Troubleshooting
Something's not working? Start here. Most problems fit one of a dozen patterns, and nearly all of them take a couple of minutes to fix.
Work through the first checks before anything else, because they solve a surprising number of problems on their own. Then jump to the section that matches what you're seeing.
First checks
Do these four things in order. They take a few minutes and rule out the most common causes.
- Clear every cache. That means your caching plugin, your host's cache and your CDN. Then reload the page in a private/incognito window, which also rules out your browser's cache and anything that only happens while you're logged in.
- Confirm the plugin is active and licensed. Plugins → Installed Plugins should show Logo Carousel Pro as active, and Logo Carousel → Settings → License Key should show Active.
- Compare the editor with the live page. If the block looks right in the editor but wrong on the live page, the cause is almost always caching or another plugin's optimization, not a Logo Carousel setting.
- Test with a default theme and only Logo Carousel active. On a staging copy, switch to a default theme such as Twenty Twenty-Five and deactivate your other plugins. If the problem goes away, turn things back on one at a time until it returns. The last thing you turned on is the cause.
Test on staging, not your live site
Visitors can see it when you deactivate plugins or switch themes on a live site. If you don't have a staging site, most hosts can create one in a few clicks. It's worth the five minutes.
A pink "activate the license key" box appears instead of my logos
This is the license gate. Without an active license, Logo Carousel Pro stops showing blocks on the live site. Administrators see this notice, so they know why. Everyone else sees nothing at all.
- Go to Logo Carousel → Settings → License Key and activate your key. See Activate your license.
- If you've already activated it, check the status card. An Expired license keeps your showcases working. Not Active Here, Disabled, Invalid or Limit Reached don't.
- Clear your page cache afterwards. Otherwise a cached copy of the notice can stick around.
Classic shortcodes on older sites
Classic [logocarousel] shortcodes on sites that first installed the plugin at version 3.3.15 or earlier keep rendering without a license. Blocks have no such exception.
Blocks aren't showing up in the editor
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| No Logo Carousel category in the + inserter | All the blocks are switched off, or WordPress is too old. | Check Dashboard → Blocks, and confirm your site meets the requirements. |
| One block is missing | It's switched off. | Turn it back on in Dashboard → Blocks. |
| 3D Carousel, Masonry, Justified and others are missing | They're listed under Upcoming Blocks and haven't been released yet. | Nothing to do. Their switches stay locked until they ship. |
| The editor says "Your site doesn't include support for this block" | That block type has been switched off in the dashboard since it was added. | Turn it back on in Dashboard → Blocks. Your settings are still in the page. |
| List, Marquee or Table show as previews only | You're running the free edition. | These are Pro blocks. See Free vs Pro. |
| Blocks disappeared after an update | The editor is using an old copy of the plugin's files. | Hard-refresh the editor (Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+R) and clear any object cache. |
The carousel doesn't move, or shows as a stacked column
Start by checking what kind of "not moving" you're seeing.
The logos stack in a column, or sit in one long row with no sliding. The carousel's JavaScript didn't run. The usual causes, from most to least likely:
- A caching or optimization plugin is combining or minifying JavaScript, which changes the order scripts load in.
- A "defer" or "delay JavaScript" feature ran the carousel's setup before its code was ready.
- A security or firewall plugin removed the script.
- The theme or page builder loads content with AJAX after the page has loaded.
To fix it:
- Turn the optimization plugin's JavaScript features off for a moment and reload. If the carousel works now, you've found the cause.
- Turn the feature back on and add Logo Carousel's script (
sp-logo-carousel-frontend) to that plugin's exclusion list. - If you load content with AJAX yourself, call
window.spLcproBlocksInit()after inserting it. See Hooks.
It's laid out correctly but never moves on its own. Check these settings:
| Cause | Fix |
|---|---|
| The block has only one logo | A carousel needs at least two logos, so with one it simply shows that logo. Add more. |
| Autoplay is off | Turn it on in Layouts → Carousel tab. It's on by default in new blocks. |
| Pause on Hover is on and your mouse is over it | Move the mouse away. It's working as designed. |
| Carousel Starts on Screen is on | The carousel waits until it's scrolled into view. Scroll down to it. |
| You're looking at a scheduled or hidden block | See Nothing shows at all. |
There are no arrows or dots on my phone. That's expected. Hide on Mobile is on by default in both the Navigation Arrows and Pagination Dots panels, so new carousels don't show them on screens 600 px wide or narrower. Turn it off if you want them. The Staggered style also turns arrows and dots off when you choose it.
Nothing shows at all
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Visitors see nothing, administrators see a pink box | No active license. | See the license notice. |
| Empty space where the block should be, with a date set | Scheduling is on and today is outside the window. | Check Start Date & Time and End Date & Time in the Scheduling panel. Dates use your site's timezone (Settings → General). |
| Hidden on one kind of device only | A visibility switch is on. | Check Hide on Desktop / Tablet / Mobile Portrait / Mobile Landscape in Advanced Settings → Visibility. In the editor, a hidden block shows faded and striped instead of disappearing. |
| A block that used to render is now blank | That block type was switched off on the dashboard. | Re-enable it in Dashboard → Blocks. |
| A Saved Template shortcode shows nothing | The template is a draft, it's in the Trash, the ID is wrong, or the Saved Templates module is off. | Publish the template, copy its shortcode fresh from Saved Templates, and check Modules. Drafts only show for people who can edit them. |
| A classic shortcode shows nothing | The view ID is wrong, or the view is in the Trash. | Copy the shortcode fresh from Manage Views. |
Logos look wrong
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| An Image Missing card instead of a logo | The image was deleted from the Media Library, or the file can't be loaded (for example after a move or a CDN change). | Open the logo in the editor and click Replace. See Missing images. |
| Logos are different sizes and look messy | Each logo keeps its own shape by default. | Set an Aspect Ratio such as Wide 16:9 in Logo Images. Logos are scaled to fit, never cropped. For the neatest result, give your logo files similar padding. |
| Blurry logos | The Resolution is too small for the space. | Raise it (Medium → Large → Full), or use SVG files. |
| Slow to load | Very large source files, or Resolution set to Full. | Use Large or Medium, and resize files before uploading. See Performance. |
| Logos only appear after scrolling past twice | Two lazy-loading systems are interfering. | Turn lazy loading off in your optimization plugin or turn off Lazy Load in the block, not both. |
| A file was rejected when uploading | It isn't PNG, JPG, GIF or WebP, or it's bigger than your site's upload limit. | Convert it, or ask your host to raise the limit. |
| An SVG file was rejected | Only administrators can upload SVGs, and only while Allow SVG Uploads is on in that block. | Log in as an administrator and check the switch in Logo Images → Settings. |
| "Maximum limit of 500 logos reached" | One block holds up to 500 logos. | Split the logos across several blocks. |
Clicks don't do what I expect
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Clicking a logo does nothing | Click Actions is Disabled, which is the default. | Set it to Logo URL or Popup in Logo Images. |
| Logo URL is set, but one logo still isn't clickable | That logo has no URL, or its image is missing. | Edit the logo and add a Logo URL starting with https://. See Edit a logo. |
| Links open in a new tab | That's how Logo URL links always work. | There's no same-tab option at the moment. |
| The popup is mostly empty | The popup only shows details you've filled in. | Add a description, category and URL to each logo. See Logo Details Popup. |
Styling looks off
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Your theme's fonts or colors override the block | The theme's CSS is more specific. | Add an Additional CSS Class(es) value in Advanced Settings and target it from Additional CSS & JS. |
| It looks right in the editor but different on the live page | Theme styles that only load on the live site. | Always check the real page, not just the editor canvas. |
| A Google Font doesn't load | Your theme, a privacy plugin or a cookie tool is blocking Google Fonts. | Check that plugin's settings, or pick a font your theme already loads. |
| Control Assets switches have no effect on blocks | Those switches only apply to classic shortcodes. | That's expected. Block assets load only on pages that actually contain a block. |
Saved Templates and page builders
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Please Select a Saved Template | The element was added but no template was picked. | Choose one from the - Select Template - dropdown. |
| Template not found or not published. | The template is a draft or was deleted. | Publish it in Saved Templates. Only published templates appear in builder dropdowns. |
| Template content is empty. | The template has no blocks in it. | Edit the template and add a Logo Carousel block. |
| Enable the Saved Templates module… | The module is off. | Turn on Saved Templates in Modules. Visitors see nothing until you do. |
| The Logo Carousel element is missing from the builder | That builder's integration is switched off. | Turn it on in Settings → Integrations. |
| The raw shortcode text shows on the page | The plugin is deactivated, or there's a typo in the shortcode. | Reactivate the plugin, or copy the shortcode again. |
| Template changes don't show up | The builder or page cache is serving an old copy. | Clear the builder's cache and your page cache. |
See the guide for your builder: Elementor, Divi, WPBakery, Beaver Builder, Bricks or Oxygen.
Ready Patterns won't load
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Unable to load patterns. Please try again. | Your server couldn't reach ShapedPlugin's pattern server. | Click Retry. If it keeps failing, ask your host whether outgoing connections are blocked. |
| No patterns match your filters. with no filters set | The pattern list came back empty, usually for the same reason. | Retry later. The library downloads its list rather than shipping it inside the plugin. |
| This pattern needs a little more | The pattern uses a module you've switched off, or needs a newer plugin version. | Click Open module settings, or Insert anyway to use it without that feature. |
| No Patterns Library button | The Ready Patterns Library module is off. | Turn it on in Modules. |
More detail: Ready Patterns.
Build with AI won't generate
| Message or symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Connect an AI provider to start building… | No provider has an API key yet. | Add a key in Settings → AI Configuration, or connect a provider in WordPress Connectors. |
| AI API key is missing… | The provider you picked in the builder has no key saved. Keys are saved separately for each provider. | Pick a provider that shows Connected, or add a key for this one. |
| The saved AI API key was rejected by the provider… | The key was revoked, mistyped or restricted. | Create a new key in the provider's console and paste it again. Click Check again to confirm. |
| … reached its limit before finishing. with a Continue button | The provider's quota, rate limit or credit balance ran out. | Click Continue to retry with your backup provider, or top up your account with the provider. |
| … took too long to respond. | The request hit the 30-second timeout. | Retry, try a faster model, or check whether your host slows outgoing HTTPS requests. |
| The AI provider replied, but not with a usable configuration. | The model returned something the plugin couldn't use. | Try again, shorten your prompt, or switch to the recommended model. |
| The Build with AI module is turned off. | The module is off. | Turn on Build with AI in Modules. |
| AI features are disabled on this site… | WordPress's own AI support is switched off for this site. | Re-enable AI support in WordPress, or ask whoever manages your site. |
| The logos it added aren't yours | They're demo logos from a matched pattern. | Click Edit Logos in the block toolbar and pick your own images. |
Full reference: AI Builder.
Analytics shows no data
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Logo Analytics is currently off. | The tracking switch is off by default. | Turn on Logo Analytics in Settings → Advanced. |
| No Analytics item in the menu | The Analytics module is off. | Turn it on in Modules. |
| Both are on but numbers stay at zero | Nothing is recorded while you're in wp-admin, and nothing is recorded before you turned tracking on. | Visit the live page as a visitor would, then check again later. |
| The numbers seem low | Each visitor's IP address counts once per logo for views and once for clicks. | That's how it counts. The numbers show unique visitors, not every page view. |
| Clicks on titles or Read More links don't count | Only clicks on the logo image or its popup button are tracked. | That's expected. |
More detail: Analytics.
License and updates
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The license won't activate | A typo, an expired key, no activations left, or your server can't reach the license server. | See Activate your license. If the status says Limit Reached, deactivate the key on a site you no longer use from your ShapedPlugin account. |
| Bundle Key status | You entered a bundle key instead of the product key. | Use the individual Logo Carousel Pro key from your account. |
| No update notice appears | The license isn't active or has expired. | Activate or renew, then check Dashboard → Updates. |
| Blocks vanished after moving the site | The license is tied to the old URL. | Click Activate on This Site, or deactivate and reactivate the key. |
Editor problems
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| A panel is missing | It belongs to a module that's off (Scheduling, Motion Effects), or it only appears once you turn on its switch (Navigation Arrows, Ajax Live Filter). | Check Modules and the block's Layouts panel. |
| The sidebar only shows some of my logos | Blocks with 100 or more logos load the sidebar list in batches to stay fast. | Click See More. |
| An SVG toggle is missing | Only administrators see Allow SVG Uploads. | Log in as an administrator. |
| "This block contains unexpected or invalid content" | The saved block doesn't match the current version. | Click Attempt Block Recovery. If that fails, note your settings, remove the block and add it again. |
How to get help
If nothing above fixes it, ShapedPlugin's support team can help. Open a ticket at shapedplugin.com/create-new-ticket, or use Get Help → Technical Support at the top of the Logo Carousel dashboard.
To get a useful first reply, include:
- your Logo Carousel version (shown on the Plugins screen) and WordPress version
- your PHP version and server details from Tools → Site Health → Info
- which block you're using and which setting you changed last
- a link to a page that shows the problem
- what you've already tried, especially the first checks
- any browser console errors (right-click the page, choose Inspect, then open Console) and a screenshot
Related
- FAQ: quick answers to common questions
- Best Practices: how to avoid most of these problems in the first place
- Glossary: if a term on this page was new to you
- Performance
- Requirements
- Installation