Troubleshooting: Web app does not load

By Suzanne O’Regan · Updated Oct 21, 2025

If the Paperpile web app is stuck on the loading screen and doesn’t progress, it may be due to a local database issue. You can usually resolve this by resetting the database and restarting the sync process.

The Paperpile web app stuck on a “Setting up your library” loading screen, with a part-filled progress bar and a note that this is done once so the app starts faster next time.

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Open the Debug Logs Page

Right-click anywhere on a webpage and select: Paperpile > Send debug logs...

This will open the “Paperpile debug logs” interface in a new browser tab.

A red heading reading “Right-click anywhere on the page” above the Chrome context menu, with a red arrow pointing to the Paperpile submenu open on “Open Paperpile” and a highlighted “Send debug logs…”.

2. Click “Reset database”

On the debug logs page, locate and click the Reset database button. This will clear your local Paperpile data and prepare the app to re-sync.

The Paperpile debug logs page with a diagnostic dump of extension, browser and database details, and the circled “Reset database” button below Sync now, Reload extension and Test proxy connections buttons.

3. Restart the Paperpile web application

In the warning dialog, click Reset database to confirm.

A warning dialog asking for confirmation to reset the local database, with the “Reset database” button circled.

Once the database has been reset, relaunch the web application by either clicking the Paperpile extension button and selecting “Open Paperpile,” or by navigating directly to https://app.paperpile.com.