I cannot sign in

Tavala signs in with an email and a password, or with a passkey if you added one. There is no sign in with Apple or Google. When sign-in fails, the message tells you why: a wrong email or password, an email that was never confirmed, a missing two-step code, or a device that is not the free plan's synced one.

Why it happens

• The email or password does not match. The message is "That email or password didn’t match. Check them and try again." It does not say which of the two is wrong. A different email address than the one you signed up with gives the same message.
• The email was never confirmed. The account waits for the 8-digit code. Tavala sends a new code and opens Confirm your email, or says "Confirm your email first - we’ve sent you a code."
• The account uses an authenticator app. After a correct password, the Two-step verification screen asks for a 6-digit code. A wrong code reads "That code didn't work. Check the time on your phone and try again."
• A passkey did not work. The Sign in with a passkey button only shows when the server has passkeys on and your device supports them.
• The free plan's one synced device is another device. When plan limits apply, signing in on a second device opens "Sync on this device?" before anything moves. See devices on the free plan.
• Too many tries, or no connection. You see "Too many attempts - wait a moment and try again." or "You appear to be offline. Check your connection and try again."
• Your session ended. Home says "Your session ended before 2 changes could upload. They're saved on this device - sign in again to finish."

What to do

1. Open the sign-in screen: SettingsSign in (the Guest card), or I already have an account on the welcome screen. Use the reveal button in the password field (Show password) to check what you typed. The Sign in button stays off until both fields have text, and a password under 6 characters shows "At least 6 characters".
2. Check the email address, including which of your addresses you used. Make sure the screen title says Sign in and not Create account.
3. If you forgot the password, tap Forgot password?, enter your account email, and tap Send reset code. Enter the 8-digit code on Enter reset code, then choose a new password on Set a new password and tap Update password. If you use an authenticator app, its code comes before the new password. You are signed in afterwards. Settings has no change-password row, so a reset is the way to change it. See reset or change your password and I did not get the email code.
4. If the message says to confirm your email, enter the code on Confirm your email and tap Verify.
5. On the Two-step verification screen, type the 6-digit code from your authenticator app and tap Verify. If it fails, check the time on your phone, wait for the next code and try again. Messages you may see: "Too many tries. Wait a minute and try again." and "Couldn't check the code. Check your connection and try again."
6. If you lost the authenticator app, tap Lost your authenticator app?. If you saved the same key in a second app or a password manager, use the code from there. Tavala has no recovery codes. Otherwise tap Email support and write from the account's own email address; we confirm it is you and help you back in. Nothing moves or syncs until the code is accepted, and Cancel leaves this device as the guest it was. See turn on two-step verification.
7. For a passkey, tap Sign in with a passkey and approve with Face ID, Touch ID, your fingerprint or your screen lock. If you see "No passkey for Tavala on this phone. Sign in with your password, then add one in Sign-in & security.", use your password. The messages "Couldn't sign in with the passkey. Try again or use your password." and "That passkey is for a different account." point the same way: try again, or use your password. See sign in with a passkey.
8. If "Sync on this device?" appears, choose Move here to make this device the synced one (free, up to 3 times in 30 days), or Not now to stay a guest with this device's own data. After 3 moves, the next one is possible on the date shown, or you can get Plus.
9. If Home shows "Your session ended…", tap Sign in and use the same account. The waiting changes upload. See my changes are not showing on my other device.

If that did not help

Write to us from SettingsAboutContact support (see contact support), or email support@tavala.io from the address of your account. Include the exact message you see, the screen it appears on, whether you use an authenticator app or a passkey, your device and app version, and whether you can sign in on any other device. Never send your password or a code.