Overview
While we work hard to ensure Sunset runs smoothly, occasionally you may encounter technical issues like pages that won't load, screens that loop back to the same step, buttons that don't respond, or upload processes that freeze. Most of these issues can be resolved with simple troubleshooting steps, but if problems persist, we're here to help fix them quickly.
General Rule: If a Page Takes More Than 1 Minute to Load
Anywhere in the Sunset platform - whether you're logging in, uploading documents, viewing search results, or navigating between pages - if something takes longer than one minute to load, there's an issue.
What to do:
Refresh the page immediately (don't wait indefinitely)
Try the action again
If it happens again, follow the troubleshooting steps below
Normal page loads should complete within seconds. Document uploads may take 10-30 seconds depending on file size, but even large files shouldn't exceed one minute. If you're staring at a loading spinner for longer than that, something has gone wrong.
Common Software Issues and How to Fix Them
Looping Screens (Stuck in a Repetitive Cycle)
You complete a step, click "Continue," and find yourself right back at the same screen, over and over. This is usually caused by a session error or workflow state issue.
Immediate fixes:
Refresh the page (Ctrl+R on Windows, Cmd+R on Mac)
If the same screen appears, click "Continue" again
If it loops a second time, log out completely
Close all browser tabs with Sunset open
Wait 30 seconds
Open a fresh browser tab and log in again
Try proceeding from that step
If the loop continues after logging out and back in:
Open an Incognito or Private browsing window (this clears temporary session data)
Chrome: Ctrl+Shift+N (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+N (Mac)
Safari: File → New Private Window
Firefox: Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+P (Mac)
Log in to Sunset in the private window
Attempt the step again
If you're still stuck in a loop after trying Incognito mode, email [email protected]. We can advance your account to the next step from the backend and investigate what's causing the workflow to get stuck.
Frozen Page (Nothing Responds to Clicks)
The page appears loaded but buttons don't work, forms won't submit, or nothing happens when you click.
Immediate fixes:
Check if the page is actually still loading (look for a spinning icon in the browser tab)
Wait 15-20 seconds in case there's a delayed response
Refresh the page
Try clicking again
If still frozen, close the tab and open Sunset in a new tab
Log out and log back in
If freezing persists:
Clear your browser cache and cookies:
Chrome: Settings → Privacy and Security → Clear Browsing Data → Select "Cached images and files" and "Cookies"
Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data → Remove All
Firefox: Options → Privacy & Security → Clear Data
Restart your browser completely (close all windows, not just tabs)
Try accessing Sunset again
If the page still freezes:
Try a different browser (if using Chrome, try Safari or Firefox)
Try on a different device (if on phone, try computer, or vice versa)
Check if other websites are working normally (to rule out internet connection issues)
If it only freezes on Sunset and works on other sites, email [email protected] with details about which page is freezing and what you were trying to do.
Modal or Pop-up Window Keeps Reappearing
You close a modal window or dismiss a message, but it immediately pops back up every time you try to proceed.
Immediate fixes:
Instead of clicking the X to close, try clicking any "Continue," "OK," or "Submit" button within the modal
Check if there's a required field you haven't filled out (look for red text or asterisks)
Try clicking outside the modal to dismiss it
Refresh the page and try again
If the modal keeps blocking you:
Take a screenshot of the modal and the content it's showing
Email [email protected] with the screenshot
We can either bypass the modal for your account or fix the underlying issue causing it to loop
Sometimes a modal is trying to collect required information but doesn't clearly indicate what's needed. We can manually provide that information from the backend and let you proceed.
Infinite Loading Spinner
A loading spinner appears and never stops, with no error message or progress.
This indicates the request to our servers either failed or didn't complete:
Wait exactly 60 seconds (time it)
If still spinning after 60 seconds, refresh the page
If it spins again, check your internet connection (try loading another website)
If your internet is working, log out and log back in
Try the action again
If specific actions consistently trigger infinite loading:
Document uploads: See the "Document Upload Issues" section below
Search initialization: Email support and we'll check if there's a backend process error
Clicking on an institution name: Try accessing from a different device or browser
Pages Load Partially or Look Broken
The page loads but appears incomplete - missing buttons, weird formatting, text overlapping, or images not displaying.
This is usually a caching or resource loading issue:
Hard refresh the page: Ctrl+Shift+R (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+R (Mac)
Clear browser cache completely (see instructions above)
Check if browser extensions are interfering (ad blockers, privacy tools, etc.)
Try disabling extensions temporarily
Or use Incognito mode where extensions are usually disabled
Update your browser to the latest version
Try a different browser
If pages consistently load incorrectly on one device but work on another, the issue is specific to that device's browser or settings. You can continue using the working device, or email support for help troubleshooting the problematic one.
Error Messages or Failed Actions
You see an error message like "Something went wrong," "Failed to load," "Unable to process request," or similar.
Immediate fixes:
Note the exact error message (take a screenshot if possible)
Refresh the page
Try the action again
If the same error appears, log out and log back in
Try once more
If the error persists:
Take a screenshot showing the full error message and the page you were on
Email [email protected] with:
The screenshot
What you were trying to do when the error occurred
What time the error happened
What device and browser you're using
Error messages often include technical codes or identifiers that help us trace exactly what went wrong in our system logs. The screenshot is extremely valuable for debugging.
Buttons That Don't Work or Do Nothing
You click a button and absolutely nothing happens - no loading, no error, no response.
Immediate fixes:
Try clicking the button again (sometimes clicks don't register)
Try clicking a different area of the button (center vs. edge)
Refresh the page and try again
Check if you need to scroll down to see if something happened below the visible area
If a button consistently doesn't work:
Try on a different device or browser
Disable browser extensions temporarily
Check if JavaScript is enabled in your browser (Sunset requires JavaScript)
Email [email protected] identifying which specific button doesn't work
We can either guide you through an alternative way to complete that action or fix the button functionality.
Document Upload Issues
Document uploads are particularly prone to technical issues because they involve large files and can be affected by internet connection quality.
Upload Never Completes (Spins Forever)
If your document upload is taking longer than 1 minute or appears stuck:
Likely causes:
File is too large
Internet connection interrupted
Browser timeout
File format issue
Immediate fixes:
Cancel the upload (refresh the page)
Check your file size:
Death certificates should typically be under 5MB
Photos from phones are usually 2-4MB
Scanned PDFs can be 10MB or larger
If your file is over 10MB, compress it:
For PDFs: Use a free online PDF compressor
For images: Reduce resolution or use image compression tool
On iPhone: Share the image → Save to Files → Select "Reduce File Size"
Rename the file to something simple with no special characters:
Good: "death-certificate.pdf" or "death-cert-2024.jpg"
Bad: "John's Death Certificate (final) #2.pdf"
Try uploading again
If uploads still fail with a reasonably-sized file:
Try uploading from a different device
Try using a different internet connection (switch from WiFi to cellular, or vice versa)
Try converting the file format (image to PDF, or PDF to image)
Upload Crashes the Page or Causes an Error
Sometimes large or complex documents cause the upload process to crash:
For very large documents (over 10MB):
Don't try to upload through the website
Instead, email the document directly to [email protected]
IMPORTANT: In the email subject line, include the deceased's full name exactly as you entered it in your Sunset account
In the email body, specify what the document is (death certificate, letters testamentary, etc.)
We'll manually attach it to your account
Example email:
Subject: Death Certificate for Robert James Peterson Jr.
Body: "Hi, I'm unable to upload this death certificate through the website. Please attach it to my account. Thank you!"
Attachment: The document file
This ensures we match the document to the correct account and don't confuse it with other users.
Upload Appears to Complete but Document Doesn't Show Up
You see a success message or the upload completes, but when you check your account the document isn't there:
Immediate fixes:
Refresh the page (the interface may not have updated)
Log out and log back in
Check if you received an email confirmation about the upload
Wait 5-10 minutes and check again (sometimes processing is delayed)
If the document still doesn't appear after 30 minutes:
Check your email for any messages from Sunset about the upload
Try uploading again
If it happens twice, email [email protected] - we can check our backend to see if the file was received but not properly displayed
Mobile-Specific Issues
Mobile devices have additional constraints that can cause bugs:
App Crashes or Closes Unexpectedly
On phones, the browser may close if memory is low or the app times out:
Close all other apps running in the background
Restart your phone completely
Update your mobile browser (Safari/Chrome) to the latest version
Ensure you have adequate free storage space on your phone (at least 1GB free)
Try using WiFi instead of cellular data
As a last resort, try accessing Sunset from a desktop computer
Touch Targets Too Small or Unresponsive
If buttons are hard to tap or don't respond to touch:
Try landscape orientation instead of portrait
Zoom in slightly on the page
Try tapping different areas of the button
Use a stylus if available
Safari-Specific Issues on iPhone
Safari on iPhone sometimes has unique bugs:
Try Chrome for iOS instead
Update iOS to the latest version
Clear Safari cache: Settings → Safari → Clear History and Website Data
Disable Safari extensions temporarily
Browser Extension Conflicts
Browser extensions (ad blockers, privacy tools, password managers, etc.) can sometimes interfere with Sunset's functionality:
Common symptoms:
Buttons don't work
Pages load incorrectly
Forms won't submit
Upload fails
To test if extensions are the problem:
Open Sunset in Incognito/Private mode (extensions are usually disabled there)
If it works in Incognito but not regular browsing, an extension is interfering
Disable extensions one by one to identify the culprit
Common culprits: ad blockers, privacy badger, script blockers
You can either:
Whitelist Sunset in your extension settings
Keep that extension disabled when using Sunset
Use Incognito mode for Sunset
When to Report a Bug
You should report a bug to [email protected] when:
The same error or issue occurs multiple times after troubleshooting
An issue prevents you from completing a critical step (uploading death certificate, starting search, etc.)
You see an actual error message (especially with error codes or technical details)
Something works on one device/browser but not another
A page consistently takes longer than 1 minute to load
You notice something obviously broken (buttons missing, pages displaying incorrectly, data showing wrong information)
How to Report a Bug Effectively
When emailing [email protected] about a technical issue, include:
Screenshots: Show exactly what you're seeing (especially error messages)
What you were trying to do: "I was trying to upload a death certificate" or "I clicked on Chase Bank to see account details"
What happened instead: "The page froze" or "I got an error message saying..." or "It sent me back to the same screen"
Device and browser: "iPhone 13, Safari" or "Windows laptop, Chrome"
When it happened: "November 6th around 3:00 PM" (helps us check server logs)
What you've already tried: "I refreshed the page, logged out and back in, and tried Incognito mode"
The more details you provide, the faster we can identify and fix the issue.
Example of a great bug report:
"Hi, I'm trying to upload my father's death certificate but the upload keeps freezing at about 50%. I've tried three times over the past hour. I'm using Chrome on a Windows laptop. The file is a PDF, 3.2MB. I've attached a screenshot showing where it gets stuck. I tried refreshing and logging out/in but same result each time. Can you help?"
Old Estate Accounts or Legacy System Issues
If you created a Sunset account before mid-2024, you may be on an older version of our system that has known bugs or limitations.
Signs you're on the old system:
Interface looks very different from current screenshots
Missing features you've heard about
Persistent bugs that seem unfixable
Solution:
Start a new search using the current Sunset platform
Email [email protected] and mention you have an old estate account
We'll migrate any important information to your new account
The new system has significantly improved stability and features
What We Do When You Report a Bug
When you email support about a technical issue:
We review your report and any screenshots
We check our server logs for errors at the time you mentioned
We attempt to reproduce the bug on our end
We may ask follow-up questions to understand the issue better
We either:
Provide a workaround so you can continue immediately
Fix the bug on the backend and confirm it's resolved
Advance your account past the problematic step manually
Escalate to our engineering team for complex issues
Typical response time: Within 24 hours, often much faster for critical issues that block your progress.
Preventing Future Issues
To minimize technical problems:
Keep your browser updated to the latest version
Maintain stable internet connection (WiFi preferred over cellular for uploads)
Use supported browsers: Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge (avoid Internet Explorer)
Periodically clear browser cache (every few weeks)
Disable unnecessary browser extensions when using Sunset
Ensure adequate device storage space
Don't leave Sunset open in a tab for days - log out when finished and log back in fresh next time
Known Issues We're Working On
Occasionally there are bugs affecting multiple users that we're actively working to fix:
If there's a widespread issue, we'll typically:
Post updates on our status page (if we have one)
Email affected users
Provide workarounds where possible
Check your email for any messages from Sunset about known issues before troubleshooting extensively.
Need Help?
If you encounter any software bugs, looping screens, frozen pages, or other technical issues, email [email protected] with as many details as possible. We'll help you troubleshoot the issue, provide workarounds, or fix the bug on our end so you can continue with your estate search.
For urgent issues that completely block your progress, mention "URGENT" in the subject line and we'll prioritize your request.