Troubleshooting

What to check when the QR code will not scan, the pass never arrived, the notification did not come through, the camera will not open, or a pass says it was already used. In order, step by step.

Almost every access problem has a simple cause: a phone permission, a mistyped detail, a closed app. This guide walks through them in the order a real person would check them, from most likely to least likely.

General rule before you start: try one change at a time and try again. If you change five things at once, you will never know which one fixed it.

The QR code will not scan

If the guard points the phone at the code and the app does not recognize it, check in this order:

1. Turn the visitor's screen brightness up. A dim code is the most common cause outdoors and at night.
2. Move the phone closer to or farther from the code. Codes have an ideal distance: pressed against it or too far away, the app cannot read it.
3. Ask the visitor to clean the screen. Cracked glass, plastic films, and sweaty hands break the code's pattern.
4. Check that the full code is showing on screen. If it is cut off or covered by the notification bar, ask them to open the pass in full screen.
5. Ask the resident for the link instead of the code. Every pass has a link that works exactly like the code; the visitor can forward it or show it to the guard.
6. Clean the lens of the guard's phone. The gatehouse camera gets dirty too.
7. Register the visitor manually if nothing works. The gatehouse app can log an entry by hand; write the visitor down and notify the resident.

If scanning fails with every visitor, check the camera section below: the problem is probably in the gatehouse app, not in the codes.

The visitor never received the pass

The resident created the pass, but the visitor sees nothing on their phone:

1. Confirm the number or email that was typed. One changed digit sends the pass to someone else; the resident checks it in the app before resending.
2. Resend the pass from the app. Every pass can be sent again to the same contact without creating a new one.
3. Ask the visitor to check messages from unknown senders and spam. Links from new numbers usually land there.
4. Forward the pass yourself. The resident can copy the link and send it straight to the visitor over chat.
5. Create a new pass only if the previous one expired. Passes have a validity window; if it has run out, generate a fresh one and tell the visitor to ignore the old one.

Remember: the visitor does not need to install anything to open the link.

The notification did not arrive

The visitor is already at the gatehouse, but the resident never got the alert that their visitor arrived:

1. Check the app notifications on the resident's phone. If the phone's system is blocking ArmorPass, no notification will show up even though the app works.
2. Open the ArmorPass app. When phone notifications are silenced, alerts sometimes sit waiting inside the app.
3. Confirm the session is still active. If the resident signed out, or switched phones without signing back in, alerts do not arrive. Sign in again.
4. Check that the pass belongs to the right person. In shared households, the alert goes to whoever created the pass; ask at home who generated it first.
5. Ask the guard to call the resident while it gets sorted. The phone call is the universal backup for any notification.

If the problem repeats for days across several residents, tell the administration: it may point to something in the community worth reviewing.

The gatehouse app will not open the camera

The guard taps the scanner and the camera does not respond or shows black:

1. Close the app completely and open it again. With apps left open all shift, a restart is often all the camera needs.
2. Check the camera permission on the phone. The phone asks the first time whether ArmorPass may use the camera; if that was answered no, the app will never be able to open it. The permission is changed from the phone's settings.
3. Make sure no other app is using the camera. Close everything else and try again.
4. Restart the gatehouse phone. It fixes more camera problems than any other step.
5. Use manual entry in the meantime. The gatehouse does not stop for a camera: log the visitor by hand and notify the administration.
6. Escalate the case to the administration. If the camera is still black after the restart, the phone needs review or replacement.

The pass says it was already used

The visitor shows their code and the app replies that the pass has already been used:

1. Confirm what kind of pass it is. Visitor passes are used once: they cover one entry and stay on record. FastPasses for frequent visitors, like delivery people, work multiple times.
2. Ask whether another gatehouse already scanned it. In properties with several gates, a previous scan consumes the pass; that is a sign the visitor is already inside.
3. Ask the gatehouse to check the day's log. The scan that consumed the pass was saved with its time; the guard checks it before deciding.
4. Ask the resident for a new pass. If the visitor truly needs to come back in, the resident creates another pass in seconds and resends it.
5. Register manually if it is an expected visitor. When the doubt is reasonable, the guard's judgment rules: log it by hand and leave a note.

A used pass is not an app error: it is the system telling you that code already served its purpose.

A resident cannot sign up

Someone downloaded the app, searched for their condominium or school, and cannot get in:

1. Confirm they are typing the property name correctly. Similar or abbreviated names make searching harder; the administration can confirm the exact name.
2. Check that their unit exists in the panel. If the unit has not been entered yet, the request will have nowhere to land.
3. Review the pending requests inbox. Nobody gets in without the administration's approval; the request may be waiting for review.
4. Confirm they are using the same email and phone from the register. If the administration entered those details, they must match exactly.
5. Check any previous rejection, if there was one. Someone who was rejected can correct their details and apply again; the administration can tell them what to adjust.
6. Register them from the panel as a last resort. The administration can add the resident directly to their unit and hand them access.

If no unit of the property shows up in the search, the community is probably not active yet: the resident needs to wait until the administration has it running.

The app asks you to sign in again

The app closed on its own and asks for username and password:

1. Sign in without worrying. Being asked again after time without use, a phone change, or an update is normal.
2. Confirm it is the same account. On shared phones, check that someone else from the household did not leave their account open.
3. Use the password recovery option if you cannot remember it. A link arrives at the registered email or phone; with that you set a new one.
4. Check that the phone's date and time are correct. Wrong date settings cause repeated session logouts.
5. Escalate to the administration if it happens every day. Constant logouts deserve review; in the meantime, signing in again loses nothing.

Frequently asked questions

What do I check first for any problem? The phone permission and the screen brightness solve most visitor cases. They are the two highest-value steps in this entire guide.

Does the visitor need to install ArmorPass? No. The visitor receives a link or a code and shows it at the gatehouse; only residents, guards, and the administration use the app.

Can I reuse a visitor pass that was already used? No. Each visitor pass is good for one entry. If the visitor comes back in, the resident creates a new pass; FastPasses do work for multiple entries.

What if nothing in this guide solves the problem? Residents and administrations: message your community's administration. Guards: notify your administration. Resellers: escalate to your super reseller. Every case reaches a solution faster through its own channel.

Where do I find the guide for my role? The documentation home page lists the guides by role: residents, school families, guards, administration, and resellers.