Windows
When you click Approve on the authorization page, you may be redirected to the 'Get Scribe for Desktop' download page instead of returning to the app. This happens when the browser and the desktop app lose their connection. Here's how to fix it.
Step 1: Check if you're already logged in
After clicking Approve, switch back to the Scribe Desktop app and wait up to 5 seconds. The authentication may have already completed in the background.
If the app loads normally, you're good to go! If not, continue with the steps below.
Step 2: Check for duplicate installations
Make sure there's only one version of Scribe Desktop installed on your computer. Uninstall any older versions before continuing.
Step 3: Check your antivirus or firewall settings
Security software can sometimes block the connection between your browser and the app. Make sure Scribe isn't being blocked. See: Does Scribe work behind firewalls?
Step 4: Clear the Scribe local cache
Follow this guide to clear Scribe's cached settings on Windows: Clearing Scribe for Windows' Cached Settings
After clearing the cache, reopen Scribe and sign in again.
Step 5: Reinstall Scribe for "All Users"
This is the most effective fix. Installing for All Users ensures the app is placed in the correct directory and the necessary system settings are written properly.
Follow this guide: Installing Scribe for All Users.
Step 6: Validate the Windows Registry keys (Advanced — IT involvement recommended)
If the steps above haven't resolved the issue, your IT team should verify that the following registry keys exist and are correctly configured:
\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\scribehow\shell\open\command \HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\scribehow\shell\open\command
The expected value for both is:
"<YOUR INSTALL DIRECTORY>\Scribe for Windows.exe" "%1"
Still having trouble?
If none of the steps above work, reach out to our Support Team. If possible, have your session logs ready — they help us investigate faster.