Having trouble? You're in the right place. Most issues have a quick fix.
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Haven won't start | Make sure Node.js is installed. After installing, restart your computer, then try again. |
| SSL_ERROR_RX_RECORD_TOO_LONG | Your browser is trying HTTPS but Haven is running HTTP. Go to http://localhost:3000 (not https). See the guide for details. |
| Friends can't connect | They need your public IP (Google "what is my ip") + port 3000. You may need to port forward 3000 on your router. Your firewall must also allow it. |
| Voice chat not working | Voice requires HTTPS or localhost. If friends are connecting over the internet without HTTPS, voice won't work in most browsers. Install OpenSSL and restart Haven to enable HTTPS automatically. |
| "Port 3000 already in use" | Another program is using port 3000, or Haven is already running. Close the other terminal window, or restart your PC to free the port. |
| Page loads but looks broken | Hard-refresh with Ctrl+Shift+R (or Cmd+Shift+R on Mac). Old cached files sometimes cause this after updates. |
| GIFs not working | The admin needs to set a GIPHY API key. Go to Settings → Admin → paste your free key from developers.giphy.com. |
Found something broken? Here's how to let us know.
The more detail you give, the faster we can fix it:
What happened? — Describe what went wrong. "Voice chat disconnects after 2 minutes" is better than "voice broken."
What did you expect? — What should have happened instead?
Steps to reproduce — What were you doing when it broke? Can you make it happen again?
Your setup — Windows/Mac/Linux? Which browser? Are you the host or a guest?
Email is the fastest way to reach us. GitHub Issues is also available if you have an account.
Download the latest zip from GitHub Releases and replace your files. Your data (messages, accounts, uploads) is stored separately in your AppData folder, so it won't be lost.
Windows: %APPDATA%\Haven (type that into File Explorer's address bar)
Mac/Linux: ~/.haven
This folder has your database, uploaded files, and settings. Haven's program files are separate from your data, so updates won't erase anything.
Yes. Copy the data folder (see above) to the same location on the new machine, then run Haven there. All your messages, accounts, and settings will carry over.
They create an account on YOUR server (just a username and password). No email, no phone number, no third-party sign-up. The account only exists on your machine.
Yes. Audio streams go directly between users via WebRTC. The server only handles signaling (connecting people). Your voice data doesn't pass through the Haven server.
Absolutely. It's lightweight — it'll happily run in the background on any modern computer. Some people run it on a Raspberry Pi or an old laptop they leave on.
Install OpenSSL (Windows) or use your system's package manager (Mac/Linux). Restart Haven and it'll automatically generate certificates and switch to HTTPS. Check the Setup Guide for full instructions.
Reach out directly. I usually respond within a day or two.