Phone shows Offline

A phone shows Offline when the studio can't reach it. The phone card says since when and on which computer. Almost always it is one of the causes below, in this order.

1. The agent isn't running

The phone talks to the studio through the agent on its computer. If the agent stopped, all of that computer's phones go Offline. Check:

• Is the computer asleep or restarted? Wake it up. Stop it from sleeping while flows and schedules should run.
• Is the agent's window still open? Closing the Terminal or PowerShell window stops the agent. Start it again: on a Mac or Linux ~/.tether/bin/tether-agent, on Windows & "$HOME\.tether\bin\tether-agent.exe".
• Is it updating? When a new version arrives the agent restarts itself, between runs, never during one. Its phones show Offline for a few seconds and come back by themselves.
• Is it too old? If the studio shows a notice that a computer needs an agent update, start the agent again: it updates itself before it connects. See Updates and versions.

Settings → Computers shows each computer as Online or Offline. Account → Email me when can email you when a computer goes offline.

2. The cable or USB connection

• Unplug the cable and plug it back in. Try another port.
• Use a cable that carries data; some charging cables don't.
• Avoid unpowered USB hubs for several phones.
• On Windows, some phones need their maker's USB driver. tether-agent doctor (below) says where to get it.

3. The phone forgot this computer

If the phone shows Tap Allow on the phone, unlock it and tap Allow with Always allow from this computer ticked. If it keeps happening every week, turn on Disable adb authorization timeout in Developer options (Connect an Android phone).

USB debugging can also switch off after a system update. Check it's still on.

4. Check from the computer

• ~/.tether/bin/tether-agent doctor (Windows: & "$HOME\.tether\bin\tether-agent.exe" doctor) checks adb, the screen helper and whether each phone has allowed this computer, and says what to fix.
• adb devices should list the phone as device. unauthorized means tap Allow on the phone; nothing listed means a cable or USB debugging problem.

A run stopped with "disconnected"

If a phone dropped mid-run, the run stops and says so. Fix the connection, then run it again. Runs that say the computer restarted need the agent running again.

Still Offline? Choose Contact support in the studio's ? menu, or email [email protected], with the phone model and what tether-agent doctor printed.