# Design troubleshooting

Fixes for designs that won't open or save, agents that stop or can't see the canvas, Inspiration that won't search, and layers that don't look right.

Canonical page: https://themachine.myapps.ai/docs/desktop/design/troubleshooting

## Opening and saving

| What you see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| **This design can't be opened** | The folder moved, or `design/design.json` is missing or broken. | Click **Try again**, or **Choose another folder**. If an agent or editor broke `design.json`, undo that change in the file or ask an agent to fix it. |
| **This artboard can't be shown** | One artboard's file is broken or missing. The others still work, and Design never writes over a broken file. | Ask the agent to fix it. If an agent just changed it, a red line in the chat offers **Fix it**. |
| **Not saved** in the top bar | A save failed, often because another program is holding the file. Design keeps your change and tries again on its own every few seconds. **Not saved** stays until every change is written, even if other artboards save in the meantime. | Point at **Not saved** to see why. Close programs that may have the file open; it turns back to **Saved** once the change lands. Keep Machine open until then. |
| **is a link to another folder; Machine won't save through it** | A folder inside `design/` (or `design/` itself) is a shortcut link to somewhere else on your computer. Design only saves inside the folder you picked. | Replace the link with a real folder (move the files into it), then make a small change to save again. |
| A design is missing from **Recent designs** | Its folder was moved, renamed or deleted. | Click **Choose a folder** and pick it where it is now. |
| **That artboard is too large to save** | An artboard's file is over 2 MB, usually from a big picture pasted into it. | Use an Image layer for big pictures (they're saved in `design/assets`), or ask the agent to slim the board down. |

## Agents

| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| No models are listed, or Design settings › Chats says **Starting Machine Code…** | Machine Code starts in the background the first time. Wait a moment, then open the menu again. |
| *"Install Claude Code on this computer to prompt here…"* | Machine Code isn't available, so Design has no agent to run. Update Machine Desktop, or install Claude Code. Any agent can still edit the design's files directly. |
| The chat says **Waiting for you** | The agent asked something. Scroll the chat to the card and answer it, or turn on **Auto** so it doesn't ask. |
| **No change for 60s** (or longer) | The agent may be on a big step. Wait, click **Nudge** to have it carry on, or **Stop**. |
| **The agent took too long.** | Design stops following a turn after 30 minutes. The agent may still be running in Machine Code: check there, or ask it to carry on, one board at a time. |
| **Generate an image…** says Pixio isn't connected | Connect Pixio to your Machine project (Design settings › **Connections** shows what's connected), then try again. |
| Claude Code or Cursor can't see the design | Machine Desktop must be open. If you clicked **Reset key**, copy the new setup from Design settings › **Connect another agent** and add it again. Design chats from before the reset need a **New chat**. |
| A board the agent built looks broken (text cut off, things off the edge) | Ask it to *"check the board with canvas_view and fix what's off"*. It sees the same problems Design does. |
| Credits ran out | Add credits in [Usage and billing](/docs/desktop/settings/usage-and-billing), or switch to a model on your own Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor plan. |

## Inspiration

| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| **Sign in to Machine to search** | You're not signed in. Sign in to Machine Desktop, then open Inspiration again. |
| **Couldn't search Mobbin** with *"Too many searches. Wait a minute and try again."* | You searched a lot in a short time. Wait a minute. |
| **Couldn't search Mobbin** with another reason | Mobbin didn't answer. Click **Try again** in a minute. |
| **Nothing matched** | Try other words, or switch between **iOS** and **Web**. |

## How things look

| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| A font looks wrong | Fonts from Google Fonts load by name when you're online: check the spelling against fonts.google.com, or pick it from the font list. Other fonts must be installed on your computer. Install the font, or pick one you have. |
| A picture doesn't show | A link may have stopped working. Upload the picture instead, or drop it onto the artboard. |
| Shift+1 or Shift+2 don't zoom | These follow a US keyboard layout. Click the zoom percentage to fit everything, or right-click and choose **Zoom to selection**. |
| I deleted an artboard by mistake | Press **Ctrl+Z** (**⌘Z** on Mac). |
| *"That page didn't load"* when importing a website | Check the address in a browser. Some sites block automated visits; try another page of the site, or import your own copy running on this computer (such as `localhost:3000`). |
| An imported website looks a little different | The website's own fonts and animations aren't brought over, and what scripts draw (charts, maps, videos) is left out. Edit the layers, or ask the agent to tidy the board. |
| I want an earlier version back, and undo doesn't reach it | Open **Version history** (the clock in the top bar), pick a version, and click **Restore this version**, or copy just one board back. See [Version history](/docs/desktop/design/version-history). |
| **Couldn't restore** | Design couldn't read that version or save the design first. Try again, or try an earlier version. Your design hasn't changed. |
| **This version can't be shown** | That version's files are damaged, often from changes made by hand in `design/.history`. Pick another version. |
| **No versions yet** | Versions are saved as you work. Make a change, or click **Save a version…**. |

## Still stuck?

- Make sure Machine Desktop is up to date. See [Updates](/docs/desktop/get-started/updates).
- Check the general [Troubleshooting](/docs/desktop/troubleshooting) page.