Extension not loading or sign-in loop

Use this page when the Contral extension doesn't appear, doesn't load, or keeps asking you to sign in.

Contral icon doesn't appear in the activity bar#

1. Check the extension is installed and enabled: open the Extensions view (Cmd+Shift+X / Ctrl+Shift+X), search for Contral, and make sure it's enabled (not "Disabled" or "Disabled (Workspace)").
2. Check your editor version. The extension needs VS Code 1.93 or later, or an editor based on it. Update your editor if it's older.
3. Reload the window: run Developer: Reload Window from the Command Palette.
4. Right-click the activity bar and make sure Contral isn't hidden.
5. Run Contral: Open from the Command Palette to open the panel directly.

Can't find Contral in the Extensions view#

• VS Code installs from the Visual Studio Marketplace. Cursor, Windsurf, Antigravity, Kilo Code and VSCodium install from Open VSX. Search for Contral by publisher contral (extension ID contral.contral).
• If your editor or company proxy blocks the marketplace, install the VSIX file manually. See Install the extension.

Contral panel is blank or stuck loading#

1. Reload the window (Developer: Reload Window).
2. Check you're online and that your network or firewall allows contral.ai.
3. Disable other extensions that modify webviews or themes, reload, and try again.
4. Open Help → Toggle Developer Tools → Console and look for errors mentioning Contral; include them if you contact support.

Sign-in opens the browser but never returns to the editor#

The browser hands you back to your editor through a link like vscode:// or cursor://.

1. When the browser asks "Open Visual Studio Code?" (or Cursor, Windsurf…), click Open. If you clicked Cancel, start sign-in again.
2. If no prompt appears, wait for the One last step page and click the Open button.
3. Make sure the editor you started sign-in from is still running.
4. If you have several VS Code-based editors installed, the browser may open the wrong one. Close the other editors and try again.
5. On Linux, your desktop must have the editor's URL handler registered. Reinstalling the editor from its official package usually fixes this.

"Contral sign-in failed: state mismatch"#

The sign-in in the browser didn't match the one the editor started, usually because you started sign-in twice, or finished an old sign-in tab. Close old contral.ai sign-in tabs, run Contral: Sign in once, and complete it in the tab that opens.

Sign-in loop: Contral keeps asking you to sign in#

1. Check the account: open contral.ai/overview↗ in the browser Contral opens, and confirm the right account is signed in. Sign out there if it's the wrong one.
2. Sign out in the editor (Contral: Sign out, or /logout), then sign in again (Contral: Sign in).
3. If your OS keychain is locked or unavailable (common on Linux without a keyring), the editor can't store your sign-in. Unlock your keychain or install and unlock a keyring such as GNOME Keyring, then sign in again.
4. If you signed up with email and password, verify your email first (check your inbox, or use Send Verification Email on the dashboard).

"Session expired" or "You're not signed in" after it was working#

Editor sign-ins expire after a while. Click Sign in again on the card or run Contral: Sign in, then click Retry on any card that failed. Your plan and usage aren't affected.

"Hosted NIM keys are not available for your account"#

The full message is "Hosted NIM keys are not available for your account. Sign in again to refresh credentials, or pick a BYOK model." Sign out and sign in again, then run /status. If it continues, switch to a BYOK model and contact support.

"This account has been suspended"#

Your account was suspended, for example for suspected abuse of the Free tier across multiple accounts. If you think this is a mistake, contact support from the account's email address.

Teaching cards don't appear for AI edits#

See When teaching cards don't appear.

Plan or tier label is wrong in the editor#

Limits are checked on the server, so your real plan applies even if the label is out of date. Reload the window, or sign out and back in. Run /status to confirm the account and plan. AppSumo buyers: see Your new tier isn't showing in the editor.

Collecting details for a support request#

Include:

• Your editor and version (Help → About)
• The Contral extension version (Extensions view)
• Your operating system
• The exact error message and what you were doing
• The output of /status

Then contact support.