Overview
If the BombBomb app on your Android phone or tablet isn't working as expected, start with the general steps below. Most problems are fixed by the first two or three. If you know what's wrong, skip to the section for your problem.
Who this applies to: All users
Plan requirement: Core, Core + Copilot, Enterprise
Before you start
- Make sure your device runs Android 7.0 or later (Settings → About phone).
- Make sure you're connected to the internet. If you use a VPN, try turning it off; VPNs can slow down or block video uploads.
Start here: general fixes
1. Force stop and reopen the app
- Touch and hold the BombBomb icon and tap App info (or go to Settings → Apps → BombBomb).
Tap Force stop and confirm.
- Open BombBomb again.
If an upload was in progress, the app offers to finish it when it reopens.
2. Update the app
- Open Google Play, tap your profile picture, and tap Manage apps & device.
- Tap Updates available, then Update next to BombBomb.
3. Check the app's permissions
Touch and hold the BombBomb icon, tap App info → Permissions, and check:
- Camera and Microphone: needed to record, including your voice in screen recordings.
- Notifications: needed for alerts when someone watches.
- Contacts (optional): suggests recipients in Quick Send.
On some older Android versions, BombBomb also asks for storage access so it can save recordings to your gallery.
4. Clear the app's cache
- Go to Settings → Apps → BombBomb → Storage & cache.
Tap Clear cache.
Clear cache, not Clear storage. Clearing storage signs you out and deletes any recording that hasn't finished uploading.
5. Reinstall the app
Uninstall BombBomb, then install it again from Google Play. Your account and uploaded videos aren't affected, and you'll sign in again. Let any upload finish first; a recording that hasn't uploaded only exists on your phone.
Recording problems
The camera won't turn on
If the Record tab says camera access is turned off, tap Open Settings, allow Camera and Microphone, and return to BombBomb.
If the Record tab shows "Recording your screen", a screen recording is still running. Stop it from the notification.
Pause or the camera switch is greyed out
A single recording can use pause or camera switching, but not both. After you switch cameras, pause is unavailable until you stop, and after you pause, switching is unavailable until you stop. Start a new recording to use the other one.
"Oops! You are already uploading a video"
One video uploads at a time. Wait for the current upload to finish; you'll see its progress at the top of the Videos tab and in the notification shade.
Screen recording problems
The recording stopped on its own
Locking your phone, or letting the screen time out, ends a screen recording. What you recorded is kept and uploads the next time you open BombBomb. Keep the screen on while recording.
Only one app was recorded
When Android asks what to share, you chose a single app. Choose Share entire screen to record everything you open.
Nothing happened after I tapped Record Screen
If you tapped Cancel in Android's sharing dialog, nothing is recorded. Tap Record Screen again and choose to start.
How do I stop recording?
Pull down the notification shade and tap Stop on the BombBomb notification. Some phones don't show a stop button in the status bar, so use the notification.
The recording has no sound
Check that BombBomb has Microphone permission (App info → Permissions).
I can't find the recording
It uploads in the background and appears in the Videos tab titled "Android screen recording" with the date. If it isn't there, open BombBomb and give it a moment to finish uploading.
My video won't upload
Uploads keep running when you leave the app. A notification shows the progress; tap it to return to BombBomb, or tap Cancel to stop and delete the upload.
Find the message you're seeing:
- Waiting for connection…: you're offline. The upload continues on its own when you reconnect.
- Upload failed with Retry: tap Retry. It restarts from the copy saved on your phone. In the Videos tab, tap the failed card to retry, or tap its X to dismiss it.
- Processing video on our servers: the upload finished and BombBomb is preparing the video. Long videos can take a few minutes.
- Still finishing: a very long video is taking longer than usual to process. Wait a little longer, or tap Start Over to upload it again.
- This video is … GB. Videos up to 2 GB can be uploaded from the app.: the file is too large. Trim it or upload it from a computer.
- More than this phone can upload right now: wait a moment and tap Retry.
If you force-stopped the app during an upload, you'll see Finish uploading your video? when you reopen it. Tap Finish Upload.
Uploads that fail repeatedly are usually caused by a weak connection. Try Wi-Fi, or move somewhere with a stronger signal.
I can't sign in
- I'm back on the welcome screen. The sign-in page was closed before sign-in finished. Tap Log in again.
- The app signed me out after updating. Sign in again once. Your videos are unchanged.
- It keeps signing me in to the wrong account. Go to Settings → Log Out, then tap Log in and choose the right account on the sign-in page.
- I forgot my password. Use the forgot-password link on the sign-in page.
- I don't have an account. Tap Sign up on the welcome screen to create one on BombBomb.com.
After you sign in, a browser tab from the sign-in page may stay in your recent apps. You can close it.
A full-screen message is blocking the app
These screens appear when something about your app or account needs attention. They go away on their own once it's resolved.
- Our improved app is waiting for you (Update Required): tap Update Now to install the latest version from Google Play. If it says your Android version is required, tap Update Android and update your device.
- Finish Account Setup: tap the button to finish setting up your account on BombBomb.com, then return to the app.
- Subscription messages (for example, an expired trial or a closed subscription): tap Buy Now, Upgrade, Reactivate, or Restart Your Subscription to manage your subscription on BombBomb.com in your browser.
- Team admin message: your team's admin controls your access. Contact your admin.
Each account screen has a Sign Out button if you need to switch accounts.
Notifications aren't arriving
- Touch and hold the BombBomb icon, tap App info → Notifications, and turn on All BombBomb notifications.
If your phone lists notification categories, make sure Email & Video Activity is on. On some phones it only appears after you tap Show unused categories.
- In BombBomb, go to Settings → Notifications and turn on the alerts you want: Email Opens, Video Plays, Link Clicks. Likes and comments are under Interaction.
- Check that Do Not Disturb isn't silencing BombBomb.
Even without push notifications, the Notifications tab shows all your activity. If it shows "Live updates are disconnected. Pull down to refresh.", pull down on the list to reconnect.
Why does a notification say "Someone"? BombBomb couldn't identify the viewer, which is common for links shared by text, social apps, or pasted into email. Send with Quick Send to see recipients by name.
Copy for Email problems
- Only the link pasted, not the thumbnail. Paste by touching and holding in the message body and tapping Paste. Your keyboard's clipboard shortcut can only paste the link.
- The wrong mail app opens. Go to Settings → Email Settings, tap the app you want (or tap the selected app to clear it), and tap Save.
Still not working?
Contact BombBomb Support and include:
- Your device model and Android version (Settings → About phone)
- Your BombBomb app version (the number at the bottom of the app's Settings tab)
- What happened, when it started, and any message you saw
You can also use Send Feedback in Settings to report a bug to the product team. For account or billing help, contact Support.
Frequently asked questions
Will reinstalling the app delete my videos?
No. Uploaded videos are stored in your BombBomb account. Let any upload finish first.
Can I close the app while a video uploads?
Yes. Switching apps or swiping BombBomb away doesn't stop the upload; the notification shows its progress. Force stopping does, and the app offers to finish it when you reopen it.
The app keeps asking for camera access but I already allowed it.
Open App info → Permissions, set Camera and Microphone to "Allow only while using the app" (or turn them off and on), then force stop and reopen BombBomb.
Where did my labels go?
They're called Tags now.