Frequently asked question, problems, and solutions (よくある質問、問題、解決方法)
Q1 The lock does not unlock
Most likely, the causes are either (1) Bluetooth or location are not turned on, or (2) you did not give permission for Bluetooth (Nearby Devices) or location when you created your account.
First, check to see if Bluetooth and location are turned on for your phone. Unless both of them are turned on, the lock will not unlock
Next, to check if Bluetooth (Nearby Devices) and Location permissions are given, go to the bLink app's menu and tap on "Permission check". If permissions are not given, tap the "Open Settings" button on the page, and you will be brought to the screen where you can give permissions to the app.
If you give permission this way, the lock may still fail to unlock. But don't worry. The failure is usually only for the first attempt. When unlocking fails, the app will tell you to "turn off the bluetooth once and then turn back on". So follow the app to do that first. Then tap "Unlock" one more time. The lock should unlock this time.
Q2 I gave permission for Bluetooth (Nearby Device) and Location, but the lock still won't open.
This happens for Android phone. When you give permission after you failed to unlock the bike, the app may still fail to unlock again. But don't worry. The failure is usually only for the first attempt. When unlocking fails, the app will tell you to "turn off the bluetooth once and then turn back on". So follow the app to do that first. Then, tap "Unlock" one more time. The lock should unlock this time.
This happens for Android phone. When you give permission after you failed to unlock the bike, the app may still fail to unlock again. But don't worry. The failure is usually only for the first attempt. When unlocking fails, the app will tell you to "turn off the bluetooth once and then turn back on". So follow the app to do that first. Then, tap "Unlock" one more time. The lock should unlock this time.
Q3 I want to give permission for Nearby Devices, but there is no button on my phone to give that permission.
This is a case for an older Android phone. Older Android phone has only Location Permission button.because location permissions and Nearby Device permissions are combined. In this case, when you give permission for location, it automatically gives permission for Nearby Devices. So, please give Location permission, and you should be able to unlock the bike.
This is a case for an older Android phone. Older Android phone has only Location Permission button.because location permissions and Nearby Device permissions are combined. In this case, when you give permission for location, it automatically gives permission for Nearby Devices. So, please give Location permission, and you should be able to unlock the bike.
Q4 The lock does not lock properly
In this case, tap "unlock" once in the application, and the motor of the lock will rotate once. After that, you should be able to lock the lock properly. If it does not work, rotate the motor a few times by tapping `unlock', and manually lock the lock again.
In this case, tap "unlock" once in the application, and the motor of the lock will rotate once. After that, you should be able to lock the lock properly. If it does not work, rotate the motor a few times by tapping `unlock', and manually lock the lock again.
Q5 Can I reopen a lock even when there is no Internet connection?
Yes, you can. Internet is required only when you rent the bike and when end the ride. Once you have rented the bike, you can unlock again without internet access.
However, to do so, you must not shut down the app. If you shut down the app, then when you open the bLink app again, the app will try to verify you by connecting to the server, which requires an internet connection. Without internet connection, the screen for unlocking the lock will not appear.
If you mistakenly shut down the app where there is no internet connection, do not worry. Please go to a place where there is an Internet connection and re-open the application. After a few seconds, a screen to unlock the bike will appear again in a few seconds. After this screen appears, you do not need the Internet to open the lock, so go back to your bike to unlock it.
Yes, you can. Internet is required only when you rent the bike and when end the ride. Once you have rented the bike, you can unlock again without internet access.
However, to do so, you must not shut down the app. If you shut down the app, then when you open the bLink app again, the app will try to verify you by connecting to the server, which requires an internet connection. Without internet connection, the screen for unlocking the lock will not appear.
If you mistakenly shut down the app where there is no internet connection, do not worry. Please go to a place where there is an Internet connection and re-open the application. After a few seconds, a screen to unlock the bike will appear again in a few seconds. After this screen appears, you do not need the Internet to open the lock, so go back to your bike to unlock it.
Q6 When I attempted to create an account, the app gets stuck after I pressed `Create a new account' button.
Most likely, your email is invalid. Please only use half-width letters, numbers, and the following symbols: @ . _ - A common cause of an invalid email address is when you mistakenly use a Japanese font to type @. The reason why the app gets stuck is that, our third party payment system, Stripe, reject an account with invalid email address. However, at this point, bLink account is already created.
The solution is to register again with a valid email address. Please shut the app one time, and then create a new account with a valid email address.
Please be careful not to use the same invalid email address. If you do so, the app will tell you that the email address is already used.
(Since having an account with invalid email may cause a confusion for you, we recommend that you login with your invalid email account, and then to delete the account from Menu)
Most likely, your email is invalid. Please only use half-width letters, numbers, and the following symbols: @ . _ - A common cause of an invalid email address is when you mistakenly use a Japanese font to type @. The reason why the app gets stuck is that, our third party payment system, Stripe, reject an account with invalid email address. However, at this point, bLink account is already created.
The solution is to register again with a valid email address. Please shut the app one time, and then create a new account with a valid email address.
Please be careful not to use the same invalid email address. If you do so, the app will tell you that the email address is already used.
(Since having an account with invalid email may cause a confusion for you, we recommend that you login with your invalid email account, and then to delete the account from Menu)