Display troubleshooting

When displays don’t work as expected, use this guide to diagnose and resolve common issues.

Guided troubleshooting

The fastest path is the built-in guided check. Open the display card to bring up its Display Detail panel, then under Troubleshoot click Something isn’t working. You’ll be asked what you’re seeing — My screen is dark, My screen is locked or frozen, or My screen is not updating — and BrandCast checks the connection and hands off to Twig for next steps.

Quick diagnostic

You can also read the display’s status directly on its card:

Status	Meaning	Action
Online	Connected to BrandCast right now and playing	Check content assignment
Offline	The live connection to BrandCast has dropped	Usually self-recovers within a minute or two; see Display loses connection intermittently before troubleshooting
Sleeping	Inside a night schedule	Normal during off-hours; check the schedule if unexpected
Unpaired	No device claimed yet	Complete the pairing process

Connection issues

Display shows “Offline”

Check device connectivity:

1. Verify the display device has internet access — try loading any website in the device’s browser.
2. Check WiFi signal strength or try a wired ethernet connection.
3. Verify no firewall is blocking secure web connections (HTTPS, port 443).

Restart the connection:

1. Refresh the browser on the display device.
2. Close and reopen the browser (or restart the BrandCast app on Sentinel hardware).
3. Power cycle the display device.
4. If the problem persists, open the display’s detail panel and use Unpair · Change device on this display to re-pair with the fresh code shown on the device.

Display loses connection intermittently

A brief Offline flicker is often normal and needs no action. A display running in a regular browser tab — a computer or tablet with BrandCast open in a browser, rather than a dedicated always-on device or kiosk — can momentarily show Offline whenever the tab is backgrounded, the computer goes to sleep, or the network blips. Any of these drops the display’s live connection to BrandCast. The display keeps playing through it and returns to Online automatically within a minute or two once it reconnects — the admin status dot self-corrects on its own.

Only work through the checklist below if a display stays Offline instead of recovering:

• Check for WiFi interference (microwave ovens, crowded networks, distance from router).
• Consider switching to a wired ethernet connection for more reliable signage.
• Verify the device’s power settings don’t allow the screen or browser to sleep.
• Check whether the TV has an auto-off feature enabled — disable it for signage use.

Tip: For a display that must never flicker Offline, run it on a dedicated always-on device or kiosk rather than a browser tab you also use for other things.

Pairing code not working

1. Wrong characters — codes use uppercase letters and digits. Double-check each character and don’t include the BC- placeholder prefix.
2. Stale code — the device rolls its code over periodically. Reload the device and use the code currently on screen.
3. Wrong URL — confirm the device is visiting displays.brandcast.app.

See Pairing Devices for the full flow.

Session recovery

BrandCast’s display app is designed to recover automatically from interruptions. If the display browser is closed and reopened, or if the device briefly loses power, the display picks up where it left off using its last known schedule and content. You don’t need to re-pair after a brief outage.

If the display comes back showing a loading screen that doesn’t clear within a minute, try refreshing the browser page. If it still doesn’t recover, power cycle the device.

Content issues

No content showing (blank screen)

1. Open the display in your admin dashboard to bring up its detail panel.
2. Under Content source, confirm a layout, playlist, or schedule is assigned.
3. If it’s a playlist, make sure the playlist has content items in it and that they’re enabled and not expired.
4. Click Refresh content to force a sync and wait 60 seconds.

Wrong content showing

1. Review active schedules for this display and verify the time and day settings.
2. Check schedule priority levels — a higher-priority schedule may be overriding what you expect.
3. Confirm the correct layout, playlist, or schedule is selected under Content source.
4. Check the display’s Timezone in its detail panel if times seem off.

Content not updating

1. Wait 60 seconds — content syncs automatically on a short interval.
2. Click Refresh content in the display’s detail panel.
3. For connected content (Google Slides, Google Docs, etc.), verify the source document is updated and the connection is still authorized.
4. If using a schedule spreadsheet, verify the file is still accessible.

Images look wrong

Problem	Solution
Blurry	Use higher-resolution source images
Stretched or cropped	Use content that matches your display’s aspect ratio
Rotated	Verify the screen is physically mounted in the orientation the content was designed for

Video problems

Video won’t play: Verify the format — MP4 files with standard encoding work best. Re-upload or re-encode the video if needed.

Video stutters or freezes: Reduce the video resolution or bitrate. Check that the device has sufficient network bandwidth and RAM.

No audio: Check the mute setting in the content configuration, and verify the TV’s own audio isn’t muted.

Performance issues

Display is slow or laggy

1. Close any other apps running on the display device.
2. Reduce the number of content items in the active playlist.
3. Optimize images by compressing and resizing them before uploading.
4. Limit the number of videos in a single playlist rotation.
5. Consider upgrading the display hardware if problems persist.

Display freezes

1. Refresh the browser page on the device.
2. Restart the browser or the BrandCast app.
3. Power cycle the display device.
4. If a specific content item always causes a freeze, remove it from the playlist and re-upload or recreate it.

Visual issues

Content looks rotated

The screen is mounted in a different orientation than the content was designed for. Either remount the screen or design the layout for the orientation the screen is in.

Black bars around the content

The content’s proportions don’t match the display’s proportions. Use content that matches your display’s aspect ratio.

Colors look wrong

Disable the TV’s picture enhancement or “vivid” modes. These features process the image in ways that make digital signage look inaccurate. Use the TV’s “Standard” or “Custom” picture setting.

Reset the display

As a last resort:

1. Soft reset — Refresh the browser on the device.
2. Re-pair — Use Unpair · Change device on this display in the detail panel and pair the device again with its fresh code.
3. Recreate — Use Delete Display in the panel’s Danger Zone and create a new one.

Getting more help

If problems persist after troubleshooting:

1. Contact support with the display name, device type, and a description of what you’ve tried.

Information to gather before contacting support

• Display name and its status in the dashboard
• Device type (TV brand, streaming stick, computer, Sentinel tier, etc.) and browser
• Exact error messages you see
• When the problem started and what changed around that time
• Steps you’ve already tried