> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.prowlbot.xyz/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Troubleshoot Common Issues with the Prowl Discord Bot

> Step-by-step fixes for the most common Prowl problems — bot not responding, missing permissions, music not playing, and dashboard access issues.

Most problems with Prowl come down to a handful of root causes: a missing permission, a misconfigured setting, or a temporary service hiccup. Work through the relevant section below to resolve your issue. If you exhaust every step and the problem persists, the [Prowl support server](https://discord.gg/KnRxYDP7zB) is the fastest way to get hands-on help.

## Bot Not Responding to Commands

<Accordion title="Prowl isn't responding to any slash commands">
  <Steps>
    <Step title="Check the status page">
      Visit [status.prowlbot.xyz](https://status.prowlbot.xyz) and confirm there are no active incidents affecting the bot. If there is an ongoing outage, wait for it to be resolved.
    </Step>

    <Step title="Verify Prowl is in your server">
      Go to your **Discord Server Settings → Members** and confirm Prowl appears in the member list and shows as online (green dot). If it's offline, there may be a broader service disruption.
    </Step>

    <Step title="Check channel permissions">
      Prowl needs at minimum **View Channel**, **Send Messages**, **Embed Links**, and **Use Application Commands** in the channel where you're typing. Open **Channel Settings → Permissions**, find the Prowl role, and confirm none of these are explicitly denied.
    </Step>

    <Step title="Confirm commands aren't restricted">
      Open the [dashboard](https://prowlbot.xyz), navigate to your server, and check the command settings. A server admin may have limited a command to specific roles or channels.
    </Step>

    <Step title="Re-invite the bot if slash commands are missing">
      Discord occasionally loses slash-command registrations. If commands don't appear at all, try removing Prowl and re-inviting it from [prowlbot.xyz](https://prowlbot.xyz). Wait two to three minutes for Discord to propagate the new registration.
    </Step>
  </Steps>
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Commands work in some channels but not others">
  This is almost always a channel-level permission issue. Open the settings for the non-working channel, go to **Permissions**, and look for an explicit **Deny** on **Send Messages** or **Use Application Commands** for either the `@everyone` role or the Prowl role. Remove the deny override or add an explicit **Allow** for Prowl.
</Accordion>

***

## Missing Permissions Errors

<Accordion title="Prowl says it's missing permissions when I run a command">
  <Steps>
    <Step title="Identify the required permission">
      The error message from Prowl will usually name the missing permission (e.g., *"I need the Manage Roles permission to do this"*). Note it down.
    </Step>

    <Step title="Check the Prowl role in Server Settings">
      Go to **Server Settings → Roles**, find the **Prowl** role, and verify the required permission is toggled on. If it's off, enable it and save.
    </Step>

    <Step title="Check role hierarchy">
      Prowl can only manage roles and members that sit **below** its own role in the hierarchy. If you're asking Prowl to assign a role that is ranked higher than the Prowl role, drag the Prowl role above it in **Server Settings → Roles**.
    </Step>

    <Step title="Reauthorize with correct permissions">
      If the Prowl role is missing many permissions, the bot may have been invited without the full permission set. Re-invite Prowl from [prowlbot.xyz](https://prowlbot.xyz) — Discord will prompt you to update its permissions.
    </Step>
  </Steps>
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Prowl can't create or manage channels/threads for tickets">
  Ticket creation requires **Manage Channels**, **Send Messages in Threads**, and **Create Public/Private Threads** permissions. Verify all three are granted to the Prowl role in **Server Settings → Roles**. Also confirm the category where tickets are created doesn't have a **Deny** override for Prowl on any of these permissions.
</Accordion>

***

## Music Not Playing / Bot Won't Join Voice

<Accordion title="Prowl joins the voice channel but no audio plays">
  <Steps>
    <Step title="Check your own audio output">
      Make sure your Discord output device is set correctly and your volume isn't muted. Other members in the channel should be able to confirm whether they can hear music.
    </Step>

    <Step title="Verify the source URL or query">
      Certain sources may have restrictions. Try a different song or use a direct search term (e.g., the song title and artist name) rather than a platform-specific URL.
    </Step>

    <Step title="Check the bot's voice permissions">
      Prowl needs **Connect**, **Speak**, and **Use Voice Activity** in the voice channel. Open **Channel Settings → Permissions** for the voice channel and confirm these are allowed.
    </Step>

    <Step title="Run /music stop and restart the queue">
      Run `/music stop` to fully reset the music player, then start a fresh queue with `/music play`. A corrupted queue state can prevent audio from starting.
    </Step>
  </Steps>
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Prowl won't join my voice channel at all">
  Confirm that Prowl has the **Connect** permission in that specific voice channel. If the channel has a **User Limit** set, make sure it isn't full. Also check that you are currently in the voice channel when you run the `/music play` command — Prowl joins the channel you are in at the time of the request.
</Accordion>

***

## Dashboard Not Loading or Login Issues

<Accordion title="The dashboard at prowlbot.xyz won't load">
  <Steps>
    <Step title="Check service status">
      Visit [status.prowlbot.xyz](https://status.prowlbot.xyz) and look for any dashboard-specific incidents.
    </Step>

    <Step title="Clear your browser cache">
      A stale cache can prevent the dashboard from loading correctly. Press **Ctrl + Shift + R** (Windows/Linux) or **Cmd + Shift + R** (Mac) to hard-refresh.
    </Step>

    <Step title="Try a different browser or incognito mode">
      Browser extensions (particularly ad blockers and script blockers) can interfere with the dashboard. Open an incognito window to rule this out.
    </Step>

    <Step title="Check your internet connection">
      If other sites work normally, try accessing the dashboard from a mobile device on cellular data to determine whether the issue is network-specific.
    </Step>
  </Steps>
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="I can't log in to the dashboard — Discord OAuth keeps failing">
  <Steps>
    <Step title="Ensure cookies are enabled">
      The dashboard uses cookies to maintain your session. Verify that your browser allows cookies from `prowlbot.xyz`.
    </Step>

    <Step title="Revoke and re-authorize">
      In Discord, go to **User Settings → Authorized Apps**, find Prowl, and click **Deauthorize**. Then return to [prowlbot.xyz](https://prowlbot.xyz) and log in again to grant fresh OAuth permissions.
    </Step>

    <Step title="Check Discord's own status">
      If Discord's OAuth service is degraded, login will fail regardless. Check [discordstatus.com](https://discordstatus.com) for any OAuth-related incidents.
    </Step>
  </Steps>
</Accordion>

***

## AutoMod Taking Wrong Actions

<Accordion title="AutoMod is deleting messages it shouldn't">
  <Steps>
    <Step title="Review your AutoMod filters in the dashboard">
      Open **AutoMod** in the dashboard and review each active filter. Look for overly broad banned word lists or regex patterns that could match legitimate messages.
    </Step>

    <Step title="Adjust filter thresholds">
      If you're using spam detection, increase the message count or time window threshold to allow more messages before triggering. For caps, adjust the percentage threshold.
    </Step>

    <Step title="Check moderator exemption">
      Moderators (those with Administrator, Manage Messages, or Moderate Members permissions, or a configured mod role) are exempt from AutoMod by default. If a moderator's messages are being filtered, verify their permissions.
    </Step>

    <Step title="Check the AutoMod log">
      The AutoMod log channel records every action with the matched filter and the original message. Use this to pinpoint exactly which filter is firing incorrectly.
    </Step>
  </Steps>
</Accordion>

***

## Leveling XP Not Being Awarded

<Accordion title="Members aren't gaining XP from messages">
  <Steps>
    <Step title="Confirm leveling is enabled">
      In the dashboard, go to **Leveling** and verify the module is toggled on. You can also check with `/level config`.
    </Step>

    <Step title="Understand the XP cooldown">
      Prowl applies a per-user cooldown between XP awards (default: 60 seconds) to prevent spam farming. A member sending many messages in quick succession will only earn XP for the first message in each cooldown window.
    </Step>

    <Step title="Check the XP rate">
      If the XP rate is set very low, members may not notice their XP gains. Use `/level config` to check the current rate (default: 1.0).
    </Step>

    <Step title="Check for bot messages">
      XP is only awarded for messages from real users. Messages sent by bots (including Prowl itself) never earn XP.
    </Step>
  </Steps>
</Accordion>

***

## Getting More Help

If you've worked through the relevant steps above and your issue isn't resolved, the Prowl community and support team are ready to help.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Join the Discord" icon="discord" href="https://discord.gg/KnRxYDP7zB">
    Get real-time help from the Prowl team and community in the support server.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Check System Status" icon="signal" href="https://status.prowlbot.xyz">
    See live uptime information and subscribe to incident alerts.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Tip>
  When asking for help in the support server, always include your **server ID**, a **description of the issue**, and any **error messages** you've received. The more context you provide, the faster the team can assist you.
</Tip>