Account Access & Recovery

How to Change Your Primary Account Email

🔐 Restore Access by Updating Email

🔑 Choose the right access method If you can still sign in, update access by adding the required email as a team member. If you cannot sign in, ask an existing Admin to add the email or contact our team through the in-platform chat widget. 👥 Add the new email as a team member 1. Sign in to Search Atlas using an existing Admin account. 2. Open the account menu from the avatar in the top-right corner. 3. Select Team Members. 4. Select Add member. 5. Enter the email address that needs access, then assign the appropriate role: Member or Admin. 6. Ask the recipient to accept the invitation and finish setting up their access. For example, an Admin can invite bi@seabranchgroup.se from the Team Members page. The invitation must be accepted from that email address. 🔄 Restore access when the old email is unavailable If the original account email can no longer receive messages, do not create a new Search Atlas account. A new account may not include your existing projects, settings, subscription, or team access. < Instead, have an existing Admin add the replacement email as a team member. If no Admin can sign in, use the chat widget inside the platform so our team can review the account and help with the next steps. 🔒 Protect your account - Only an existing Admin should add or change team access. - Use an email address that your team controls and can access. - Do not share passwords or verification codes in chat. - After access is restored, review the Team Members page and deactivate outdated users. 💬 Need help? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🔄 How to Reactivate Your Expired Search Atlas Account

🔍 Overview If your Search Atlas subscription has expired, you may find yourself unable to log in or access your dashboard. This article explains how to reactivate your account and what to expect during the process. ⚠️ Why Your Account May Be Inaccessible Your account becomes inactive when your subscription expires. When this happens, you may lose access to the Search Atlas dashboard until your subscription is restored. This is a temporary state — reactivating your subscription will restore full access. 🛠️ How to Reactivate Your Account To reactivate your expired account, please follow these steps: 1. Gather the following information before reaching out: the email address associated with your Search Atlas account, the approximate date your account expired, and any error message you see when attempting to log in. 2. Contact our support team so a team member can assist you with reactivating your subscription and restoring access to your account. 📋 What to Have Ready When You Contact Support To help our team resolve your reactivation as quickly as possible, please have the following ready: - Account email address: The email used to register your Search Atlas account. - Account expiry details: The approximate date your account expired. - Any error messages: The exact text of any error or message shown when you attempt to log in. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

💳 Fix a Blocked Website Connection in OTTO SEO

🔍 Why Is My Website Connection Blocked? If you see a prompt asking for a credit card when trying to connect your website to OTTO SEO Automation — even though you have already made a purchase — it almost always means one of two things: - Your subscription is inactive — the plan that includes OTTO SEO has expired or was cancelled. - A payment has failed — a recent charge was declined, which automatically paused access to connected features. Search Atlas requires an active, paid subscription to establish and maintain website connections inside OTTO SEO. When a payment issue is detected, the platform suspends the connection to protect your account and prompts you to update your billing details. ⚙️ How to Diagnose the Issue 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Click your avatar in the top-right corner and go to Billing → Plans & Top-ups. 3. Check the PRO Plan Subscription status text. It should read Active. If it shows Cancelled, Past Due, or Inactive, that is the root cause. 4. Scroll to the Payment Method section and confirm your card details are current and have not expired. 5. Review the Recent Invoices list for any invoice marked Failed or Unpaid. 💳 How to Resolve a Failed Payment 1. Click your avatar in the top-right corner, go to Billing → Plans & Top-ups, and click Add Payment Method. 2. Enter your new or corrected card details and click Save. 3. Once saved, click Retry Payment next to the failed invoice (if that option is shown), or wait up to a few minutes for the system to attempt the charge automatically. 4. When the invoice status changes to Paid and your subscription shows Active, your website connection will be restored. 🔄 How to Reactivate a Cancelled Subscription 1. Go to Billing → Plans & Top-ups and click Reactivate Plan or Choose a Plan. 2. Select the plan that includes OTTO SEO Automation and complete the checkout process. 3. After payment is confirmed and your subscription is active, navigate to OTTO SEO in the left sidebar, open SEO Automation, and reconnect your website. 🌐 How to Reconnect Your Website After Resolving the Issue 1. In the left sidebar, go to Website Studio (URL: /website-studio). 2. Select the website you want to connect, or add a new one. 3. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the connection — you should no longer be asked to enter a credit card if your subscription is active. 💡 Tips to Prevent This in the Future - Keep your payment method up to date. Update your card before it expires to avoid automatic suspension. - Enable billing notifications. Search Atlas sends email alerts when a payment fails — make sure your account email is monitored. - Check your subscription status periodically, especially if you recently switched plans or used a promotional period. 🛠️ Still Need Help? If you have updated your billing details and your website connection is still blocked, or if you are unsure which plan includes OTTO SEO, our team can review your account directly. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🔑 Fix a Login Loop After Paying

🔍 What Is Happening? After completing a purchase, some customers find that logging in sends them back to the registration page or prompts them to enter card details again — as if their subscription was never activated. In most cases, this happens because the email address used to log in does not match the email address on the account where the payment was processed. 💡 Why Does This Happen? It is common to have more than one email address and to accidentally type a variation when signing up or logging in. For example, a payment might be tied to yourname@gmail.com while you are trying to log in with yourname.work@gmail.com. Even a small difference — a missing word, an extra letter, or a different domain — will cause the platform to treat you as a new, unregistered user. 🛠️ How to Resolve It 1. Check all email addresses you own. Think about every email address you may have used when you first signed up or completed checkout — personal, work, or alternative accounts. 2. Check your payment confirmation email. Look in your inbox (and spam or junk folders) for a receipt or confirmation sent around the time of purchase. The email address that received this message is very likely the one registered to your account. 3. Try logging in with each email address. Go to the Search Atlas login page and attempt to sign in using the email addresses you identified in the steps above. 4. Use the Forgot Password option if needed. If you are unsure of the password for a particular email address, use the password reset option on the login page. Enter the email, check that inbox for a reset link, and follow the instructions to set a new password. 5. Confirm access. Once you log in successfully, you should land on your dashboard with your subscription active and all features accessible. ⚠️ Important Things to Check - Double-check for common typos such as missing words, swapped letters, or different domains (for example, .com vs .net). - If you use Google or another single sign-on method, make sure you are selecting the correct Google account — your browser may default to an account that is different from the one used at signup. - Check spam and promotions folders for the original signup or purchase confirmation, as these can help you identify the correct email. 🆘 Still Stuck? If you have tried all the email addresses you can think of and still cannot access your account, our team can look up the correct email on your behalf using your payment details. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🔄 Fix Dashboard Redirect Loop and Cache Issues

🔍 What Is Happening? If your dashboard shows an active plan but you are being redirected to the billing page every time you try to access your website or tools, the most likely cause is a stale browser cache. Your browser has saved an outdated version of your session or account status, which creates a conflict between what the platform knows and what your browser is displaying. This results in a redirect loop that blocks access to your account. ⚠️ Common Symptoms - Dashboard shows an active subscription, but access is blocked. - Every page visit redirects you back to the billing or upgrade page. - Refreshing the page does not resolve the issue. - The problem persists even after logging out and back in. 🛠️ Step-by-Step Fix 1. Clear your browser cache and cookies. In most browsers, press Ctrl + Shift + Delete (Windows) or Command + Shift + Delete (Mac). Select All time as the time range, check Cached images and files and Cookies and other site data, then click Clear data. 2. Close all browser tabs related to Search Atlas and fully close the browser window. 3. Reopen your browser and navigate directly to the Search Atlas platform. 4. Log in again with your credentials and go to Avatar (top-right) → Billing (Plans & Top-ups). 5. Check whether the redirect loop has resolved. You should now be able to access your dashboard and tools without being sent back to the billing page. 💡 Try a Different Browser or Private Window If clearing your cache does not immediately resolve the issue, open a private or incognito window in your browser, or try a completely different browser such as Chrome, Firefox, or Edge. Private windows do not load saved cache or cookies, so this is a quick way to confirm that a stale cache is the root cause. If the platform works correctly in a private window, clearing the cache in your main browser (as described above) will permanently fix the issue. 🔐 Verify Your Plan Status Once you regain access, navigate to Avatar (top-right) → Billing (Plans & Top-ups) and check your account status. If your plan appears active and you can access all features without being redirected, the issue is resolved. If the dashboard still shows conflicting information — for example, displaying an active plan while restricting access — this may indicate a billing synchronisation issue that requires manual review by our team. 🚫 What Not to Do - Do not repeatedly click through the billing page or attempt to resubscribe — this will not fix a cache-related redirect loop and may cause unintended charges. - Do not disable browser extensions as a first step; cache is almost always the cause in these cases. - Do not wait for the issue to resolve on its own — stale cache must be cleared manually. 🆘 Still Experiencing the Issue? If you have followed all the steps above and are still being redirected to the billing page or seeing an incorrect plan status, our team can investigate your account directly. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🔄 Reactivate or Change Your Subscription Plan

📋 Overview If your Search Atlas subscription has been cancelled, you can reactivate it at any time — and you are not required to return to your previous plan. Reactivation is a great opportunity to switch to a higher or lower plan tier that better fits your current needs. This article explains how to reactivate your subscription from a desktop browser or a mobile device, and how to choose a different plan during the process. ⚠️ Before You Begin - Reactivation is self-serve and takes effect immediately upon payment confirmation. - You can reactivate on the same plan you had before cancellation, or choose a different plan tier (for example, downgrading from Growth to Starter). - Choosing a lower-tier plan during reactivation is fully supported and will not cause any issues with your account. - Your previous data and projects are retained and will be accessible once your account is reactivated. 💻 How to Reactivate From a Desktop Browser 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account at app.searchatlas.com. 2. Click your account name or avatar in the top-right corner. 3. Select Billing & Subscription from the dropdown menu. 4. You will see a banner or button indicating your subscription is cancelled. Click Reactivate Subscription. 5. A plan selection screen will appear. Review all available plans carefully — you can select any plan at this step, including a lower-tier plan such as Starter ($99/month), regardless of which plan you had before. 6. Select your preferred plan and click Continue. 7. Confirm your billing details and click Confirm Reactivation. 8. Your subscription will activate immediately and you will receive a confirmation email. 📱 How to Reactivate From an iPhone or Mobile Device Reactivation is fully supported on mobile devices through your iPhone's browser. You do not need to download a separate app. 1. Open Safari or any browser on your iPhone. 2. Go to app.searchatlas.com and log in to your account. 3. Tap your avatar in the top-right corner. 4. Select Billing from the menu. 5. Tap Reactivate Subscription on the cancellation notice. 6. On the plan selection screen, choose the plan you want — you are free to select a different tier than your previous plan. For example, if you were on the Growth plan but now prefer the Starter plan ($99/month), simply tap Starter to select it. 7. Tap Continue, review your billing information, and tap Confirm Reactivation. 8. You will receive a confirmation email and your account will be active immediately. 🔁 Choosing a Different Plan During Reactivation Many customers use reactivation as a chance to adjust their plan tier. Here is a quick summary of what is possible: - Downgrading to a lower tier (for example, Growth → Starter): Fully supported. Select the Starter plan on the plan selection screen during reactivation. Note that feature limits will reflect the Starter plan upon reactivation. - Staying on the same plan (for example, Growth → Growth): Select your previous plan on the plan selection screen. - Upgrading to a higher tier (for example, Growth → Pro): Select the higher plan on the plan selection screen. If you are unsure which plan is right for you, review the plan comparison table shown on the plan selection screen before confirming. Each plan lists its included features, user seats, and limits. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions - Will I lose my data if I reactivate on a lower-tier plan? Your historical data and projects are preserved. However, if the lower-tier plan has stricter limits (for example, fewer tracked keywords), you may need to archive some projects to stay within the new limits. - Can Search Atlas reactivate my subscription for me? Reactivation is a self-serve process and must be completed by the account holder for billing security reasons. The steps above will guide you through it in under two minutes. - Is reactivation available 24/7? Yes. You can reactivate at any time from any device with a browser. - What if I do not see the Reactivate button? Try clearing your browser cache or switching browsers. If the button is still missing, contact our support team using the chat widget. 💬 Need Help? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

✉️ How to Change Your Account Login Email

📋 Overview If you need to update the email address associated with your Search Atlas account, there is a self-service path you can try first. If that path is unavailable — for example, because all team member seats on your plan are already filled — our support team can make the change directly on the backend. 🪑 Before You Start: Check Your Available Seats The self-service method requires at least one open team member seat on your account. To check this, click your avatar in the top-right corner and go to Team Members. Review how many seats are currently in use. If a seat is available, follow the steps below. If all seats are occupied, skip to the Contact Support section. 🔄 Option 1: Self-Service Email Change (Open Seat Required) 1. Click your avatar in the top-right corner of the platform and select Team Members. 2. Add your new email address as a team member and assign it the appropriate role (Viewer or Admin). 3. Accept the invitation using the new email address. Check the inbox for that address and follow the link provided. 4. Once the new email is active and you have confirmed access, return to Team Members and deactivate or remove the old email address. 5. Going forward, log in using your new email address. Important: Complete step 3 before removing the old email to avoid losing access to your account. 🛠️ Option 2: Backend Change via Support (No Open Seats) If your plan has no available team member seats, you will not be able to add a new email address yourself. In this case, our support team can update your login email directly on the backend — no extra steps required on your end. To request this change, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team. Please have the following ready: - Your current login email address - The new email address you want to use Our team will confirm once the change has been made, and you can then log in with your new email address immediately. ⚠️ Things to Keep in Mind - Only one email address can serve as your primary login at a time. - After your login email is updated, any future password reset emails will be sent to the new address. - If you are on a plan with limited seats, consider whether deactivating unused team members first could free up a seat for the self-service path. - If you experience any login issues after the change — such as your account appearing inactive — contact support right away. 💬 Need Further Help? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🔄 Update Email and Business Info on Your Account

🔎 Overview When your business rebrands — new name, new domain, new email — your Search Atlas account may need to reflect those changes. This article explains what to prepare and how to get help so our team can assist you as quickly as possible. 📋 What You May Need to Update - Primary account email — the login and billing address tied to your account - Business name — displayed across your workspace and reports - Domain — the primary domain used in your projects and tracking - Branding details — including any white-label or agency-facing settings ✅ How to Get Your Account Updated Email changes, business name updates, domain updates, and account migrations are handled by our support team. Because these changes affect your login credentials, billing, and project data, our team will guide you through the correct process for your specific situation. To get started, please have the following information ready: - Your current account email address - Your new business email address (if changing your email) - Your new business name or domain (if rebranding) - A note of any active integrations, white-label configurations, or Local projects you want preserved - The approximate date the rebrand took effect, if relevant Having these details ready when you contact our team will allow our team to locate your account and carry out the correct update or migration without unnecessary back-and-forth. ⚠️ Important Notes - Do not create a new account on your own before speaking with support — doing so may complicate a migration and could result in data loss. - If you no longer have access to your original login email, let our team know upfront so they can verify your identity through an alternative method. - Billing records and invoicing details are tied to your primary email; our team will confirm whether these need to be updated as part of the process. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🔗 Fix Invitation Screen After Clearing Cache

🧭 Overview If you cleared your browser cache and are now seeing an invitation screen — even though you have an active PRO plan and were already invited — you are most likely entering the platform through the wrong URL. This is the most common cause of this issue and does not mean your account has been deactivated or that you need a new invitation. 🔍 Why This Happens Search Atlas has two distinct entry points: - Home page URL — the public-facing marketing page. Arriving here after a cache clear can trigger the invitation screen even for active accounts. - Login page URL — the correct entry point for existing subscribers. This takes you directly to the authentication screen tied to your account. When your browser cache is cleared, saved session data and redirects are removed. If you then navigate to the home page URL instead of the login page, the platform cannot detect your existing session and defaults to an invitation or sign-up flow. Your account and subscription remain fully intact — the issue is purely about how you are arriving at the platform. ✅ How to Fix It Right Now 1. Close the tab showing the invitation screen. 2. Open a new tab and go directly to app.searchatlas.com/login (the dedicated login page, not the home page). 3. Enter your registered email address and password. 4. Click Sign In. You should be taken straight into your dashboard without any invitation prompt. If you have the platform bookmarked, update that bookmark to point to the login page URL so this does not happen again after future cache clears. 🚫 What Not to Do - Do not accept a new invitation if one is shown — this can create a duplicate or conflicting account state. - Do not ask your account owner to re-invite you until you have confirmed the login page URL does not resolve the issue. - Do not use a search engine result link to reach the platform, as these often point to the public home page rather than the login page. 🔄 If the Invitation Screen Still Appears After Using the Login URL In rare cases, residual browser data may persist. Work through these steps in order: 1. Clear your cache and cookies one more time, then go directly to app.searchatlas.com/login — do not visit any other Search Atlas page first. 2. Try an incognito or private browsing window and navigate to the login page URL. 3. Try a different browser entirely. 4. Disable any browser extensions (ad blockers, VPNs, or privacy tools) that may be interfering with session handling, then attempt to log in again. ⚙️ Verifying Your Account Status Once you are logged in successfully, you can confirm your subscription is active and your team access is intact: - Click your avatar in the top-right corner of the platform. - Select Team Members from the dropdown, or navigate to /settings. - Confirm your account appears with the correct role and that your PRO plan is listed as active. If your plan or team membership does not appear as expected after logging in via the correct URL, there may be a separate account issue that requires investigation. 🛡️ Preventing This in the Future - Always bookmark app.searchatlas.com/login as your saved entry point. - After any cache or cookie clear, consciously navigate to the login page URL rather than searching for Search Atlas or clicking a home page link. - If you use a password manager, verify it is saving the login page URL and not the home page URL. 💬 Still Need Help? If you have followed all the steps above and are still seeing the invitation screen, or if your subscription details do not appear correctly after logging in, please reach out. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🔐 Fix Login Errors During a Platform Outage

🔍 Overview If you are seeing errors such as "This field is required" or "Try again later" when attempting to log in or reset your password — even in incognito mode — your account access issue is most likely caused by one of the following: a temporary platform outage, an account that has become unexpectedly inactive, or a stuck subscription state. This article walks you through the steps to diagnose and resolve the problem. ⚠️ Common Causes of Login Failure - Platform outage: A service disruption can prevent authentication from completing, even if your credentials are correct. - Account unexpectedly deactivated: In some cases, accounts become marked as inactive due to a system error, blocking access to both the main platform and any whitelabel dashboards. - Stuck subscription state: A billing or OAuth refresh issue can lock an account in a failed state, preventing login even after a password reset. - Browser or cache interference: Stored session data can conflict with a fresh login attempt. 🛠️ Step-by-Step Troubleshooting 1. Check for a known outage. Before troubleshooting your account, confirm whether there is an active platform incident. Our team posts status updates; our support team can confirm this immediately via the chat widget. 2. Clear your browser cache and cookies, then try logging in again. Alternatively, open a private or incognito window in a different browser to rule out local session conflicts. 3. Attempt a password reset. Go to the login page and select Forgot Password. Enter your email address and follow the link sent to your inbox. If the reset email does not arrive within a few minutes, check your spam folder. 4. Try a different network. Switch from Wi-Fi to a mobile data connection, or use a VPN if one is available, to rule out network-level blocks. 5. Wait and retry. If a platform outage is confirmed, authentication services may be temporarily unavailable. Wait 10–15 minutes and attempt to log in again before escalating. 6. Contact support if the issue persists. If none of the above steps restore access, your account may require a manual reactivation or a subscription state reset by our engineering team. See the section below for how to reach us. 📋 Information to Have Ready To speed up resolution when you contact support, please have the following details available: - The email address associated with your account - The exact error messages you are seeing (screenshots are helpful) - The browser and operating system you are using - Whether the issue occurs in incognito mode or on a different device - Approximately when the problem started 💡 Why Does This Happen? Platform-wide login failures are rare but can occur when core authentication services — such as session management or subscription verification — experience a disruption. In some cases, individual accounts can become stuck in an inactive or unverified state due to a system error, even when no outage is affecting all users. Our engineering team actively monitors for these conditions and works to restore affected accounts as quickly as possible. 🔄 After Access Is Restored Once you can log in successfully, we recommend taking these steps to protect your account going forward: - Verify your account details are correct by navigating to your avatar (top-right corner) → Settings. - If you manage a team, review your team members under avatar → Team Members (URL: /settings) to confirm all users have the correct access level. - Update your password if you completed a reset during troubleshooting. 🆘 Still Cannot Log In? If you have followed all the steps above and still cannot access your account, our support team can investigate your account status directly and escalate to engineering if needed. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🔐 Fix Incorrect Email or Password Login Errors

🧭 Overview If you see an "Incorrect Email or Password" error when logging in to Search Atlas — even after resetting your password or clearing your browser cache — this guide walks you through every known cause and fix. Follow the steps in order to restore access quickly. ✅ Step 1: Confirm You Are Using the Right Email This is the most common cause of login failures. Before anything else, verify the following: - You are entering the email address that was used to create your Search Atlas account — not a personal or alternate address. - If your company uses a white-label dashboard, you must log in through that dashboard's URL, not the main Search Atlas login page. - Check for hidden spaces before or after your email address when pasting it into the field. 🔑 Step 2: Reset Your Password Correctly If you are unsure of your password, use the forgot password flow carefully: 1. Click Forgot Password on the login page. 2. Enter your account email and submit the form. 3. Open the reset email and click the link immediately — reset links expire after a short time. 4. After setting a new password, you will be redirected to the login page. Enter your email and the new password you just created. Known issue (now resolved): An earlier platform bug caused the forgot password flow to redirect back to the Forgot Password screen instead of the homepage on the first attempt. This has been fixed. If you completed a reset before this fix and it seemed to fail, your password was still updated — try logging in with the new password you set. 🌐 Step 3: Rule Out Browser Issues Browser problems can silently block a successful login even when your credentials are correct. Try each of the following: - Hard refresh the login page: press Ctrl + Shift + R (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + R (Mac). - Open an Incognito or Private window and attempt to log in there. - Clear your browser's cookies and cached data for the Search Atlas domain, then try again. - Try a different browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari). - Disable any browser extensions — particularly ad blockers or privacy tools — that may interfere with the login process. 🤖 Step 4: Check for reCAPTCHA Issues Search Atlas uses reCAPTCHA to protect the login page. In rare cases, reCAPTCHA verification can silently fail and prevent login even with correct credentials. To work around this: - Disable any VPN or proxy you are connected to, then try logging in again. - Make sure JavaScript is enabled in your browser — reCAPTCHA requires it to run. - Try the login from a different network (for example, switch from Wi-Fi to mobile data) to rule out IP-level blocks. 💤 Step 5: Check Whether Your Account Is Active Your account may have been deactivated, which prevents login even with the correct credentials. This can happen due to: - A lapsed or cancelled subscription. - An admin on your team deactivating your user profile. - An unexpected account status change on the platform side. If you suspect your account is inactive, you will not be able to resolve this through a password reset. You will need to contact support (see below) so a team member can check your account status and reactivate it if appropriate. 🛠️ Step 6: Try These Final Checks - Make sure your Caps Lock key is off — passwords are case-sensitive. - If you log in using Google or another SSO method, do not use the email and password form — click the relevant SSO button instead. - If your organisation uses a white-label dashboard, confirm you are visiting the correct custom URL provided by your agency or team admin. 💬 Still Cannot Log In? If you have worked through every step above and still cannot access your account, our support team can investigate your specific account directly — including checking account status, login logs, and any platform-side issues. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🗑️ How to Request Complete Account Deletion

🔍 What This Article Covers This article explains how to request a full account deletion from Search Atlas. This is different from simply cancelling your subscription — a full deletion means your profile and all associated personal data are permanently removed from our systems. ⚠️ Before You Request Deletion Please be aware of the following before submitting your request: - Permanent action: Account deletion cannot be undone. Once your data is removed, it cannot be recovered. - Subscription cancellation: Deleting your account is separate from cancelling a subscription. If you have an active subscription, you may also want to cancel it to avoid future charges. You can manage your subscription under the top-right corner (avatar) → Billing → Plans & Top-ups tab. - Data removal: All profile information, project data, and usage history associated with your account will be permanently erased. 📋 How to Submit a Deletion Request Account deletion cannot be completed through a self-serve option in the platform at this time. To have your account and all personal information permanently deleted, you must contact our support team directly. Here is how: 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 2. Type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team. 3. Clearly state that you are requesting a complete account and profile deletion, not just a subscription cancellation. 4. A support agent will escalate your request to the specialized team responsible for account deletion. ⏱️ What to Expect After You Submit Once your request has been received and escalated: - Our specialized team will process the deletion of your account and all associated personal data. - You will receive a confirmation once your information has been fully removed from our systems. - Processing time may vary, but our team will keep you informed of the status through the chat. 💡 Frequently Asked Questions Can I delete my account myself from the platform settings? Full account and data deletion currently requires manual processing by our specialized team. Please use the chat widget to submit your request. Will my data be completely removed? Yes. Upon confirmation, all profile information and personal data associated with your account will be permanently deleted from Search Atlas systems. What if I only want to cancel my subscription and not delete my account? Subscription management is handled separately. You can cancel or change your plan by navigating to the top-right corner (avatar) → Billing → Plans & Top-ups tab and managing your subscription from there. 🆘 Need Help? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🗑️ How to Delete Your Search Atlas Account

📋 Overview If you no longer need your Search Atlas account, you can request permanent deletion. This action removes your account data and stops all communications from our platform. The process is handled by our specialized team and typically completes within 24–48 hours. 🚀 Request Account Deletion 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 2. Type human teammate to connect with a support agent. 3. Provide the email address associated with the account you want deleted. 4. Confirm you understand this action is irreversible and includes removal of all account data. ⏱️ What Happens Next After you submit the request, our specialized team processes it within 24–48 hours. You will receive an email confirmation once the deletion is complete. During this window, your account remains accessible but will be permanently removed upon completion. ⚠️ Important Notes - Account deletion is permanent and cannot be undone. - All project data, keywords, reports, and settings will be erased. - Any active subscriptions are canceled as part of the deletion. - Deletion scope includes explicit suppression of all future marketing and transactional emails from Search Atlas. - If you have billing-related items that prevent deletion, our team will notify you and resolve the issue. - You cannot remove your payment card independently while a paid plan is active. Search Atlas requires an active payment method on file for any active paid plan, and the platform will not allow card removal without a replacement. When requesting deletion, the team handles payment method removal and billing record cleanup on your behalf — you do not need to add a new card first. 📧 Still Receiving Emails After Closing Your Account? If you closed your account but continue to receive emails from Search Atlas, your account may not have been fully purged from all systems. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to submit a GDPR deletion request so the team can complete the purge process and ensure all future communications are suppressed. 💬 Need Help? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🔁 Fix Reactivation Blocked by 3D Secure or Checkout Bug

🔍 Why Reactivation May Fail If you try to restart a Starter subscription and the payment does not go through, the cause is often incomplete 3D Secure authentication or a checkout bug that locks the country field to the United States. These issues prevent the normal self-serve flow from completing. 🛠️ What the Support Team Does When you contact support, the billing team can manually generate a pending invoice in your dashboard. This invoice bypasses the blocked checkout and lets you finish the payment yourself. ✅ Self-Serve Steps After Invoice Is Created 1. Open your dashboard and locate the new invoice marked as Pending. 2. Select that invoice to open the payment page. 3. Complete the 3D Secure authentication if prompted. 4. Confirm the payment. Once it succeeds, your subscription will reactivate automatically. 💡 If You Do Not See a Pending Invoice The pending invoice is created only after the billing team intervenes. If no pending invoice appears, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team so they can generate one for you.

🔒 Account Disabled and Password Reset Not Working

🔍 Overview If you are unable to log in and password reset emails are not arriving in your inbox, your account may have been disabled on the backend. A disabled account will not trigger password reset emails, which means the standard self-serve reset flow will not work until the account is re-enabled by our team. ⚠️ Signs Your Account May Be Disabled - You enter your email on the password reset page but receive no email — not even in your spam or junk folder. - You see a message such as "Your account has been disabled" when attempting to log in. - You have confirmed your email address is correct and the issue persists after multiple attempts. ✅ Steps to Try First 1. Check your spam, junk, and promotions folders for the password reset email. 2. Confirm you are entering the exact email address associated with your Search Atlas account. 3. Wait a few minutes and attempt the password reset again in case of a short delay. 4. Try a different browser or clear your browser cache, then attempt the reset once more. 🛠️ If the Problem Persists — Contact Support If none of the steps above resolve the issue, the most likely cause is that your account has been disabled and requires manual re-enablement by our team. This cannot be resolved without backend access, so you will need to reach our support team directly. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team. When you contact us, please have the following ready: - The email address associated with your account. - A brief description of what happened before you lost access (e.g., inactivity, billing event, recent changes). Our team will verify your identity, re-enable your account, and provide you with a temporary password so you can log back in and set a new password of your choice. 🔑 After You Regain Access 1. Log in using the temporary password provided by our support team. 2. Immediately navigate to your account settings and update your password to something secure and memorable. 3. Confirm your new password works by logging out and logging back in. 💡 Tips to Prevent Future Lockouts - Use a password manager to keep your credentials safe and up to date. - Make sure the email address on your account is one you actively monitor. - If you share access with teammates, ensure at least one account owner maintains an active session periodically.

🔄 Fix Subscription Errors and Reactivate Your Plan

🔍 Overview If your billing page shows an active subscription but you're still seeing an error like "I do not have an active subscription" when trying to add an OTTO site or use a feature, your account may be in a pending-cancellation state. This guide explains what causes this, what it means for your quotas, and how to get your account fully active again. ⚠️ What Is a Pending-Cancellation State? A pending-cancellation state occurs when a subscription has been scheduled for cancellation but the cancellation date has not yet arrived. During this window: - Your billing page may still show an active plan with an upcoming renewal date. - Certain actions — such as adding a new OTTO site — may be blocked because the system recognises the subscription as no longer in good standing. - Child features or add-ons tied to your base plan may also be suspended or restricted. This is by design. When a base plan is marked for cancellation, dependent features are placed on hold to prevent new resources from being allocated to an account that is scheduled to close. 📊 How Quotas Are Affected Your usage quotas — including OTTO sites, credits, and any recurring top-ups — are managed alongside your subscription status. Here is what to expect: - Existing allocations: Quotas already granted before the cancellation was scheduled remain available until your billing period ends. - New allocations: Adding new sites, upgrading usage, or activating new features is blocked while your account is in a pending-cancellation state. - Unlimited allocations: If your plan includes unlimited access to any feature, those allocations are protected and will not be incorrectly removed during a plan change. - Recurring quota top-ups: Any active recurring top-ups may be paused while your subscription is pending cancellation. ✅ How to Reactivate Your Subscription To restore full access to your plan and remove the pending-cancellation state, follow these steps: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Click your avatar in the top-right and select Billing. 3. Look for a banner or notice indicating your plan is scheduled for cancellation. 4. Click Reactivate Plan or Resume Subscription — the exact label may vary depending on your plan type. 5. Confirm the reactivation when prompted. Once reactivated, your account status will return to active, and you will be able to add OTTO sites, use your full quota, and access all features included in your plan. 💡 Common Questions My billing page shows an active subscription — why am I still blocked? A subscription can appear active on the billing page while still being in a pending-cancellation state. The renewal date shown reflects when the current paid period ends, not whether the subscription is set to continue. Reactivating the plan resolves this immediately. Will I lose any data or settings if I reactivate? No. Reactivating your subscription restores your access without affecting your existing OTTO sites, projects, or settings. What happens if I do nothing and the cancellation goes through? When the billing period ends, your subscription will fully cancel. Access to paid features — including OTTO sites beyond the free tier — will be removed. You can still resubscribe at any time, but you may need to reconfigure some settings. Can I cancel a recurring quota top-up separately from my main plan? The ability to cancel individual recurring quota top-ups independently is being reviewed as a future update. At this time, top-up management is tied to your base plan status. If you have specific questions about your top-ups, contact our team using the details below. 🛠️ Still Seeing the Error After Reactivating? If you have reactivated your plan but are still receiving the "I do not have an active subscription" error, try the following: - Clear your browser cache and reload the page. - Log out and log back in to refresh your account session. - Wait a few minutes, as subscription status changes may take a short time to propagate across the platform. If the issue persists, If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🛠️ Recovering Blog Articles Deleted After Image Fix

🔍 What Happened A recent update to Website Studio resolved an issue where blog post image previews were not rendering correctly. In some cases, this fix unintentionally removed published blog articles from customers' blog pages. If you noticed that one or more blog posts disappeared after this update, you are not alone — this was a known platform-side issue that has since been resolved. 📋 What You Should Do First Before contacting support, take a few minutes to gather the following information. This will help our team restore your articles as quickly as possible: - The titles or URLs of the blog articles that went missing - The approximate date when you last saw the articles published on your blog page - Your Website Studio domain or project name so our team can locate your workspace - Any screenshots of the missing articles if you have them (for example, from a previous browser session or a cached version) ⚠️ Why This Happened The root cause was a bug in Website Studio where certain publishing actions — including image preview rendering fixes — could overwrite or remove previously published blog posts. Specifically, the platform was not always preserving all existing blog entries when changes were applied to the site. This has been patched, and new publishing actions should no longer affect previously published content. ✅ Steps to Check Before Escalating 1. Log in to Website Studio and navigate to your blog page to confirm which articles are missing. 2. Check Content Genius — if the articles were originally drafted there, the content may still exist as saved drafts even if they are no longer visible on your live blog page. 3. Review your published content list inside Website Studio to see if the articles appear as unpublished rather than deleted. 4. Try re-publishing any drafts that still exist in Content Genius directly to Website Studio to see if they restore correctly. 💬 How to Get Your Articles Restored If your articles are not recoverable through the steps above, our team can investigate and restore your content on the back end. To get help fast, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team. Please share the article titles, your project name, and any other details you gathered in the checklist above so we can resolve this as efficiently as possible. 🚀 What We Have Fixed Our engineering team has resolved several related blog stability issues in Website Studio, including: - Blog pages that were only keeping one article visible at a time after publishing from Content Genius - Published blog posts rendering as raw XML instead of styled web pages - Blog posts becoming unclickable or disappearing when unrelated site changes were saved - Published blog posts vanishing after a new prompt was submitted in the Content Genius chat These fixes are now live in production. If you experience any of these issues going forward, please report them immediately through the chat widget so our team can investigate. 🛡️ How to Protect Your Blog Content Going Forward - Keep drafts saved in Content Genius so you always have a recoverable copy of your blog content. - Take note of your published article URLs after publishing so you can quickly identify if anything goes missing. - Avoid making multiple simultaneous publishing changes until you confirm each one has saved correctly. - Check your live blog page after any major update or site change to confirm all articles are still visible. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🔐 Fix Login Failures and Duplicate Account Issues

🔍 Overview Some customers experience login failures even when their Search Atlas subscription is active and payments are processing correctly. This is most commonly caused by duplicate accounts linked to the same email address — a known issue that can affect password resets, Google SSO (Single Sign-On), and billing synchronisation. This article explains what to do if you are locked out of your account despite an active subscription. ⚠️ Common Symptoms - You cannot log in despite a recent successful payment. - Password reset codes arrive but are marked as invalid when entered. - After attempting to log in, you are redirected to the pricing page instead of your dashboard. - You see a generic error such as "Something went wrong. Try again later." - Google SSO login fails with a server error. - Your billing history exists but your account appears inactive or unrecognised. 🧩 Why This Happens Duplicate accounts occur when the same email address is associated with more than one account record in our system. This can happen if you previously signed up via Google SSO and later created a separate account with a password, or vice versa. When our system detects more than one account for a single email, it cannot determine which record to authenticate, causing the login process to fail. Additionally, if your billing record (Stripe) is linked to one account and your login credentials belong to another, the system may not recognise your subscription — resulting in a redirect to the pricing page. 🛠️ Steps to Try Before Contacting Support 1. Try your other login method. If you normally sign in with Google, try using your email and password instead — or the reverse. Your active subscription may be attached to a different account record than the one you usually use. 2. Clear your browser cache and cookies, then attempt to log in again. Cached session data can interfere with authentication. 3. Try an incognito or private browsing window. This rules out browser extensions or saved sessions causing the redirect. 4. Try a different browser or device. This helps confirm whether the issue is environment-specific. 5. Request a new password reset email. If a previous reset code was invalid, request a fresh one and use it immediately — reset links expire quickly. Do not request multiple codes in quick succession, as only the most recent link will be valid. 6. Check your spam or junk folder for the password reset email if it does not appear in your inbox within a few minutes. 📊 What Our Team Will Do If the steps above do not resolve the issue, our support team can investigate and fix the following on your behalf: - Merge or remove duplicate account records linked to your email address so that a single, correct account record remains. - Relink your Stripe billing record to the correct account so your subscription is properly recognised. - Manually trigger a session reset if cached or corrupted session data is preventing login. When reaching out, please have the following ready: your account email address, the approximate date and time of the login failure, and any error messages you encountered. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🔄 Fix Onboarding Screen Looping on Login

🔍 What Is This Issue? Some customers see the onboarding screen or welcome popup every time they log in to Search Atlas — even after they have already completed onboarding. This often happens after closing the browser window or tab. This article explains what you can try while our team investigates, and what to have ready if you need to escalate. ⚙️ Why Does This Happen? The onboarding popup may be triggered by how your browser handles session or cookie data when a window is closed. Certain browser configurations or extensions can cause Search Atlas to lose track of your onboarding status between sessions. The exact root cause may vary and is being investigated — the steps below are the recommended first actions to try. 🛠️ Steps to Try 1. Clear your browser cache and cookies for the Search Atlas domain, then close all Search Atlas tabs and log in again with a fresh tab. 2. Check your browser's cookie settings. Make sure your browser is not configured to delete cookies or site data automatically when it closes. Disabling any such setting may prevent the issue from recurring. 3. Disable browser extensions that manage cookies, block trackers, or clear browsing data automatically (for example, Privacy Badger, Cookie AutoDelete, or similar tools), as these can interfere with session storage. 4. Try a different browser to confirm whether the issue is browser-specific. Search Atlas works best on the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari. 5. Try an incognito or private window to rule out extension interference. ✅ After Applying the Steps Once you have adjusted your cookie settings and cleared old data, log in to Search Atlas and check whether the onboarding popup continues to appear. If the issue persists across browsers and with extensions disabled, it is likely a backend session issue that requires investigation by our support team. 📋 If You Need to Escalate If none of the steps above resolve the issue, please have the following ready when you contact support so our team can investigate quickly: - Your Search Atlas account email address - The browser and version you are using - Whether the issue occurs in multiple browsers or only one - Any browser extensions you have installed that manage cookies or privacy - The approximate date and time when you last experienced the looping onboarding screen If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🔐 Fix Login Errors and Regain Account Access

🧭 Overview If you are unable to log in to your Search Atlas or Publication Media account, you are likely seeing one of these errors: "Email does not exist", "Invalid credentials", or a generic error message. This article walks you through the most common causes and fixes so you can regain access quickly. 🔍 Step 1: Confirm You Are Using the Right Email The most common cause of a login failure is using an email address that does not match the one registered to your account. - Check whether you signed up under a personal email, a work email, or a shared team address. - Try any alternate email addresses you may have used at sign-up. 🔑 Step 2: Reset Your Password If your email is correct but your password is not working, use the Forgot Password link on the login page to request a reset. 1. Click Forgot Password on the login screen. 2. Enter your registered email address and submit the form. 3. Check your inbox (and your spam or junk folder) for the reset email. 4. Click the link in the email and enter a new password. 5. After saving your new password, return to the login page and sign in. Important: Password reset links expire after a short period. If the link no longer works, return to the login page and request a new one. ⚠️ Step 3: Check Your Password If your new password is not being accepted after a reset, make sure it meets the platform's password requirements. If you receive an error indicating your reset link is no longer valid, request a fresh reset link from the login page and complete the process again without delay. 🌐 Step 4: Rule Out Browser Issues Browser settings can sometimes interfere with the login process. - Clear your cache and cookies, then try logging in again. - Try an incognito or private browsing window to rule out extension conflicts. - Try a different browser entirely if the issue persists. 🆘 When to Contact Support If you have worked through all steps above and are still unable to log in, our team can investigate further. When reaching out, please have the following ready: the email address you are trying to log in with, the exact error message you are seeing, and any relevant screenshots. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🛠️ OTTO Project Deletion, Restoration, and Domain Changes

🔍 Overview Accidentally deleting an OTTO project or needing to change the domain connected to a project are two of the most disruptive situations you can run into in Search Atlas. This article explains what happens in each scenario, what you can realistically expect, and how to get help quickly if you need a project restored. ⚠️ What Happens When You Delete an OTTO Project Deleting an OTTO project removes it from your workspace. This action is not reversible from within the platform on your own. However, project restoration is possible — it requires escalation to the Search Atlas engineering team and is handled on a case-by-case basis. Important things to know before requesting a restoration: - Restoration does not require you to upgrade your account. - Restoration does not affect your other existing OTTO projects or their edits. - The engineering team will need to investigate the project on their end — this may take time depending on review cycles. - Once confirmed, the project can be fully restored to its prior state. 📋 How to Request an OTTO Project Restoration Because restoration cannot be completed from within the platform, you will need to contact the support team directly. Follow these steps to make the process as fast as possible: 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 2. Type human teammate to be connected with a member of our support team. 3. Provide the following information in your message: - The domain name of the deleted OTTO project (for example, prescott.com). - Your account email or username. - A brief description of how the deletion occurred and when. - Confirmation that you have not made changes to your account since the deletion, if applicable. 4. The support agent will escalate your request to the engineering team for investigation and restoration. Once the engineering team confirms the project can be restored, they will complete the restoration and notify you through the support chat. 🌐 How Domain Changes Work for OTTO Projects A common reason customers accidentally delete a project is because they are trying to change the domain associated with it — for example, switching from a root domain to a www. version, or moving to a different domain entirely. Currently, the platform does not support modifying the domain on an existing OTTO project directly. If you need to use a different domain or subdomain (such as www.yourdomain.com instead of yourdomain.com), the correct workflow is: 1. Go to Left sidebar → OTTO SEO → All Sites (SEO Automation). 2. Create a new OTTO project using the correct domain from the start. 3. Do not delete the original project until you are confident the new one is set up correctly. This approach avoids accidental data loss and ensures your original project remains intact while the new one is configured. 💡 Tips to Avoid Accidental Deletion - Before deleting any project, confirm you are acting on the correct one — double-check the domain name displayed on the project card. - If your goal is to change or update a domain, create the new project first and verify it before removing anything. - If you are unsure whether deletion is the right action, reach out to support before proceeding. 🚀 What Is Coming in Future Updates The Search Atlas team is actively working on improvements in this area. Planned developments include the ability to support subdomain and staging domain deployments within existing OTTO projects. This will reduce the need to create entirely new projects when a domain variation is required. These features are not yet available, but they are in active development. 💬 Still Need Help? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🔐 Account Access Blocked or Redirected to Subscribe Screen — Wrong Email Used at Login

If you land on the Subscribe screen after logging in, you're almost certainly signed in with a different email than the one tied to your active plan. Find the correct billing email, reset its password, and you'll be back on your full dashboard in minutes. 🧱 Symptoms - You log in successfully but are immediately redirected to the subscribe / pricing page. - Your dashboard shows no active plan, even though you are being billed (e.g., $199/month for the Growth Plan). - Stripe receipts or bank statements confirm the charge, but the logged-in account shows no subscription. 🔍 Why This Happens Search Atlas ties each subscription to a single account email. If you sign in with a different email than the one used at checkout, the platform won't detect your active plan and will route you to the Subscribe screen. This commonly happens when customers sign up with a personal Gmail and pay with a work email — or vice versa. Follow these steps in order. Most customers resolve the issue after Step 2. ✅ Step 1 — Find the Email Tied to Your Subscription - Check your Stripe receipt or billing confirmation email from Search Atlas — the address it was sent to is almost always the one tied to your active plan. - Search your inbox(es) for any Search Atlas welcome email, invoice, or past password reset email. - If you use multiple addresses (personal, work, alias), check all of them. Once you've identified the correct email, proceed to Step 2. ✅ Step 2 — Reset the Password for That Account 1. Go to the Search Atlas Login page. 2. Click Forgot Password. 3. Enter the email address you identified in Step 1. 4. Open the reset email and create a new password. 5. Log in with that email and your new password. You'll land on your full dashboard with your active plan visible. ✅ Step 3 — Contact Support If You Can't Find the Correct Email Contact Search Atlas support and provide: - The last 4 digits of the card being charged, or the Stripe charge ID. - Any email addresses you may have used to sign up. - The exact charge amount and frequency (e.g., $199/month). Support can look up your account in QuickPro (QP) and Stripe and confirm which email holds your active plan. ❓ I'm Being Charged but My Account Shows No Plan — Am I Being Double-Billed? Almost never. You're most likely logged into a second, free account. Reset the password on the account tied to your billing email to restore access to your paid plan. ❓ Can Support Merge My Two Search Atlas Accounts? Accounts cannot be automatically merged. Support can help you identify the correct account so you can sign in with the email that holds your subscription. ❓ Do I Need to Cancel the Duplicate Account? If the duplicate account has no active plan, you can leave it unused. Always sign in with the email tied to your paid subscription. ❓ Will Resetting My Password Affect My Search Atlas Subscription? No. Resetting your password only updates your login credentials — your billing and plan remain unchanged. 💡 Tip: Prevent This Issue Going Forward Always use the same email address for both login and billing. Bookmark the Search Atlas login page after you sign in successfully so you always return to the right account. 🌀 You now know how to identify the correct account email and restore full access to your active plan. If you're still locked out after following these steps, contact Search Atlas support with your billing details and they'll locate the right account for you.

🔒 Login Blocked by Payment Processing Screen

🔍 What Is This Issue? Some customers find themselves unable to log in after a payment attempt. Instead of reaching the dashboard, they are stuck on a screen showing a message similar to "We're still processing your payment" or "Please wait". The page does not load further, and the account remains inaccessible. This happens when a payment session does not complete correctly — for example, if the connection between our platform and the payment processor is interrupted mid-checkout. Your account can end up in a suspended state even if you attempted to pay. ⚠️ Why This Happens This issue is caused by a payment processing loop where: - A payment was initiated but did not successfully complete or was not confirmed by our system. - The platform continued waiting for payment confirmation that never arrived. - As a result, the account was placed in a locked or past-due state, blocking dashboard access entirely. Our engineering team has addressed several related causes of this bug, but if your account is currently stuck, you will need our billing team to manually clear the session and reactivate your account. 🛠️ How to Resolve This Because this issue involves a payment session that failed at the system level, it cannot be resolved by refreshing the page, clearing your browser cache, or logging out and back in. Before reaching out to our team, please try the following self-service steps — they may resolve the issue without any manual intervention: 1. Wait 15–30 minutes and try logging in again — in some cases, the payment processor confirmation is delayed. If the payment did go through, your account may automatically unlock once our system receives the confirmation. 2. Check your email inbox for a payment receipt or failure notice — if you received a payment receipt from our billing system, your payment was processed. If you received a failure notice, your card was not charged and you can safely attempt payment again once your account is accessible. If you received neither, proceed to the next step. 3. Do not attempt multiple new payments — making additional payment attempts while your account is stuck may create further complications. Wait until the existing session is cleared before trying again. 4. Check your card or bank statement — confirm whether a charge actually went through. If no charge appears and your account remains locked after 30 minutes, the session needs to be manually cleared by our billing team. 5. Contact our support team — if the steps above have not resolved the issue, this requires manual intervention from our billing team. Reach out via the support contact options available on our website or login page. 6. Share your account email address — our team will use this to locate your account, verify your payment history, and confirm which session is causing the block. 7. Our billing team will manually process or clear the payment — once our team has reviewed your account, they will either manually process the outstanding payment or clear the stuck session, whichever is appropriate. No action is required from you during this step. 8. Log in once you receive confirmation — after the billing team completes the manual resolution, you will be able to log in and access your dashboard normally. ✅ After Your Account Is Reactivated Once you have regained access, it is a good idea to verify your billing details are up to date to prevent this from happening again. You can review your payment method and subscription status inside your account's billing settings. If you are unsure where to find these, ask our support team to point you in the right direction.

🔒 Why Can't I Access Account or Billing?

🧭 Overview If you cannot find the Account menu or the Billing section in Search Atlas, the most common cause is that you are logged in as a team member on someone else's account. Team member accounts do not have billing permissions by default. This article walks you through the two most likely causes and how to fix each one. ✅ Step 1: Check Whether You Are the Account Owner Billing and plan management are only available to the primary account owner — the person who originally created and pays for the Search Atlas subscription. If you were invited to the workspace by someone else, you are a team member and will not see billing options regardless of your role settings. To confirm which type of account you have: 1. Click your profile icon or initials in the top-right corner of the platform. 2. Look for an Account or Billing option in the dropdown menu. 3. If neither option appears, you are most likely logged in as a team member on another user's workspace. If you do not see the Account menu at all, proceed to the resolution steps below before assuming a technical issue. 🔑 Step 2: Resolve Team Member Permission Restrictions If you are a team member and need to upgrade the plan, you have two options: - Ask the account owner to upgrade the plan. Share this article with them. The account owner can log in to their own account, navigate to the Account menu, and select Billing to change the plan tier. - Create your own Search Atlas account. If you need independent billing control, sign up for a new account at searchatlas.com using your own credentials. You will then be the primary owner and have full access to billing and plan upgrades. There is no setting inside Search Atlas that grants billing access to team members. This is by design to protect the account owner's payment information and subscription control. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

💳 Fix Billing Errors and Restore Account Access

🔍 What This Article Covers If your AI points are not increasing, you cannot add new companies to OTTO, or you were charged without receiving full service access, this guide will help you understand what happened and how to get it resolved quickly. ⚠️ Common Signs of a Billing or Access Problem - AI points balance is frozen or not refreshing after your billing cycle - You are unable to add new companies or projects inside OTTO - You were charged for one or more billing periods but features remained locked or inaccessible - Your account shows an active subscription but behaves as if it is on a free or restricted plan 💡 Why These Issues Happen Billing and access issues on Search Atlas accounts are typically caused by one of the following: - Payment processing delays: A charge may be collected by your bank before the platform has fully confirmed and activated the associated entitlements on your account. - Subscription sync errors: Occasionally, a plan upgrade or renewal does not correctly sync with the features tied to your account, leaving credits and permissions in a locked state. - Duplicate charges: If a payment method was updated or a retry was triggered, you may see multiple charges for the same billing period without a corresponding double allocation of credits or access. - Account-level configuration issues: In some cases, a backend setting tied to your subscription tier fails to apply correctly after a charge is processed. 🛠️ Steps to Take Before Contacting Support 1. Check your billing history: Click your avatar in the top-right corner and select Billing (Billing page with Plans & Top-ups, Services, Invoices, Activity Log tabs). Confirm the dates and amounts of recent charges. 2. Note the exact features affected: Write down which tools are not working — for example, AI points not increasing, OTTO company slots unavailable, or dashboard features locked. This speeds up the resolution process. 3. Check for any account notifications: Look for any banners or alerts inside the platform that reference a payment failure, pending renewal, or account restriction. 4. Try a hard refresh: Sometimes a browser cache issue can make features appear unavailable. Press Ctrl + Shift + R (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + R (Mac) to force a full refresh. 5. Confirm you are logged into the correct account: If you manage multiple workspaces or team accounts, make sure you are viewing the account associated with the subscription in question. 💰 If You Were Charged Without Receiving Service Access If you were billed for two or more months and did not have access to the features included in your plan, you are entitled to a review and potential credit or refund for the affected period. To initiate this, you will need to provide the following information to our support team: - The billing dates and amounts you were charged - A description of which features were unavailable and for how long - Any error messages or screenshots you captured during that time Our team will investigate the payment records and account logs, then apply any applicable service credits or process a refund for the period in which service was not delivered. 🤖 AI Points Not Increasing After a Billing Cycle AI points are refreshed automatically at the start of each new billing cycle. If your points did not increase after your renewal date, this is most likely caused by a sync error between the payment confirmation and the credit allocation system. This is not resolved by waiting — it requires a manual correction by our support team. Please contact us as soon as you notice the issue so we can apply the correct balance retroactively. 🏢 Unable to Add New Companies to OTTO The number of companies you can manage inside OTTO is determined by your active subscription tier. If you are unable to add a new company and believe your plan allows for it, this may indicate that your subscription entitlements did not update correctly after your last payment. Our support team can verify your plan limits and unlock the correct number of company slots for your account. 📋 What to Have Ready When You Contact Support - Your account email address - The dates and amounts of any disputed charges - A clear description of which features are not working - Any screenshots or error messages (attach them in the chat if possible) If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🔧 Clearing Stuck Payment Sessions for Login Access

🔍 What Is a Stuck Payment Session? A stuck payment session happens when a payment or checkout process does not complete properly. This can prevent you from accessing your dashboard and may block you from joining your company's team account. Common signs include: - Inability to access your dashboard after a checkout attempt - A checkout or plan selection screen appearing when you expected to join an existing team - Being redirected back to a checkout screen each time you try to log in 🛠️ What Causes This Issue? A stuck payment session is a backend issue that occurs when your account's session state becomes locked during a payment or checkout flow. This can happen if a checkout process is interrupted or does not finalize correctly. Because the session is locked on the server side, simply logging out and logging back in may not resolve the issue on its own — our support team typically needs to clear the stuck session for you. 📋 What to Have Ready When Contacting Support To help our team resolve this as quickly as possible, please gather the following details before reaching out: - Your account email address — The email you use to log in to Search Atlas. - Your team or company name — The name of the team account you are trying to join or access. - Description of what you see — Note any screens, messages, or behavior you encounter when you try to log in. - When the issue started — The approximate date and time you first encountered the problem. With this information, our team can locate your account, identify the stuck session, and clear it so you can regain access. 💬 Still Need Help? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

💳 Fix a Stuck Payment Session Blocking Login

🔒 Account Locked After Billing Sync Error

🔍 Why Did This Happen? In rare cases, a billing sync error can cause Search Atlas to incorrectly flag your account as past due — even when your payment has been successfully processed. This typically happens when Stripe (our payment processor) completes the charge, but the confirmation signal is delayed or interrupted before it reaches your account status. The result is that your account becomes inaccessible despite your subscription being fully active. This is a known issue our engineering team has investigated and resolved for multiple customers. Your access can be restored quickly once the sync is corrected. ⚠️ Common Signs of a Billing Sync Error - You cannot log in to Search Atlas even though you recently paid - Your account dashboard shows a "past due" or "subscription inactive" message - Features are disabled or blocked despite a successful renewal - You received a payment confirmation from Stripe or your bank, but Search Atlas does not reflect this - An error message appears when trying to take any action inside the platform ✅ Steps to Resolve the Issue 1. Confirm your payment went through. Check your email for a receipt from Stripe or Search Atlas, or log in to your bank or card provider to verify the charge was processed successfully. 2. Wait up to 15 minutes. Occasionally, the sync resolves automatically after a short delay. Refresh your browser and try logging in again. 3. Clear your browser cache and cookies, then attempt to log in again. Sometimes a cached error state prevents the updated account status from loading correctly. 4. Try a different browser or device. This rules out any local browser issues interfering with your session. 5. Check that your payment method is saved correctly. If you recently updated your card or billing details, an incomplete payment method setup can trigger a sync failure. Navigate to your account billing settings and confirm a valid payment method is on file. 6. Contact support immediately if access is still blocked. Our team can manually trigger a billing sync and restore your account within minutes. See the section below for how to reach us. 🛡️ What Happens to My Data While Locked? Your projects, reports, and all saved data remain completely safe and intact during a billing sync error. A lock caused by this type of issue is a status error only — nothing is deleted. Once your account is unlocked, you will have full access to everything exactly as you left it. 🔄 How We Fix It on Our End Once our support team is notified, we verify your payment status directly in Stripe and manually resync your subscription. In most cases, access is restored within minutes of contacting us. No additional payment is required — you will never be charged twice for a sync error. 💡 How to Prevent This in the Future - Make sure your billing email address is up to date so you receive all payment and renewal notifications - Keep a valid, non-expired payment method saved in your account at all times - If you switch cards or update billing details, confirm the change is saved before your next renewal date - Check your spam or promotions folder for Stripe receipts — missing confirmation emails can be an early sign of a billing issue 🆘 Still Locked Out? Contact Support If you have followed the steps above and your account is still inaccessible, our team will resolve this for you immediately. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team. Please have your registered email address and any Stripe payment receipt ready — this helps our team verify your subscription and restore access as fast as possible.