> ## Knowledge Base Index > Fetch the complete knowledge base index at: https://help.scriptation.com/sitemap.xml > Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further. > Pure-Markdown content can be obtained by appending a '.md' suffix to the content URLs listed in the sitemap (without the trailing slash). # Scriptation is running slowly or crashing If Scriptation is running slowly or crashing, the fastest fixes are to close extra tabs, restart the app, restart your device, and make sure you're on the current version. The steps below walk through each — start at the top and work down. ||| ⚠️ HEADS UP: **Do not delete and reinstall Scriptation to fix performance issues.** Reinstalling on iPad or iPhone **removes every file saved in On My iPad / On My iPhone permanently** — the only way to potentially recover these files is to [restore your entire device from an iCloud backup.](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-to-restore-your-device-from-icloud-backup-xajlx5/) If none of the steps below resolve the issue, **contact us first** using the **Send us an email** button at the bottom of this page. ##### Quick fixes (try these first) 1. **Close extra tabs.** Keep tabs open only for files you're actively working on. This frees memory for the scripts you actually need. 2. **Restart Scriptation.** Force-quit the app and reopen it. 3. **Restart your device.** A full power cycle resolves a lot of temporary issues. 4. **Update Scriptation.** [Check the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/scriptation-pdf-for-film-tv/id1094587086) — we ship performance fixes often. ##### Deeper troubleshooting 5. **Optimize your layers.** A [Layer Optimization](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/what-is-layer-optimization-5uoih5/) shrinks the document's file size — that saves space on your device and helps Scriptation run faster. 6. **Turn on the Thumbnail Icon setting.** In the [Settings menu](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/an-overview-of-the-settings-menu-1v2uicm/), enabling the Thumbnail Icon swaps the document preview for a generic file icon. On older devices, this can noticeably reduce memory use. 7. **Quit background apps.** The more apps running in the background, the less memory available to Scriptation. Close anything you're not actively using. 8. **Lower the Image Import Quality setting.** In **Settings → Annotations → Image Import Quality**, dropping the setting one step below Optimized shrinks new image imports — helpful if your workflow includes lots of large photos (blocking plans, shot lists, storyboards). Applies to future imports only, not to existing ones. 9. **Archive scripts you don't need.** *(iPad / iPhone)* Move older scripts out of the **On My iPad** / **On My iPhone** folder into cloud storage or onto a Mac. Best practice: **copy** the files first, confirm they're safely in the cloud or on the Mac, then delete the originals from your device and empty the Trash. 10. **Remove local copies of cloud files.** *(iPad / iPhone)* Cloud files with a **thumbnail** next to the file name have a local copy downloaded to your device. To free that space without deleting the file, tap the **⋯ menu** next to the file name and choose **Remove local file** — the cloud version stays intact. 11. **Check device storage.** *(iPad / iPhone)* Go to **Settings → General → iPad Storage** (or **iPhone Storage**) and see if you're running low. Remove apps you no longer use — but check first; some apps delete their data when removed. 12. **Clear cache on next launch.** *(iPad / iPhone)* In **Settings → General**, toggle **Clear cache on next launch** on, then fully quit and reopen Scriptation — Scriptation will clear its cache on the next start. 13. **Update your operating system.** Scriptation is built for the current versions of iPadOS, iOS, and macOS. Open the Settings app and choose **Software Update** to install any available OS updates. 14. **Consider a device upgrade.** If you're consistently working with very large scripts on an older device, a newer iPad, iPhone, or Mac with more memory will give you a noticeably smoother experience. ||| ⚠️ HEADS UP: Already crashed and can't reopen Scriptation? See [Scriptation keeps crashing on launch](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/scriptation-keeps-crashing-on-launch-ipad-or-iphone-1opy6to/) — and please **don't delete the app** as a first step. Deleting Scriptation removes all locally stored files. ### Match your symptom to a specific fix If your issue matches one of these patterns, jump to the specific fix. || 📝 NOTE: Some fixes below ask for a short screen recording. See Apple's guides for [iPad](https://support.apple.com/guide/ipad/take-a-screenshot-or-screen-recording-ipad08a40f3b/ipados), [iPhone](https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/take-a-screenshot-or-screen-recording-iphc872c0115/ios), or [Mac](https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/take-a-screenshot-or-screen-recording-mh26782/mac). ##### Crashing while drawing or annotating? If Scriptation freezes or shuts down specifically during drawing — and your annotations are missing when you reopen — check whether you're using an **Apple Pencil Pro**. Its Hover feature is a known cause of drawing crashes across many apps. See [Scriptation crashes when using Apple Pencil Pro](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/scriptation-crashes-when-using-apple-pencil-pro-x90x5i/) for the fix. ##### Crashing on one specific file? If a single document crashes when you save, add/move pages, or share — while other files work fine — the file itself may be corrupted. Export a fresh PDF from the source program (like Final Draft) and open the clean copy in Scriptation. Then use [Transfer](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-transfer-my-notes-1khpcd8/) or [Import a Layer File](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-import-a-layer-file-i-received-18b0u91/) to bring your notes across. ##### Crashing during Note Transfer? A corrupted annotation or added page somewhere in the file is a common cause. Try transferring one layer at a time or splitting the script into smaller sections to narrow down which pages trigger the crash. See [Transfer is crashing? How to fix non-native page issues](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/transfer-is-crashing-how-to-fix-non-native-page-issues-24ds6s/) for another common cause. ##### Crashing after an OS update? Check the App Store or Settings for a newer OS patch first — subsequent releases often fix crashes introduced by the previous. If updating doesn't help, use the **Send us an email** button at the bottom of this page. ##### Crashing during a specific action? If the app consistently crashes during one specific action, use the **Send us an email** button at the bottom of this page and include: * The action you're taking; * Whether it happens on all documents or just one; * Whether it happens on all devices or just one; * A short screen recording of the crash. This detail helps us reproduce and fix the issue faster. ##### PDFs won't import, won't open, or appear blurry? That's usually a loading or connectivity issue rather than a performance problem. Use the **Send us an email** button at the bottom of this page and include a short screen recording plus where the PDF is coming from (cloud storage or the device). # What's Next [Are there any Scriptation best practices?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/are-there-any-scriptation-best-practices-t6a656/) [What hardware does Scriptation work best with?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/what-hardware-does-scriptation-work-best-with-10qblzd/) [How do I find my IDs for support?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-find-my-user-id-or-device-id-for-support-153hpnt/) [Scriptation keeps crashing on launch](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/scriptation-keeps-crashing-on-launch-ipad-or-iphone-1opy6to/)