FAQ & troubleshooting

Quick answers to common questions and fixes for the issues people hit most often.

Data & storage

Where is my data stored?

Locally in your browser, via IndexedDB. There is no account and no server copy. See Privacy & data.

I opened Osintracker and my investigations are gone!

Your data is tied to a specific browser, profile and device. Check that you are:

• using the same browser and profile as before,
• not in a private/incognito window,
• not on a different machine.

If the browser cleared its storage (common when persistent storage was never enabled, or after a "clear browsing data"), the data is gone unless you have a .osintracker backup. Restore it via Main menu → Import a database. To prevent this in future, accept persistent storage and back up regularly.

Will clearing my browser cache delete my investigations?

Clearing the cache alone usually doesn't. Clearing site data / cookies / storage for the Osintracker domain does delete everything. Always keep a backup.

Can I sync the same investigation across two computers?

Not automatically — there is no cloud sync. Export a .osintracker file on one machine and import it on the other. Round-trips are handled gracefully: on re-import, ID conflicts create an independent copy rather than failing. See ID conflicts on re-import.

Investigations & the graph

The app shows a "screen too small" message.

Osintracker needs at least 1280 × 600 px. Reduce your browser or system zoom, or use a larger display. Mobile and tablet are not supported — see System requirements.

My graph is a tangled mess. How do I tidy it?

Apply a Mesh or Tree layout, then Center. Use Hide labels / Hide images in the toolbar to declutter, and Save positions once it looks right.

My node positions reset every time I reopen the investigation.

Click Save positions in the toolbar after arranging the graph. Positions are only persisted when you save them.

Entity images don't show up.

Images referenced by URL are fetched from their host when the graph loads. They can fail if you're offline, the host blocks the request, or the URL is dead. Connector imports download profile images at import time and attach them locally.

Import & export

What's the difference between all the import options?

• Import a database (Main menu) restores a whole .osintracker file (all investigations).
• Import inside an investigation (info panel ⋮ menu) adds entities/relationships from JSON or CSV into the current case. See Import JSON data.
• Connectors import a JSON file exported from an OSINT service onto a selected entity. See Connectors.

My JSON/CSV import failed or imported nothing.

Check that:

• the file is valid JSON, or CSV that is comma-delimited and UTF-8,
• each entity has the required fields (id, value, and a valid typeId),
• relationships reference existing originId / targetId.

Find type IDs via Main menu → Types selector or the Entity types reference.

Import created duplicates.

When imported items share an id with existing ones, you choose Merge, Create or Skip per item. Merge enriches the existing entity; Create makes a separate copy with a new ID. See Duplicate handling.

Connectors

Do I need an API key?

No. Connectors work by importing the JSON the service exports — Osintracker makes no API calls and stores no key. See Connectors.

Which connectors are available?

Epieos (from an email) and OSINT Industries (from an email, phone or username).

Privacy & security

Does Osintracker send my investigation data anywhere?

No. The app's reference data (types, families, resources) is bundled into Osintracker, not fetched at startup, and your investigation data stays in your browser. Note that clicking resource links and loading remote images do contact third parties — see Privacy & data and Operational security.

Are my .osintracker backups encrypted?

No — they are plaintext and readable by anyone who opens them. Store them securely (encrypted disk or archive). See Operational security.

Does this documentation site track me?

Only anonymously, via self-hosted, cookie-less Matomo — no consent banner needed. You can opt out at any time from the privacy page. See Analytics.

Still stuck?

Use the Contact option in the app's main menu to reach the team.