Help and common questions
Fix common problems with your Joshu, such as texts or calls with no answer, approvals that do not arrive, mail delays, and a lost password.
User manual: all pages
Joshu runs my box
My companion does not answer my texts. Check that your mobile number is in the Telephone app, with the country code. Your companion answers only that number. If you once sent STOP or CANCEL, send START to turn texts on again.
My companion does not ask me for approvals. Approvals come by text message, so your mobile number must be in the Telephone app. In the Safety app, click Test approval to check that approvals reach you.
My companion did not act on an email. Your companion acts on an email thread only when it is in To, CC, or BCC, or when the email says that it will help. New mail can take up to 10 minutes to arrive on your box.
I run my own box
My companion does not answer my texts. Check that your mobile number is in the Telephone app, with the country code. Your companion answers only that number. Also check that your Twilio number sends texts to your box, as the Twilio guide describes. For US mobile numbers, the number needs an approved A2P 10DLC registration on your Twilio account. If you once sent STOP or CANCEL, send START to turn texts on again.
My companion does not answer my calls. Calls need your Twilio number, the voice service of your box, and a Gemini API key. The Twilio guide has a health check and a list of common problems.
My companion does not ask me for approvals. On a self-hosted box, approvals are off until you turn them on in the Safety app. Approvals also come by text message, so your box must be able to send texts and your mobile number must be in the Telephone app. In the Safety app, click Test approval to check that approvals reach you. See Turn on approvals first.
My companion did not act on an email. Your companion acts on an email thread only when it is in To, CC, or BCC, or when the email says that it will help. New mail can take up to 10 minutes to arrive on your box. Your companion also needs its own mailbox from your Nylas account (see Optional services).
The Connectors app shows nothing to connect.
The Connectors app needs your Composio API key as COMPOSIO_API_KEY in /etc/joshu/instance.env. Add the key and restart the Joshu stack.
jChat does not answer. Your companion needs your OpenRouter API key. Open the Welcome app and add the key in the Connect AI step.
The phone call hangs up after the passphrase. After three wrong tries, the call ends. Check or change your passphrase in the Telephone app. Two clear words with several syllables work best. You can also set a keypad PIN.
I get too many, or too few, nudges. Reply MORE or LESS to a nudge. See Nudges.
jWeb is blank. jWeb goes to sleep after about 5 minutes of no use. Open it again and it wakes up.
Joshu runs my box
File Brain finds nothing. Right after a restart, File Brain needs a few minutes to rebuild its index. Wait, then search again.
I run my own box
File Brain finds nothing. File Brain needs a Gemini API key, which you add in the Welcome app. Right after a restart, File Brain also needs a few minutes to rebuild its index. Wait, then search again.
jChat shows an error. Type continue. If that does not help, start a new chat.
My companion remembers something wrong. Tell it the right fact in chat, for example "Sam is my business partner."
Joshu runs my box
I forgot my desktop password. Click Forgot password? on the sign-in page. See Getting started.
I run my own box
I forgot my desktop password. A self-hosted box does not email reset links. Reset the password from your server with SSH. See Getting started.
I want to start over. In Settings, under Joshu, Box State, you can make a snapshot first and then use Hard reset. See Snapshots and reset.
Joshu runs my box
How do I get help from a person? Text HELP to your companion's number for the support contact, or email [email protected].
I run my own box
How do I get help from a person? You run your box yourself, so nobody looks after it for you. The self-host guide and the VPS quickstart list common problems and their fixes. If you find a bug, open an issue in the Joshu GitHub repository.