Troubleshooting
This guide covers common issues and their solutions when using the Pictify API.Authentication Issues
”Invalid API Key” (401)
Symptoms: API returns 401 Unauthorized with “Invalid API Key” message. Solutions:-
Verify the key format
- Live keys start with
pk_live_ - Test keys start with
pk_test_
- Live keys start with
-
Check for extra characters
-
Verify the key isn’t revoked
- Check in Dashboard > Settings > API Keys
-
Ensure correct environment
- Test keys don’t work in production mode
”Missing Authorization” (401)
Symptoms: API returns 401 with “Missing Authorization” message. Solutions:Rendering Issues
Blank or White Images
Symptoms: Generated image is blank or all white. Solutions:-
Check HTML has visible content
-
Ensure content is within viewport
- Content outside the width/height won’t be captured
-
Check for transparent backgrounds
Missing Fonts
Symptoms: Text appears in default/fallback font. Solutions:-
Use web fonts with @import
-
Use web-safe fonts as fallback
-
Wait for font loading
CSS Not Applied
Symptoms: Styles are missing or incorrect. Solutions:-
Use inline styles for reliability
-
Check for unsupported CSS
- Some advanced CSS features may not render correctly
- Test complex layouts in browser first
-
Avoid external stylesheets on slow domains
- External CSS must load before rendering
Images Not Loading
Symptoms: Images show as broken or missing. Solutions:-
Use absolute URLs
-
Verify URL is accessible
- Images must be publicly accessible
- Check for CORS issues
-
Use waitForSelector
Timeout Errors
Symptoms: Render fails with timeout error. Solutions:-
Simplify the template
- Remove complex gradients, shadows
- Reduce number of elements
-
Optimize images
- Use smaller image files
- Compress before including
-
Reduce external resources
- Minimize external CSS/JS
- Self-host critical resources
Template Issues
Variables Not Interpolating
Symptoms:{{variable}} appears literally in output.
Solutions:
-
Check variable syntax
-
Verify variable is provided
-
Check for typos
- Variable names are case-sensitive
{{Title}}!=={{title}}
Expression Errors
Symptoms: Expression fails to evaluate. Solutions:-
Test expressions separately
-
Check function syntax
-
Ensure variables exist
- Undefined variables cause expression errors
Rate Limiting
”Rate Limit Exceeded” (429)
Symptoms: API returns 429 Too Many Requests. Solutions:-
Check headers for limit info
-
Implement exponential backoff
-
Use batch API for bulk operations
- Single batch request vs. many individual requests
-
Consider upgrading plan
- Higher tiers have higher limits
Webhook Issues
Webhooks Not Received
Symptoms: Webhook endpoint never receives requests. Solutions:-
Verify endpoint is accessible
-
Check firewall/security rules
- Allow incoming requests from Pictify IPs
- Ensure HTTPS certificate is valid
-
Verify subscription is active
- Check in Dashboard > Settings > Webhooks
- Status should be “active”
Signature Verification Failing
Symptoms: Webhook signature doesn’t match. Solutions:-
Use raw body for verification
-
Check timestamp tolerance
- Default is 5 minutes
- Ensure server clock is synced
-
Verify using correct secret
- Each subscription has a unique secret
- Secret is only shown at creation
SDK Issues
Module Not Found
Symptoms:Cannot find module '@pictify/sdk'
Solutions:
TypeScript Errors
Symptoms: TypeScript compilation errors with SDK. Solutions:-
Update TypeScript
-
Check tsconfig.json
Still Need Help?
If you’re still experiencing issues:- Check the status page: status.pictify.io
- Search existing issues: GitHub Issues
- Contact support: support@pictify.io
- API endpoint and method
- Request payload (without API key)
- Error response
- SDK version (if applicable)