Tana Not Working? Common Errors & Fixes

The prompt appears when Tana loses its connection to its servers, often on unstable Wi-Fi, VPNs or proxies. Use the desktop app, switch networks or proxy mode, and turn on 'Work offline' so you can keep editing until the connection returns.

Tana loads your whole workspace into memory, and the browser version reloads all data every time you open a tab. Switching to the desktop app and avoiding many open browser tabs is the fix that helps most.

Offline mode only exists in Tana Outliner Desktop 1.0.50 or newer and must be turned on with 'Work offline'. Shared workspaces stay read-only, AI and calendar features stop, and the mobile apps can only capture new notes offline.

Calendar sync needs a paid Tana Outliner plan, AI credits and a single Google account connected to your private workspace. Run 'Force calendar sync' on the day node, and if events still don't appear, reset the integration in Settings > Google Calendar settings > General config.

Tana's notetaker records system audio through the desktop app, so missing microphone or system-audio permission is the usual cause. Grant OS permissions, make sure you have AI credits, and if a transcript won't stop, use 'Debug node' and set Meeting bot status to Done.

Nodes you already edited are detached from the supertag template, so template changes don't flow to them. Save any content you need, then hard-delete the stale element with Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+Backspace so the template repopulates it.

A stalled import usually means the export file is too large or has structures that time out; don't retry the same file, export a smaller part instead. If the import finished but the workspace looks empty, look in the Library or the daily pages.

These errors come from the AI for Builders setup using your own OpenAI API key: the key is missing, OpenAI billing isn't set up, the prompt is too large or OpenAI is down. A ChatGPT subscription does not cover API use, so add API billing and a fresh key.

Tana's official fix for login loops is clearing the site data: open Developer tools, go to Application > Storage, click 'Clear site data', then restart and log in again.

The local MCP server only runs while Tana Outliner Desktop is open and 'Local API/MCP server (Alpha)' is enabled in Tana Labs. Check http://localhost:8262/health, then complete the OAuth approval in Tana Desktop.

Tana's Markdown zip doesn't include media; images appear as links to Tana's storage. Run Tana's localize-tana-media.py helper on the unzipped export to download media into an _media folder and rewrite the links.

Tana blocks dragging nodes between workspaces because each workspace has its own permissions. Cut and paste the node, or use Cmd/Ctrl+K > 'Move node to'.

Full node editing on mobile is still an Early Access feature: on iOS 1.4.3 or newer turn it on in the Manage tab. Android has fewer features, and existing notes can't be opened offline on either platform.