a folder | Click Choose folder and share one. |
| Status shows Offline or Needs reconnecting | Make sure Machine Desktop is running and online. Restart it if needed. |
| Status shows Connected from another window | Another copy of Machine Desktop on this computer took over the connection. Close the extra copy. |
| Stopped on this computer | A full stop happened. Send your next message to carry on. |
| The bot can't see the screen or click, on a Mac | Allow Screen Recording and Accessibility, then restart the app. See Mac permissions. |
| "Stop could not be confirmed" | Machine Desktop ended the work forcefully. Press and release Ctrl, Alt, and Shift in case a key is held down. |
| The Stop shortcut doesn't work | Another app has it. Use the Stop button or the on-screen Stop. |
| "… is offline (asleep, or Machine Desktop is closed there), so nothing was sent…" | The thread works on another computer, and that computer is asleep or Machine Desktop is closed there. Wake it and send again, or move the thread to Cloud in Machine Desktop on that computer. |
| Work stops when the computer goes to sleep | Turn on Keep this PC awake in the folder menu, and keep the computer plugged in. See Keep this PC awake. |
| The bot needs to be signed in to a website | Sign in yourself with Saved sign-ins in the folder menu. See Saved sign-ins. |
Chrome extension problems
| The extension says | What to do |
|---|---|
| Machine Desktop is not running | Open Machine Desktop, then click Try again in the extension. |
| Machine Desktop not set up | Open a This PC thread in Machine Desktop once, then click Try again. |
| The bot doesn't use my browser | Say "use my browser" in your message, and make sure Chrome is open on the right tab. |
See Use your own Chrome.
Voice doesn't work
- Check Settings → General → Microphone and click Test.
- Make sure Machine Desktop can use the microphone in your system's privacy settings. If an error shows Open settings, click it.
- Switch Dictation engine to Whisper on Machine (cloud).
See Voice.
Notifications don't appear
- Check the bot's Alerts → Notifications is on.
- Check your computer allows notifications from Machine Desktop, and that Do Not Disturb or Focus is off.
- Make sure Machine Desktop is running (in the tray or Dock).
See Notifications.
A connected app isn't working
Disconnect it and connect it again in Tools → Connected apps. See Connected apps.
An automation failed
Open it in Tools → Automations, read the error, fix the cause, and click Run now. See Manage automations.
A deployment failed
Open Tools → Deployments, click Logs on the deployment, and ask the bot to fix what the logs show. Then Redeploy. See Deployments.
The app shows "Something went wrong on this screen"
Click Reload. If it keeps happening, click Copy details and send them to support.
The window is blank
If Machine Desktop opens to an empty window, quit it completely (from the
tray or Dock) and open it again. If it stays blank, Machine Desktop keeps a
log of what went wrong that support can use. Send them the file
renderer.log from:
| System | Folder |
|---|---|
| Windows | %APPDATA%\Machine Desktop\logs (paste this into File Explorer's address bar) |
| Mac | ~/Library/Logs/Machine Desktop (in Finder, choose Go → Go to Folder… and paste it) |
The log holds the app's errors and warnings, plus short notes about messages
being sent and the bot's computer waking. It isn't a copy of your
conversations, but have a quick look before you share it. When it gets
large, the older part moves to renderer.log.1.
Contact support
Collect this first:
- Diagnostics: Settings → General → Diagnostics → Export
Diagnostics…, on Machine Desktop. Choose where to save the file
(
machinebot-diagnostics.json, in your Downloads folder unless you pick another place). It holds the app's name and version, your system (Windows or Mac), the app's Electron version, and the time you exported it. No conversations, files, or passwords. - The conversation ID, for a problem in a specific thread: right-click the bot and choose Copy conversation ID.
- What you did, what you expected, and what happened. A screenshot helps.
Then contact Machine support with those details. Click your name at the bottom of the sidebar and choose Help Center for help and contact options.