Troubleshooting

Overview

We’ve done our best to make everything in this document as clear and thorough as possible. But, devices vary widely, from the operating system (OS) version you’re running, to your device’s current settings, and even your device’s age, speed, and storage capacity. The steps we outline here might not precisely match your specific device. They’re more like guidelines or suggestions that we’ve pulled together to help you get a sense of what you’re trying to accomplish.

For specific instructions, refer to your device’s documentation, look online, or ask a friend for help.
The most common reason the Bible App might not behave as you expect is that it loses its Internet connection. Before you try any of the procedures in this document, first make sure your device has a stable Internet connection.

If your Bible App or Bible.com experience is simply not working as you would expect it to, work your way through each procedure in the General Troubleshooting section, in order from first to last.

If you are having a specific issue with the Bible App or at Bible.com, look for it in the Specific Issues section, or in the Table of Contents, or search the text in this document (Windows: Ctrl + F, or Mac: ⌘ + F: ).


General Troubleshooting

If your Bible App or Bible.com experience is not working as you expect, work your way through each procedure in this General Troubleshooting section, in order from first to last. Each time you complete one of the following procedures, check your Bible App again. As soon as your app begins working as expected, you can stop troubleshooting.

If you are having a specific issue with the Bible App, look for it in the Specific Issues section, or in the Table of Contents, or search the text in this document (Ctrl + F).


Make sure you have the most up-to-date version

The Bible App

Android, iOS:

  1. Open the Play Store/App Store on your device.
  2. Select the Search field.
  3. In the Search field, search for YouVersion.
  4. Make sure you are looking at the correct Bible App:
  • Made by Life.Church—with a dot between Life and Church.
  • Android: The Bible App Free + Audio, Offline, Daily Study.
  • iOS: The app called simply, Bible.
    Again, make sure you are looking at YouVersion’s Bible app. Many apps use deceptive wording and make their logo look like YouVersion’s to try to trick you into installing their app. (Many of these apps make money through advertising or selling your data.) Refer to YouVersion’s Privacy Policy to see the ways that we protect you.
    iOS:
    The first several rows of Apple’s App Store contain advertisements, indicated by a small label:   Ad  . Many ads which appear here use deceptive wording and artwork to look like YouVersion’s Bible app. If you refer to an ad, make sure it is actually YouVersion’s Bible app, from Life.Church. (If you’re still not sure, here’s a direct link to our app.)
  1. If button says Open, your YouVersion Bible App is already up to date.
    OR
    If button says Update, select it, and allow the update process to complete.
  2. Try using the Bible App again, and see if it now works as you expect.

Bible.com:

Microsoft Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge

Microsoft no longer supports Internet Explorer, and Internet Explorer does not work reliably with Bible.com. For the best Bible.com experience, we recommend Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. But, if you will only use a browser from Microsoft, then you need their latest one, Microsoft Edge.

  1. Download or update Microsoft Edge here.
  2. Check Microsoft’s Edge website for support, help, and more.

Apple Safari

Although Bible.com (mostly) works with Apple Safari, we recommend Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox for the best Bible.com experience. But, if you will only use Apple Safari, then make sure you have the most recent version.

  1. Download or update Apple Safari here.
  2. Check Apple’s Safari website for support, help, and more.

Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox

We recommend Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox for the best Bible.com experience. Both are completely free.

Google Chrome

  1. Download or update Google Chrome here.
  2. Check Google’s Chrome website for support, help, and more.

Mozilla Firefox

  1. Download or update Mozilla Firefox here.
  2. Check Mozilla’s Firefox website for support, help, and more.

The Bible App for Windows

We first released a version of the Bible App for Microsoft’s Windows Phone in 2012. But, Microsoft discontinued support for Windows Phone and Windows Mobile apps years ago, so we no longer support that app. If you are still using our unsupported Bible App on an older Windows device:

  1. Sign in at Bible.com instead, and use your free YouVersion account.
    OR
  2. Upgrade to an Android or Apple device, and make sure you have the latest version of the Bible App.

Force close the app or website, then re-open it

Android, iOS:

  1. Display all your open apps.
    Android:
    Gesture: Swipe up from the bottom, hold, then let go.
    2-button: Swipe up from the bottom.
    3-button: Select Overview.
    iPhone X or later, iPad with iOS 12.2 or later, iPadOS:
    Home screen: Swipe up slowly from the bottom.
    iPhone 8 or earlier:
    Double-click the Home button.
  2. Swipe the Bible App off the screen.
  3. Try using the Bible App again, and see if it now works as you expect.

Bible.com:

To force the Bible.com website to reload in your browser, go to Bible.com, then press:

Google Chrome (Windows): Shift + F5   OR   Ctrl + Shift + r

Google Chrome (Mac): ⌘ + Shift + r

Mozilla Firefox (Windows): Shift + F5   OR   Ctrl + Shift + r

Mozilla Firefox (Mac): ⌘ + Shift + r

Microsoft Edge: Ctrl + Shift + r

Apple Safari: ⌘ + Shift + r


Clear your device’s memory

On devices like smart phones, tablets, and computers, apps store data in memory, also called cache, for short-term use. For most well-behaved apps and browsers, when you close them, they empty that memory space, freeing it for other apps to use. If an app or browser doesn’t close normally, its data may still be in that memory space. The next time you open that app, that leftover data can “confuse” the app, causing it to behave in unexpected ways. This procedure helps you manually clear out the memory space for your device.

Android, iOS:
  1. Open the Bible App.
  2. Select More (≡), Settings.
  3. Clear out the memory space. Select Clear Local Cache (Android). Bottom: Select Refresh (iOS), then Refresh to confirm.
  4. Try using the Bible App again, and see if it now works as you expect.

Bible.com:

Chrome:

  • Click the padlock situated before the website address
  • Click on cookies and site data
  • Click on manage cookies and site data
  • Then tap the delete icons and delete everything related to Bible.com
  • Reload the page and sign in (make sure you have your sign-in credentials first)

Safari:

  • Click Preferences under the Safari menu
  • Click the Privacy tab
  • Click : Manage Website Data”
  • Type Bible.com in the search box and select it.
  • Click remove

Firefox:

  • Click the padlock situated before the website address
  • Click “clear cookies and site data"
  • Click “remove”

Sign Out, then Sign In again

  1. Here’s how to Sign Out.
  2. Here’s how to Sign In.

Restart your device

Devices use various methods for shutting down and restarting, so the steps we outline here might not precisely match your particular device. We recommend that you refer to your specific device’s documentation, look online, or ask a friend for help.

Android:
  1. Press and hold your device’s power button until the Power Off and Restart options display.
  2. Select Restart, then Restart again to confirm, then wait for your device’s default screen to return.

Check Google’s Android website for more details.

iOS:
  1. Press and hold either volume button and the side button until the Power Off slider displays.
  2. Drag the slider, then wait for your device to completely turn off.
  3. To turn your device on again: Press and hold the side button until the Apple logo displays, then wait for your device’s default screen to return.

Check Apple’s Support website for more details.

Bible.com:

Windows: How to restart (reboot) your Windows computer (Microsoft Support Website).

Mac: How to restart your Mac computer (Apple Support Website).

Chromebook: How to sign out and turn off your Chromebook, then turn it back on and sign in again. (Google Support Website)


Remove the Bible App, then reinstall it

Every troubleshooting method we’ve suggested so far still leaves Bible App files on your device. If you’re still having issues, this method will give you a completely fresh install. But don’t worry: everything you’ve done with the Bible App—Highlights, Bookmarks, Prayers you’ve created, Plans you’ve completed, your current Streak, etc.—is all saved with your free YouVersion account, which is stored on our servers. When you sign in to your account again at the end of this procedure, you will still have all of those things, with one exception:

If you had any Bibles downloaded to your device, you will need to download those again.
iOS:
Only use this procedure if you have iOS 11 or later installed on your device. If you have a version earlier than iOS 11, your device may not allow you to reinstall the Bible App.
Before uninstalling the app, please make sure that you know your sign-in credentials 
Android:

Before you remove the Bible App:

  1. Clear Your Device’s Memory.
  2. Sign Out.

Android, iOS:
  1. Remove the Bible App.
  2. Reinstall the Bible App.
  3. Sign in.

Specific Issues

If you are having a specific issue with the Bible App or at Bible.com, look for it below in this Specific Issues section, or in the Table of Contents, or search the text of this document (Ctrl + F).

If your Bible App or Bible.com experience is simply not working as you would expect it to, work your way through each procedure in the General Troubleshooting section, in order from first to last.


Why did my Streak reset?

These are the most common reasons for a Streak to reset:

  1. You missed a day of opening the Bible App.
    AND/OR
  2. You were not signed in to your free YouVersion account when you opened the Bible App.
    AND/OR
  3. You were signed in when you opened the Bible App, but you have more than one free YouVersion account. (Each account has its own Streak.)
Tips for maintaining your Streak
  1. Open the Bible App at least once a day.
  2. Turn on Streaks reminders.
  3. Each day that you open the Bible App, check your Streak number, and watch it for 30-90 seconds. If your Streak does not increase by 1, ensure that you are signed in to your free YouVersion account. (Here’s how.)

Learn more about Streaks here.


My Streak doesn’t look right

In most cases, if your Streak does not display correctly, something is misconfigured, or data is cached that needs to be cleared.

  1. Try these Troubleshooting techniques.
    Do not proceed to Step 2 until you have first completed all of the Troubleshooting techniques from this Step.
  2. If you completed all of the Troubleshooting techniques from Step 1, but your Streak still does not look right, fill out the "Fix My Streak" form by selecting More on the bottom menu, scroll down and select Help, and select "Fix My Streak."
If you complete the form, and your Streak is restored, but it still does not look right, Clear the Bible App’s Memory.

My social media post doesn’t look right (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.)

To make it easy for you to post content directly from our apps, YouVersion uses the “sharing” features built in to your device’s operating system. Although we do our best to make sharing behave as you expect, manufacturers and social media companies often change their software, which may affect what your posts look like. Here are some ways that you can exercise more control over the appearance of content you post from YouVersion apps:

  1. Create a Verse Image.
  2. Copy and Paste the Text.
  3. Take a Screenshot.

Copy and paste the text
  1. Select the Bible tab.
  2. Find the Bible verse(s) you want to copy.
  3. Select each verse you want to copy.
    Android, iOS:
    Dotted lines display under each verse you select, with a menu of verse options underneath.
    1. Swipe the verse actions menu to Copy.
  4. Select Copy.
  5. Switch to the app or site where you want to paste the verse(s).
  6. Select the field where you want the verse(s), and select Paste.
    Android, iOS:
    You may need to “long-press” to see the Paste option.
    The verse(s) you copied are pasted, followed by the Bible reference and a link to the passage.
  7. Complete the normal process you use to post content to your social media.

Take a screenshot

A screenshot is a picture of whatever is displayed on your screen. Most devices store screenshots with your photos. Different devices use different methods for acquiring screenshots. Before you begin, you’ll need to know how to capture a screenshot on your specific device. Refer to your specific device’s documentation, look online, or ask a friend for help. Here are the recommended methods on the most common platforms:

  1. Select the Read tab.
  2. Find the Bible verse(s) you want to capture for your image.
  3. Scroll to ensure the Bible verse(s) you want to capture is visible on the screen.
  4. Take a screenshot. (Refer to the links above.)
  5. Switch to the app or site where you want to post the screenshot.
  6. Select the field where you want the screenshot, and use the same method you use to paste a picture from your device.
  7. Complete the normal process you use to post to your social media.

I don’t see the YouVersion email I expected

The most common reason you might not see an email from us is that your email provider mistakenly sent it to your “Spam” or “Junk” folder. We’ll explain below how you can see if that’s what happened in your case, and how you can fix it. The steps we outline here might not precisely match your email client. They’re more like guidelines or suggestions that we’ve pulled together to help you get a sense of what you’re trying to accomplish.

For more specific instructions, refer to your email’s documentation, look online, or ask a friend for help.
Check your Spam or Junk folder
Although you can attempt this procedure on a smartphone or tablet, moving an email between folders is usually easier on a computer. To give you the most control over the process, we recommend that you do it on a laptop or desktop computer, and either use your email software, or go through your email service’s website.
  1. Sign in to your email Inbox.
  2. Look for a folder, category, or section labeled something like “Spam” or “Junk,” and select it.
    This folder is usually somewhere underneath the main categories of Inbox, Drafts, Sent, etc.
  3. In your Spam or Junk folder: Look for emails from YouVersion or from YouVersion - the Bible App.
  4. If you see an email that looks like it’s from us: hover over the YouVersion part and wait a few seconds, until the return email address displays.
    If the return address says no-reply@youversion.com, then that email is from us.
  5. If your email program allows you to mark emails as “Not Spam”:
    Do that to any emails you have from us.
    If not:
    Manually move any YouVersion emails from your Spam or Junk folder to your Inbox.
    Some email clients let you “click and drag” an email to your Inbox folder using your trackpad or mouse. Other clients require that you first select the email you want to move, then select a Move To button, usually located near the top of the screen.
  6. Once your YouVersion emails are in your Inbox:
    You should be able to interact with them just as you would any other emails.
  7. To ensure that you receive our emails in the future:
    Complete the following procedure to Add YouVersion to your “Safe Senders” list.
Add YouVersion to your “Safe Senders” list
  1. With your email Inbox still open:
    Go to your email service’s Settings.
    You may need to go a level deeper than basic Settings, such as to “Advanced Settings,” “All Settings,” “More Settings,” or something similar.
  2. Look for a tab or setting called something like “Junk email,” “Spam filter,” or something similar, and select it.
  3. Look for a section called something like “Safe Senders,” “Allowed Addresses,” “Blocked List,” “Whitelist,” or something similar.
  4. If your Blocked List shows our email address, no-reply@youversion.com, or our domain, “youversion.com,” then follow the prompts to remove or delete them from it.
  5. If you have a Safe Senders or similar section, follow the prompts to add an email address or domain to it:
    If your email service allows you to add domains, add youversion.com.
    If your email service allows you to add email addresses, add no-reply@youversion.com.
  6. Be sure you select Save before you exit.

If after completing these two procedures, you still are not receiving emails from us, contact your email service provider or your IT department and ask for help.

Bible.com is blocked by my web browser

Some features at Bible.com may conflict with web browser extensions that block advertising or offer enhanced security. Every service that YouVersion offers is completely free to you and our partners, with no advertising and no strings attached. (Refer to our Privacy Policy for more details.) If you use an ad blocker or other browser extensions, and you are experiencing problems with pages on Bible.com, try the suggestions below. For each of the following, refer to your browser extension’s Settings or Help for more specific instructions, or look for help online:

  1. “Pause” your ad blocker or browser extension, then reload the Bible.com page you’ve had trouble with. If that fixes the issue:
  2. Consider adding Bible.com to your browser extension’s “whitelist.”

My audio is not working properly in the Bible App

When I listen to the reading of the Bible verses I had music in the background but somehow the background music stopped and I don’t know how to get it back.
  1. Select the Bible tab, if it isn’t already.
  2. Top right: Select the Speaker Icon.
  3. Select to Switch Narrator, which will re-enable audio listening.

My audio suddenly stopped working.
  • Change the Bible version, and make sure that the Version you’re choosing has the audio icon next to its name in the list
  • A version has the audio icon in the list but when I chose it there’s no audio:
Some versions have partial audio, which means that only one of the Testaments has audio. If you're trying to listen to a version that doesn't have audio, the audio icon will disappear.
To check which Testament, or even which books, have audio, simply Top: Select the book name. Then, in the list of books, those with audio will have an audio icon next to their name.

I cannot see the audio play button.
  1. Select the Bible tab, if it isn’t already.
  2. Top right: Select the Speaker Icon.
  3. Bottom center: Select Show Controls.

iOS only:

If you still cannot see the play button, go to your phone settings, then “display & brightness,” then change the “Display zoom” to “Default.” 

How do I skip ahead to a verse instead of the audio going back to the very first verse of a chapter?
  1. Select the Bible tab, if it isn’t already.
  2. Top right: Select the Speaker Icon.
  3. Use the rewind button* (on the left) or the forward button* (on the right) to move one Verse at a time.

Is there a setting for the audio to continue from one chapter to the next without stopping?

When you start a Chapter, the Audio/Narrator will keep reading to the end of the chapter and then go on to the next chapter automatically, and it will not stop until you stop it.

In the Bible app, my audio is too slow or too fast.
  1. Select the Bible tab, if it isn’t already.
  2. Top right: Select the Speaker Icon.
  3. Bottom left: Select the 1X icon
    To make the audio faster, choose a larger number; to make it slower, choose a smaller number.

Why can't I listen to only a particular verse?

The audio always starts from the beginning of a chapter. However, you can only listen to a single verse in these cases:

  1. If you tap on the Verse of the day and then “Read” then tap on the audio icon and “Play”
  2. If you select a verse from the chapter and tap "compare," you can choose a preferred version. Then, click on the verse in that version and click the audio icon to play it.

If you still need help

  1. If you can, take a screenshot that shows where your issue is happening.
A screenshot is a picture of whatever is displayed on your screen. Most devices store screenshots with your photos. Different devices use different methods for acquiring screenshots. (Here are some of the most common methods.) Refer to your specific device’s documentation, look online, or ask a friend for help.

Android, iOS:

  1. Select More (≡), Help, Contact Support/Email Support.
    1. If prompted, select your preferred email app.
    The Bible App generates an email containing relevant information about your device and settings.
  2. Edit the email Subject with a short description of your issue.
    Example: Can’t Select a Highlight Color
  3. In the body of the email, describe the issue you’re having. Include answers to these questions:
  • Is the Bible App displaying an error message?
  • If yes, what does it say?
  • If you try doing the same thing again, do you see the same error message?
  • If yes, what are the steps that seem to generate the error?
  • Is there anything else you can think of that might help us understand what’s happening?
  1. Insert the screenshot you took in Step 1 into the email.
    Different devices use different methods for inserting images. You may need to “long-press” to see an Insert Image or Insert Photo option. Refer to your specific device’s documentation, look online, or ask a friend for help.
  2. Send the email to us.

Bible.com:

  1. Bottom center: Select Help.
  2. Top right: Select Contact.
  3. Fill out the form as completely as you can.
  4. Bottom: Select Submit Form.


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