Troubleshooting
Common product, notebook, runtime, sign-in, and billing problems and what to do next.
The Add-in Opens but Code Does Not Run
- Confirm the add-in opened normally and a notebook is open with a visible code cell.
- Retry with a minimal Python snippet instead of a larger document workflow.
- Wait 30–60 seconds on the first run while the runtime initializes.
- Note the Word client involved: Windows, Mac, or Word Online.
- If the session looks stuck, see Session stuck / kernel busy below.
- Capture the visible error text and send it to support if the problem persists.
Kernel Won't Start / First Run Hangs
- Wait at least 60 seconds on the first code execution — InkRider downloads runtime components on first use.
- Refresh the add-in pane (close and reopen InkRider in Word).
- Try a minimal cell:
1 + 1 - Restart the kernel from Application Settings or the Session Manager.
- See JupyterLite Runtime for browser-runtime limitations.
Code Runs but No Output Appears
- The last expression in a cell is displayed automatically. Use
print()for explicit text output. - Confirm the cell language is Python (not Markdown or Raw).
- Check whether output visibility is toggled off on the cell toolbar.
- Re-run the cell after fixing upstream cells that define variables it depends on.
Package Not Found (ModuleNotFoundError)
On JupyterLite (default runtime):
import micropip
await micropip.install("package_name")
If the package requires C extensions, it will not work in JupyterLite. To use that package, you'd have to witch to an external Jupyter Server (Pro feature).
On Jupyter Server: install the package in that environment with pip or conda, then restart the session.
Import Notebook Failed
- Confirm the file is valid
.ipynbJSON (open it in a text editor to check). - For clipboard import, paste the raw JSON, not a file path.
- Very large notebooks may hit storage limits — see Virtual Filesystem.
- See Importing Notebooks and Files for supported import methods.
Anchor Not Updating
- Re-run the cell that owns the anchor.
- Check whether the anchor is frozen (frozen anchors do not update on re-run).
- Look for a drift indicator — someone may have edited the anchored text manually in Word.
- See Cell Anchoring for full anchor management.
Anchor Drift Warning
A drift warning means the text in Word no longer matches what the cell last produced. This usually happens when someone edited anchored content by hand.
- Review the change in Word before re-running.
- Re-anchor if you want InkRider to overwrite the manual edit.
- See Cell Anchoring — Drift Detection.
Session Stuck / Kernel Busy
- Open the Session Manager and interrupt or restart the affected session.
- Close unused sessions to free resources (JupyterLite supports up to 3 parallel sessions).
- Restart the add-in if the session will not respond.
- See Runtimes and Kernels — Session Management.
Out of Memory / Browser Tab Crashed
- Restart the kernel to free memory.
- Reduce data size in your notebook (sample large datasets).
- Avoid infinite loops — InkRider's Resource Watchdog may terminate runaway cells.
- For large data workflows, use an external Jupyter Server.
Jupyter Server Connection Failed
- Confirm the server is running (
jupyter server --no-browser). - Check the Base URL and Token in Application Settings → Runtime.
- Use
http://localhost:8888for local servers; use HTTPS for remote servers. - CORS errors: configure your Jupyter Server to allow the add-in origin.
- HTTP 403: verify the token is correct and has not expired.
- See Using an External Jupyter Server for full setup.
Notebook Disappeared After Browser Change
Notebooks stored in IndexedDB are tied to your browser profile. They do not automatically transfer to a different browser or machine.
- Embed notebooks in the
.docxfor portability — see Embedding Notebooks in DOCX. - Export notebooks to disk from Asset Management.
- Import them again on the new browser.
Can't Find the Add-in in Word
- Go to Insert → Add-ins and search for InkRider.
- On Word Online, add-ins may require admin approval for your organization.
- Confirm you are using a supported Word client.
- Contact your IT administrator if the add-in is not available in your tenant's catalog.
I Cannot Sign In
- Double-check the email address you used.
- Use the password reset flow once to confirm mail delivery and account recovery.
- Try again in a fresh browser session if the auth state looks stale.
- If it still fails, send support the account email and the exact error text.
I Never Received the Email
- Check spam, junk, and filtered folders.
- Confirm you are looking at the same address used during signup or reset.
- Retry the action once to trigger a fresh email.
- If nothing arrives, contact support with the account email and the approximate time of the request.
My Billing or Plan State Looks Wrong
- Open the subscription page and review the visible plan state first.
- Compare the account email and expected plan against what you purchased or were granted.
- If you used a tester voucher or discount code, mention that in the support request.
- Email support with the account email, expected plan, and a short description of the mismatch.
I Need Help Fast
Include these details in the first message:
- account email
- Word client used
- runtime in use (JupyterLite or Jupyter Server)
- page or workflow involved
- expected result
- actual result
- error text or screenshot
For notebook-specific help, also mention:
- whether a notebook is embedded in the document
- the cell language and a minimal code snippet that reproduces the issue