Your saved locations, shot plans and visual searches are stored in your TPE account, and the web app keeps a copy of them in your browser. It works from that copy, so if the browser won’t let it open, the app can’t show or save your items – even though they’re safe in your account.
When that happens, the app displays one of the messages below, either in a pop-up on the current page or at the top of the Library.
Site data blocked by the browser
Your browser’s privacy settings don’t let this site store data. Usually cookies and site data are blocked, either for every site or just for this one. Allow cookies and site data for app.photoephemeris.com, then reload the page:
- Chrome: Settings → Privacy and security → Site settings → On-device site data. Allow sites to save data, or add app.photoephemeris.com to the sites that are allowed.
- Edge: Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Manage and delete cookies and site data.
- Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data → Manage Exceptions, and allow app.photoephemeris.com.
- Safari on Mac: Settings → Privacy, and turn off Block all cookies.
- Safari on iPhone and iPad: Settings → Apps → Safari (Settings → Safari on older versions), and turn off Block All Cookies.
Menu names vary a little between browser versions.
Saved items unavailable
The browser couldn’t open its local data store. This is usually a temporary problem inside the browser: reload the page, and if the message comes back, quit and restart the browser.
If it still won’t open, the browser’s copy may be damaged. Clearing the site data for app.photoephemeris.com makes the browser start a fresh copy, which fills again from your account once you sign in and open the Library. Any changes made on this device that hadn’t synced yet are lost, so try this last.
Browser storage full
The browser has run out of space for this site, usually because the disk is nearly full. Changes can’t be saved until there’s room. Free up disk space, then reload the page.
Connection to saved items lost
Private and incognito windows
Current versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari let the web app store data in a private window, so your saved items work there. But the browser deletes everything the window stored when you close it; in Safari, each private tab is kept separately and cleared when that tab closes. Items already synced to your account come back next time. Changes that haven’t synced yet are lost.
Your changes are sent to your account when you open the Library. Before you close a private window, open the Library once so your latest changes are saved to your account.
Why TPE keeps a copy in your browser
Keeping your saved items in the browser means the app doesn’t download your whole library on every visit. That keeps it fast and saves data, especially on a slow or metered connection.
Sources:
- Tracking Prevention in WebKit (Safari private browsing: per-tab ephemeral sessions)
- Intent to ship: IndexedDB API in Private Browsing Mode (Firefox 115)
