Carrd Troubleshooting Overview | OpsBlu Docs

Carrd Troubleshooting Overview

Common issues and solutions for Carrd websites, including performance, tracking, and technical problems.

This guide provides solutions to common issues encountered when building, optimizing, and tracking Carrd websites. Whether you're experiencing performance problems, tracking failures, or technical glitches, you'll find diagnostic steps and solutions here.

Common Problem Categories

Performance Issues

While Carrd sites are typically very fast, certain configurations can impact performance:

See also: Global Performance Issues for universal optimization strategies.

Tracking and Analytics Issues

Problems with analytics and marketing pixels:

  • Events Not Firing: GA4, Meta Pixel, or GTM events not tracking
  • Tracking only in preview: Scripts work in preview but not on published site
  • Duplicate events: Same event firing multiple times
  • Missing data: Incomplete tracking data
  • Form tracking failures: Form submissions not tracked

Carrd-Specific Issues

Issues unique to the Carrd platform:

  • Pro features not working: Custom domains, embeds, or integrations failing
  • Forms not submitting: Contact forms not sending emails
  • Custom domain problems: Domain connection or SSL issues
  • Embed elements not displaying: Custom code not rendering
  • Publishing delays: Changes not appearing after publishing
  • Mobile responsiveness: Display issues on mobile devices

Integration Issues

Problems with third-party integrations:

  • Email marketing: Mailchimp, ConvertKit integration failures
  • Payment buttons: Stripe, PayPal button issues
  • Calendly embeds: Scheduling widget problems
  • Social media embeds: Instagram, Twitter feed issues
  • Gumroad products: Product embed failures

General Troubleshooting Approach

Step 1: Verify Carrd Pro Status

Many features require Carrd Pro:

Check your plan:

  1. Log into Carrd
  2. Go to Settings
  3. Check Plan status

Features requiring Pro:

  • Custom domains
  • Embed elements (for tracking codes)
  • Form integrations
  • Custom CSS/JavaScript
  • Remove Carrd branding

Solution: Upgrade to Carrd Pro Lite ($9/year), Pro Standard, or Pro Plus if needed.

Step 2: Published vs. Preview

Critical difference:

  • Preview mode: Limited functionality, tracking doesn't work, some embeds may not render
  • Published site: Full functionality, all features work

Always test on published site, not preview mode.

Step 3: Reproduce the Issue

Create a systematic reproduction process:

  1. Clear browser cache and cookies
  2. Use an incognito/private browser window
  3. Disable browser extensions (especially ad blockers)
  4. Try a different browser
  5. Test on a different device
  6. Document exact steps to reproduce

Step 4: Check Browser Console

The browser console reveals JavaScript errors:

  1. Open your published Carrd site
  2. Press F12 (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Option+I (Mac)
  3. Go to Console tab
  4. Look for red error messages
  5. Check Network tab for failed requests

Common errors:

  • ReferenceError: gtag is not defined - GA4 not loaded
  • ReferenceError: fbq is not defined - Meta Pixel not loaded
  • Mixed content - HTTP resources on HTTPS site
  • CORS error - Cross-origin resource blocking

Step 5: Review Recent Changes

Identify what changed before the problem started:

  • Recent publishes in Carrd
  • New embed elements added
  • Custom domain DNS changes
  • GTM container updates
  • Plan changes or renewals
  • Browser or device updates

Step 6: Isolate the Problem

Narrow down the source:

  • Remove embeds one by one: Identify problematic embed
  • Test without custom code: Publish without embeds temporarily
  • Create a simple test site: Minimal Carrd site to reproduce issue
  • Check on different domains: Carrd subdomain vs. custom domain
  • Test on different devices: Desktop vs. mobile

Quick Diagnostic Checklist

Use this checklist for any Carrd issue:

  • Carrd Pro active? Verify subscription is current
  • Site published? Changes only work after publishing
  • Testing on published URL? Not preview mode
  • Browser console clean? No JavaScript errors
  • Ad blockers disabled? Privacy extensions can break tracking
  • Embed code correct? Check for copy/paste errors
  • Custom domain working? DNS properly configured
  • Cache cleared? Hard refresh (Ctrl+Shift+R)
  • Mobile tested? Verify on actual mobile device
  • Carrd status OK? Check Carrd status

Performance Issues

Symptoms

  • Slow page load times
  • Poor Google PageSpeed scores
  • Long time to interactive
  • Slow mobile performance
  • Images loading slowly

Common Causes

  1. Large images: Unoptimized or oversized images
  2. Too many embeds: Multiple tracking/widget embeds
  3. Heavy custom code: Complex JavaScript in embeds
  4. External resources: Slow third-party widgets
  5. Custom fonts: Multiple font families or weights
  6. Background videos: Large video files

Quick Fixes

  • Optimize images: Compress before uploading (use TinyPNG, Squoosh)
  • Minimize embeds: Remove unnecessary tracking tags
  • Use GTM: Consolidate multiple tags into GTM
  • Async loading: Add async or defer to script tags
  • Lazy load images: Use Carrd's built-in lazy loading
  • Remove background videos: Replace with images or compressed videos

Detailed guides:

Tracking Issues

Symptoms

  • GA4 not tracking page views
  • Meta Pixel not firing
  • GTM tags not executing
  • Events missing in analytics
  • Duplicate events appearing
  • Form submissions not tracked

Common Causes

  1. Not published: Tracking only works on published sites, not preview
  2. Ad blockers: Browser extensions blocking tracking
  3. JavaScript errors: Code errors preventing tag execution
  4. Incorrect IDs: Wrong measurement/pixel/container IDs
  5. Embed order: Event tracking embeds loading before base tags
  6. Form redirect: Carrd forms redirect before tracking fires

Quick Fixes

  • Publish site: Always publish, don't just save
  • Disable ad blockers: Test with extensions disabled
  • Check console: Look for JavaScript errors (F12)
  • Verify IDs: Confirm tracking IDs are correct
  • Check embed order: Base tracking code should load first
  • Use sendBeacon: For form tracking that survives redirects
  • Test in incognito: Rule out browser extension interference

Detailed guide: Events Not Firing

Carrd Preview vs. Published Site

Understanding the difference is critical for troubleshooting.

What Doesn't Work in Preview

  • ✗ Analytics tags (GA4, Meta Pixel, GTM)
  • ✗ JavaScript execution from embeds
  • ✗ Form submissions (can preview, but won't send)
  • ✗ Some embed elements (may not render correctly)
  • ✗ External API calls
  • ✗ Third-party widgets (some)
  • ✗ Custom domain (preview uses carrd.co)

What DOES Work on Published Sites

  • ✓ All analytics and tracking tags
  • ✓ JavaScript and custom code execution
  • ✓ Form submissions and integrations
  • ✓ All embed elements
  • ✓ External integrations
  • ✓ Custom domain (if configured)

Solution: Always test functionality on your published site (yoursite.carrd.co or custom domain), not in preview mode.

Form Issues

Form Submissions Not Arriving

Problem: Forms appear to submit but emails don't arrive.

Solutions:

  1. Check spam folder: Form emails often go to spam
  2. Verify email address: Ensure email in form settings is correct
  3. Check Carrd plan: Free plans have submission limits
  4. Wait 5-10 minutes: Emails can be delayed
  5. Test with different email: Try a different recipient
  6. Check form action: Ensure form is properly configured

Form Success State Not Showing

Problem: No success message or redirect after submission.

Solutions:

  1. Configure success state: Set up success message in Carrd editor
  2. Check JavaScript errors: Console errors may prevent success state
  3. Test on published site: Preview may not show success state correctly
  4. Verify form settings: Ensure success redirect or message is configured

Form Integration Not Working

Problem: Mailchimp, ConvertKit, or other integration not receiving submissions.

Solutions:

  1. Verify integration setup: Double-check integration credentials
  2. Test API key: Ensure API keys are valid
  3. Check list/tag settings: Verify correct list or tags selected
  4. Look for error messages: Integration errors may appear in browser console
  5. Contact integration support: May be issue on integration side

Custom Domain Issues

Custom Domain Not Working

Problem: Custom domain shows error or doesn't load site.

Solutions:

  1. Wait for DNS propagation: Can take 24-48 hours
  2. Verify DNS settings: Check A record and CNAME in domain registrar
  3. Correct DNS values:
    • A Record: 162.159.246.138
    • CNAME (www): cname.carrd.co
  4. Remove conflicting records: Delete old A records or CNAME records
  5. Check Carrd domain settings: Ensure domain is added in Carrd Pro settings
  6. SSL certificate: Wait for Carrd to issue SSL (can take 1-2 hours)

SSL Certificate Issues

Problem: "Not Secure" warning or SSL errors.

Solutions:

  1. Wait for SSL provisioning: Carrd auto-provisions SSL, takes 1-2 hours after DNS setup
  2. Force HTTPS: Enable "Force HTTPS" in Carrd domain settings
  3. Clear browser cache: SSL status may be cached
  4. Check DNS: Ensure DNS is pointing to Carrd correctly
  5. Contact Carrd support: If SSL doesn't provision after 24 hours

WWW vs. Non-WWW

Problem: Site works on www.yourdomain.com but not yourdomain.com (or vice versa).

Solutions:

  1. Set up both: Configure both A record and CNAME
  2. Primary domain: Choose primary in Carrd settings
  3. Redirect: Carrd automatically redirects to primary
  4. DNS configuration:
    • Non-WWW: A record to 162.159.246.138
    • WWW: CNAME to cname.carrd.co

Embed Element Issues

Embed Not Displaying

Problem: Embed element added but content doesn't appear.

Solutions:

  1. Publish site: Embeds only work on published sites
  2. Check embed type: Ensure correct type (Code, HTML, Style)
  3. Verify code: Check for syntax errors in embed code
  4. Check CSS: Ensure embed isn't hidden with CSS
  5. Browser console: Look for JavaScript errors
  6. Embed placement: Try different position on page

Embed Causing Layout Issues

Problem: Embed breaks page layout or design.

Solutions:

  1. Wrap in container: Add wrapper div with constraints
  2. Set dimensions: Define explicit width/height
  3. Use responsive CSS: Add responsive styling
  4. Hide if needed: Set display: none for non-visual embeds
  5. Test on mobile: Verify responsive behavior

JavaScript Errors from Embed

Problem: Embed causes JavaScript errors breaking other features.

Solutions:

  1. Wrap in try-catch: Add error handling to custom code
  2. Check dependencies: Ensure required libraries load first
  3. Load order: Move embed earlier/later in page
  4. Defer execution: Wrap in DOMContentLoaded listener
  5. Remove temporarily: Isolate which embed causes issue

Mobile-Specific Issues

Site Looks Different on Mobile

Problem: Desktop version looks good but mobile has issues.

Solutions:

  1. Test in Carrd editor: Use mobile preview in editor
  2. Responsive images: Ensure images scale properly
  3. Font sizes: Check readability on small screens
  4. Touch targets: Ensure buttons are large enough (min 44x44px)
  5. Horizontal scrolling: Remove elements causing overflow
  6. Embed responsiveness: Ensure embeds are mobile-friendly

Tracking Not Working on Mobile

Problem: Analytics work on desktop but not mobile.

Solutions:

  1. Test on published site: Not preview
  2. Check mobile browser: Test in Safari, Chrome on actual device
  3. Disable mobile ad blockers: Many mobile browsers have built-in blockers
  4. Verify mobile-specific issues: Some tracking may be blocked on iOS
  5. Check console on mobile: Use mobile browser developer tools

Performance Optimization

Baseline Performance

Carrd sites typically achieve:

  • PageSpeed Score: 95-100 (before adding custom code)
  • LCP: < 1.5 seconds
  • CLS: < 0.05
  • FID: < 50ms

If your scores are lower, optimize:

Image Optimization

  1. Compress before upload: Use TinyPNG, Squoosh, or ImageOptim
  2. Correct format: JPEG for photos, PNG for graphics, WebP for best compression
  3. Appropriate size: Don't upload 4K images for small displays
  4. Lazy loading: Carrd enables this by default for images

Code Optimization

  1. Minimize embeds: Only add essential tracking/widgets
  2. Async scripts: Add async or defer to <script> tags
  3. Consolidate tags: Use GTM instead of multiple direct installations
  4. Remove unused code: Delete old or testing embeds

Third-Party Resources

  1. Minimize external widgets: Each widget adds load time
  2. Self-host when possible: Host scripts/fonts locally
  3. Preconnect: Add <link rel="preconnect"> for critical domains
  4. Lazy load embeds: Load non-critical embeds after page load

Getting Help

Carrd Official Support

Community Resources

  • Reddit r/carrd: reddit.com/r/carrd
  • Carrd Gallery: carrd.co/build - Examples and inspiration
  • Twitter @carrd_co: Updates and tips
  • YouTube tutorials: Search "Carrd tutorial"

Third-Party Tools Help

Diagnostic Tools

Essential Browser Tools

  • Chrome DevTools: Press F12, check Console and Network tabs
  • Google Tag Assistant: Chrome extension
  • Meta Pixel Helper: Chrome extension
  • Lighthouse: Built into Chrome DevTools (Audit tab)

Performance Tools

DNS Tools

Next Steps

Explore specific troubleshooting guides:

Or return to:

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