Player Issues
Problems with the audio player — loading failures, live streaming issues, missing features, or display problems.
Player not loading
Stream is disabled
If the player shows an error or blank page:
- Go to Stream Settings in the dashboard
- Check that the stream is active (not suspended or terminated)
- If the stream is suspended, it needs to be reactivated
Wrong URL
Make sure you're using the correct player URL:
- Default:
https://player.autopod.xyz/app/your-station-slug/ - Custom domain:
https://your-custom-domain.com/
The station slug is your RSS filename — you can find it in Stream Settings.
Browser issues
Try these steps:
- Clear your browser cache and cookies
- Try a different browser
- Disable browser extensions (ad blockers can sometimes interfere)
- Check the browser console (F12 → Console tab) for error messages
Live streaming not working
URL must use HTTPS
The most common cause of live streaming issues is an HTTP URL. The player requires HTTPS:
https://stream.example.com:8000/live (correct)
http://stream.example.com:8000/live (won't work)
Update the live stream URL in Player Settings to use HTTPS.
Live streaming not enabled
- Go to Player Settings in the dashboard
- Check that Live Enabled is toggled on
- Check that a Live Stream URL is entered
Stream is unreachable
If the URL is correct and HTTPS, but live audio won't play:
- Test the stream URL directly in a browser — paste it in the address bar and see if audio plays
- Check with your stream provider that the stream is online
- Make sure the stream supports CORS (cross-origin requests) — some Icecast configurations need a CORS header added
Audio format
The player supports these live stream formats:
- MP3
- AAC
- HLS (HTTP Live Streaming)
If your stream uses a different format (e.g., Ogg Vorbis), it may not play in all browsers.
Missing features
The player has several feature toggles in Player Settings. If something is missing, check these settings:
| Missing feature | Setting to enable |
|---|---|
| Schedule not showing | Show Schedule |
| Search not available | Show Search |
| Shows list not visible | Show Shows |
| Share buttons gone | Show Share |
| Episode sidebar missing | Show Sidebar |
| Now playing info missing | Show Now Playing |
| Icecast track title missing | Show Icecast Track |
Colours not matching
Understanding the colour cascade
The player uses three colour settings with a fallback chain:
| Colour role | What it affects | Falls back to |
|---|---|---|
| Accent colour | Interactive elements (buttons, links, progress bar) | Brand colour → Stream colour |
| Brand colour | Station badge and branding | Stream colour |
| Background tint | Background gradient | Brand colour → Stream colour |
If you set only the stream colour (in Stream Settings), all three roles use it. You can override each one independently in Player Settings.
Colour format
Colours must be valid hex format: # followed by 6 hex characters (e.g., #2563eb, #FF0000). Invalid values are ignored and the fallback colour is used instead.
Theme mode
The player supports three theme modes:
- System — follows the visitor's device preference (dark or light)
- Dark — always dark
- Light — always light
If the colours look different from what you expected, the theme mode may be affecting the appearance.
Audio not playing
Browser autoplay restrictions
Browsers block audio autoplay by default. The listener must interact with the page (click, tap) before audio can play. This is a browser security policy, not an AutoPod limitation.
Audio file not found
If a specific episode won't play, the audio file may have been deleted (past its retention period) or the URL may be broken. Check the episode in the dashboard — if the file is missing, it can't be recovered after the retention period.
Mixed content
If the player is loaded over HTTPS but the audio file URL is HTTP, the browser will block it. All AutoPod-hosted audio uses HTTPS. This is only an issue if you're using external audio URLs (via the API) that use HTTP.
PWA / installed app issues
App shows old content
The installed PWA caches resources for performance. To force an update:
- Close the app completely
- Reopen it — the service worker checks for updates automatically
- If still stale, uninstall and reinstall the PWA
Notifications not working
- Android/Chrome: Make sure notifications are allowed in your device settings for the player domain
- iOS: Notifications require the full PWA installation (Add to Home Screen). They don't work in Safari browser mode.
- Desktop: Check browser notification permissions for the player domain
App icon or name is wrong
The PWA manifest is generated from your current station settings. If you've changed your station name or image:
- The manifest updates automatically
- Existing installations may take time to refresh — close and reopen the app
- For stubborn cases, uninstall and reinstall the PWA
Custom domain issues
Domain not resolving
After adding a custom domain:
- Create a CNAME DNS record pointing to
player.autopod.xyz - Wait for DNS propagation (can take up to 48 hours, usually much faster)
- Check the domain status in the dashboard — it shows "Pending" until verified
SSL certificate errors
SSL certificates are provisioned automatically after DNS verification. If you see certificate errors:
- Make sure the CNAME record is correct
- Wait a few minutes for the certificate to be issued
- Try accessing the domain again