Troubleshooting & FAQ - Docs

Overview

This guide covers the most common issues users encounter with HashBar and provides step-by-step solutions. Start with the most relevant section for your issue, then work through the troubleshooting steps.

Announcement Bars Not Showing

Issue: Bar Published But Not Visible on Site

Step 1: Verify Bar is Published

Log in to WordPress dashboard
Go to HashBar → Announcement Bars
Check that your bar shows status: Published
If status is "Draft", click Publish
Save changes

Step 2: Check Targeting Settings

Open the bar editor
Go to Targeting section
Verify page targeting:
- Is it set to "All Pages" or does it include your current page?
- If "Specific Pages", is your current page listed?
- Test by setting to "All Pages" temporarily
Check device targeting:
- Is your device type checked? (Desktop/Tablet/Mobile)
- Test by selecting all devices
Check user targeting:
- Is "All Users" selected or do you match the criteria?
- If "Logged-in only", try as logged-in user
Check geographic targeting:
- Is "All Countries" selected or is your country included?
- If specific countries only, ensure your location is included

Step 3: Check Scheduling

Open the bar editor
Go to Scheduling section
Verify if scheduling is enabled:
- If enabled, is the current date/time within the scheduled range?
- Check start date hasn't passed (if in future, wait or disable scheduling)
- Check end date hasn't passed yet
- Verify timezone is correct
If scheduling seems wrong, toggle it OFF to test

Step 4: Clear Cache

Go to HashBar → Settings
Find Cache Settings
Click Clear Cache Now
Refresh your website page

Step 5: Clear Browser Cache

Hard refresh your browser:
- Windows: Ctrl + Shift + R
- Mac: Cmd + Shift + R
Or clear browser cache manually
Reload the page

Step 6: Check for Caching Plugins

If you have a caching plugin (WP Super Cache, W3 Total Cache, etc.):
- Clear that plugin's cache as well
- Or temporarily disable the caching plugin
If you use Cloudflare:
- Clear Cloudflare cache in Cloudflare dashboard

Step 7: Test in Different Browser/Device

Try a different browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari)
Try a different device (mobile, tablet, desktop)
Try incognito/private browsing mode
This helps isolate if it's browser-specific

Step 8: Check Browser Console for Errors

Press F12 to open developer tools
Go to Console tab
Look for red error messages
Common errors:
- "Cannot find HashBar" - plugin not loading
- JavaScript errors - theme/plugin conflict
- CORS errors - security issue
Note any error messages for support

Issue: Bar Was Showing, Now It's Gone

Possible Causes

Accidentally unpublished the bar
Scheduling end date has passed
Frequency control reached its limit (e.g., "once ever")
Theme or plugin update broke compatibility

Solutions

Check bar status (Published vs. Draft)
Check scheduling dates/times
Check frequency control settings
Try disabling recently installed plugins
Revert theme to previous version if updated

Popup Campaigns Not Triggering

Issue: Popup Set to Show But Doesn't Appear

Step 1: Verify Popup is Published

Go to HashBar → Popups
Check popup status is Published (not Draft)
Publish if needed

Step 2: Check Trigger Type

Open popup editor
Find Trigger section
Verify trigger type:
- Page Load: Should appear when page loads
- Time Delay: Will appear X seconds after page load
- Exit Intent: Only appears when user tries to leave
- Scroll: Appears after scrolling X% down
For delayed triggers, wait the configured time

Step 3: Check Targeting

Open popup editor
Go to Targeting section
Verify:
- Page targeting includes your current page
- Device type is selected
- User type matches (all, logged-in, guest)
- Geographic targeting includes your location (if Pro)

Step 4: Check Frequency Control

Open popup editor
Find Frequency Control
Check the frequency setting:
- If "Once Ever", have you already seen it? (check another browser/device)
- If "Once Per Day", has 24 hours passed? (check different day)
- If "Once Per Session", try new session/new browser tab
Temporarily change to "Every Page Load" to test

Step 5: Check Scheduling

Open popup editor
Go to Scheduling section
If enabled:
- Is current date/time within start and end dates?
- Has end date passed?
Temporarily disable scheduling to test

Step 6: Clear Cache

Go to HashBar → Settings
Click Clear Cache Now
Clear browser cache (Ctrl+Shift+R or Cmd+Shift+R)

Step 7: Test Exit Intent (if applicable)

If your popup uses exit-intent trigger:

Move mouse to the very top of the window
This simulates mouse leaving the page
Popup should appear

Step 8: Check Browser Console

Press F12 for developer tools
Go to Console tab
Look for JavaScript errors
Check for popup-related messages

Issue: Popup Shows Too Often or Too Infrequently

Too Frequently

Problem: Seeing popup on every page or too many times
Check: Frequency control setting in popup editor
Solution: Change from "Every Page Load" to "Once Per Day" or "Once Per Session"
Test: Clear browser cookies to reset frequency

Too Infrequently

Problem: Not seeing popup when expected
Check: Frequency control setting
Solution: Change from "Once Per Day" to "Once Per Session"
Test: Open new browser tab or new browser window

Conflicts with Themes and Plugins

Issue: Bar/Popup Styling Broken or Not Appearing

Identify the Conflicting Plugin

Go to Plugins in WordPress dashboard
Deactivate all plugins except HashBar
Test if bar/popup now works
If it works:
- Re-activate plugins one by one
- Test after each activation
- When it breaks, you've found the conflict

Identify Theme Conflicts

Switch to a default WordPress theme (Twenty Twenty-Three)
Test if bar/popup works
If it works, your theme is the issue
Contact theme developer for compatibility

Issue: Button Styling or Colors Wrong

CSS Conflict

Check browser developer tools (F12)
Inspect the button element
Look for CSS that's overriding HashBar styles
Common culprits:
- Theme button styles
- Global CSS from other plugins
- Custom CSS from page builder

Solutions

Go to HashBar → Settings
Add custom CSS to override conflicting styles
Or disable the conflicting plugin/theme feature

Issue: Animation Not Working

Check Animation Settings

Open bar/popup editor
Go to Design or Animation section
Verify animation is enabled
Check animation type is selected

Check for Animation Plugin Conflicts

Disable animation plugins temporarily
Check if HashBar animation works
If it works, there's a conflict with the animation plugin

Cache Issues and Solutions

Issue: Changes Not Appearing

Clear All Caches

HashBar Cache: Go to Settings, click "Clear Cache Now"
Browser Cache: Ctrl+Shift+R (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+R (Mac)
Plugin Cache: If you use WP Super Cache, W3 Total Cache, etc., clear those
Cloudflare: If using Cloudflare, clear cache in Cloudflare dashboard

Disable Cache Temporarily

Go to HashBar → Settings
Disable caching temporarily
Test if changes appear immediately
Re-enable caching after testing

Issue: Old Content Still Showing

Multiple Cache Layers

Multiple caches might be active:

HashBar cache (30 mins default)
WordPress plugin cache
Browser cache
Cloudflare/CDN cache

Solution

Clear HashBar cache
Clear plugin caches (if any)
Clear browser cache
Clear Cloudflare/CDN cache
Wait 5 minutes
Hard refresh browser and visit page

Performance Issues

Issue: Website Slow After Installing HashBar

Check Performance Settings

Go to HashBar → Settings
Find Performance Optimization section
Enable:
- Minify CSS ✓
- Minify JavaScript ✓
- Async JavaScript Loading ✓
Save settings

Reduce Number of Bars/Popups

Check how many active bars/popups you have
Large number of campaigns can slow pages
Archive old/unused campaigns
Consolidate similar campaigns

Check Analytics Setting

If you don't need analytics, consider disabling it
Go to Settings → Analytics
Toggle Enable Analytics OFF
This slightly reduces database queries

Test with Other Plugins Disabled

Disable other plugins one by one
Test website speed
Find which plugin(s) are causing slowness

Issue: High Database Load

Enable Cache

Go to HashBar → Settings
Enable HashBar caching
Set cache duration to 30 minutes or more
This reduces database queries significantly

Clean Up Old Analytics Data

Go to Settings → Data Retention
Set retention to 30-90 days
Old data automatically deletes
Or click Clear All Analytics to delete now

Browser Compatibility

Issue: Bar/Popup Doesn't Work in Specific Browser

Check Browser Compatibility

Browser	Support Status	Min Version
Chrome	Fully supported	Last 2 versions
Firefox	Fully supported	Last 2 versions
Safari	Fully supported	Last 2 versions
Edge	Fully supported	Last 2 versions
IE 11	Limited support	IE 11 only

IE 11 Issues

Limited Support: IE 11 has partial support
Solution: Recommend users upgrade to modern browser
Fallback: Create simple HTML fallback bar

Issue: Mobile Display Broken

Check Responsive Design

Open bar/popup editor
Go to Design section
Adjust width and padding for mobile
Test on actual mobile device (not just browser resize)

Check Mobile Targeting

Verify mobile is selected in device targeting
Check button size (min 40x40px for touch)
Check text readability on small screens

Email Integration Issues

Issue: Mailchimp Integration Not Working

Verify API Key

Go to HashBar → Settings
Find Mailchimp Integration
Verify API key is entered correctly
API key should be at least 30 characters
Try generating a new API key in Mailchimp if issues persist

Check Audience Selection

Ensure an audience/list is selected
Verify audience exists in your Mailchimp account
Confirm audience is not archived

Test Email Submission

Create a test popup with email form
Submit a test email
Check your Mailchimp audience for the email
If not there, check browser console for errors

Issue: Emails Not Appearing in Mailchimp

Check Double Opt-In

If double opt-in is enabled, check for confirmation email
Email won't appear until confirmation link is clicked
Check spam folder for confirmation email

Check Subscriber Status

Log in to Mailchimp
Go to your audience
Search for the email address
If found, check subscriber status (pending, subscribed, unsubscribed, etc.)

Analytics Not Recording

Issue: No Analytics Data Showing

Verify Analytics is Enabled

Go to HashBar → Settings
Check Enable Analytics is toggled ON
Save settings

Check Date Range

Go to bar/popup analytics
Check the date range selected
Ensure your test date is within the range
Try selecting "Last 7 Days"

Generate Test Data

Visit your site and view the bar/popup
Click it or interact with it
Refresh analytics page after a few seconds
Data should appear

Issue: Analytics Showing Incorrect Numbers

Check for Multiple Instances

You might have duplicate bars on some pages
Check your page builder for duplicate blocks
Check theme for hardcoded bars

External Traffic Sources

Unusual spikes might be from:
- External marketing campaigns
- Social media shares
- Bots or scrapers
Filter analytics by page/device to find pattern

Common Error Messages

Error: "HashBar plugin not activated"

Cause: Plugin is not active
Solution: Go to Plugins, find HashBar, click Activate

Error: "Database connection error"

Cause: Database problem
Solution: Check WordPress database settings in wp-config.php
Solution: Contact hosting provider if database is down

Error: "License key invalid"

Cause: License key is incorrect or expired
Solution: Check license key spelling
Solution: Renew license if it expired
Solution: Use deactivate/reactivate to refresh

Getting Help

Before Contacting Support

Try troubleshooting steps above
Clear all caches
Test with default theme and no other plugins
Test in incognito/private browser window

Information to Provide Support

WordPress version
HashBar version
Active theme name
List of installed plugins
PHP version
Any error messages (from browser console)
Screenshot of issue
Your website URL

Getting Support

Email: support@hashbar.com
Documentation: This help center
Include all relevant information above for faster resolution

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use HashBar on multiple sites?

A: Free plan: One site only. Pro plan: One site per license. Purchase additional licenses for more sites.

Q: How many bars/popups can I create?

A: Unlimited bars and popups on all plans.

Q: Will bars/popups slow down my site?

A: No, when properly configured with caching enabled. HashBar is optimized for performance.

Q: Can I use HashBar with my page builder?

A: Yes, HashBar includes blocks for Gutenberg, Elementor, WPBakery, and King Composer.

Q: Does HashBar work with WPML?

A: Yes, full WPML compatibility for multilingual sites.

Q: Can I export my analytics data?

A: Yes, export as CSV from the analytics dashboard.

Q: Is HashBar GDPR compliant?

A: Yes, all visitor data is stored locally. Use double opt-in for email capture and privacy disclosures.