Keep channels healthy
Why channels need occasional care
Social platforms hand out access that's time-limited or can be revoked (a password change, a permission change, a security review on their side). The app refreshes access automatically in the background — checking roughly every half hour and renewing well before anything expires. You normally never notice. But sometimes a platform insists that you sign in again, and then the channel needs your attention.
Reading the channel badges
On the Channels page, each channel shows its health at a glance:
| Badge | Meaning | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Connected (no warning) | Healthy; publishing normally | None |
| "Nd left" / "Today!" (amber) | Access expires soon; the app will usually renew it itself | Usually none — watch it |
| Expired (red) | Access lapsed | Reconnect |
| Needs reconnect (red) | The platform rejected the token — automatic renewal can't fix it | Reconnect (this is the important one) |
Where you'll be alerted
You don't have to keep checking the Channels page. The notification bell (top of the app) surfaces channels that need reconnecting, alongside recent failed posts, so a dead connection is easy to catch. Making a habit of glancing at the bell is the best way to stay ahead of it.
The fix: Reconnect
- On the channel, choose Reconnect (it appears for expired, needs-reconnect, or disconnected channels).
- You go through the same quick sign-in you used to connect it (Lessons 3–5).
- The badge clears and publishing resumes — your posts, settings and profile links are all untouched.
How long access lasts, per platform
| Platform | Typical access | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Facebook / Instagram | ~60 days, auto-renewed | You rarely reconnect unless a permission or password changes |
| YouTube | Long-lived, auto-renewed | Reconnect only if Google revokes access |
| TikTok | Short-lived, rotates often | Renewed automatically in the background; more sensitive to changes |
| Telegram | Never expires | Bot tokens don't lapse; you only reconnect if you change the bot |
Expected result
You can tell at a glance which channels are healthy, you get alerted when one needs attention, and reconnecting takes seconds — so publishing keeps working without surprises.
Common mistakes
- Ignoring a "Needs reconnect" badge — posts to that channel silently skip until you fix it.
- Assuming a failed post is the app's fault when the channel needs reconnecting — check the badge first.
- Reconnecting and expecting to lose your data — you don't; posts and settings stay.
- Never checking the notification bell — it's where dead channels show up.
Troubleshooting (quick table)
| Situation | What it means | Do this |
|---|---|---|
| Channel shows Needs reconnect | Platform invalidated the token | Reconnect the channel |
| Posts skip one platform repeatedly | That channel likely needs reconnecting | Check the badge; reconnect if flagged |
| A post failed with an auth/permission error | Token expired or access revoked | Reconnect, then Retry Failed (Lesson 13) |
| A channel shows "Nd left" in amber | Access expiring soon | Usually auto-renews; reconnect if it flips to Expired |
| Instagram/Facebook keeps needing reconnection | A Page role or permission changed on Meta's side | Restore your Page role/permissions, then reconnect (Lesson 3) |
📱 Mobile note: the Channels badges and the notification bell work fully on mobile; reconnecting runs the same quick sign-in.
Find any post fast, and delete it per platform (with the matrix of what each platform allows) and in bulk.