Poni IDEN

Troubleshooting

The most common problems and how to fix them. If nothing here matches, report it on GitHub (see the end of this section).

Right-click Poni's tray icon

Poni doesn't show

  • It's snoozed. Right-click Poni's tray icon. If it says Snoozed until … — wake now, click that. Pressing the Snooze Poni shortcut again also works (Alt+Shift+H by default).
  • It's hidden from the tray. If the tray menu says Show Poni, click it.
  • A fullscreen app is in front. With Hide when an app is fullscreen on (the default), Poni hides while a game, video or presentation fills the screen and comes back afterwards. Turn it off in Settings → General if you want Poni to stay.
  • Poni is on another display. Check Show Poni on in Settings → General: Primary display (default), All displays, Display with the mouse cursor, or a specific display. If the chosen display isn't connected, Poni goes to the primary one.
  • Auto-hide is on. Poni waits above the top edge of the screen. Move the mouse to the top edge and it comes down. See Auto-hide.
  • Poni isn't running. Start it from the Start menu. Turn on Launch at login so it starts whenever you sign in to Windows.

Can't find Poni's tray icon? Click the small arrow on the right side of the taskbar to see hidden icons.

Windows SmartScreen warning

When you first run the installer, Windows may show Windows protected your PC. Click More info, then Run anyway. The warning shows because Poni isn't signed with a paid code signing certificate. Updates installed from inside Poni are still signed (see Updates & privacy).

Maximized windows cover Poni, or Poni covers them

  • Keep windows below Poni (Settings → General, on by default) reserves a thin strip at the top of the screen, so maximized windows start under Poni and it never covers their tabs or title bars.
  • If windows cover Poni, turn on Keep windows below Poni and make sure Auto-hide is off. The strip isn't used while Auto-hide is on.
  • If you want windows to use the whole screen, turn on Auto-hide. Poni moves above the screen and comes down when the mouse reaches the top edge.

Music doesn't show

  • Poni reads players from the Windows media controls, the same ones in the Windows media flyout. Spotify, Apple Music, Media Player, YouTube and YouTube Music in Edge, Chrome or Firefox, VLC, TIDAL and Deezer work. If your player doesn't show up in the Windows media controls, Poni can't see it either.
  • Make sure Music controls is on in Settings → Media.
  • For the closed Poni, also check Music in Settings → Live Activities.

The calendar doesn't update

  • Poni fetches your iCal links every 5 minutes, and when you open Poni if the last fetch is more than a minute old.
  • To fetch right now, open Settings → Calendar and click Refresh now.
  • If a link has a problem, its error shows under that link and the status says … feed error(s). Copy the link from your calendar again.
  • Make sure Show calendar is on. For Google Calendar, use the Secret address in iCal format. See Calendar.

The Wi-Fi list asks for location

Windows only lists Wi-Fi networks to apps that may use your location. Click Open location settings in the Bluetooth & Wi-Fi tab, turn on Location services and Let desktop apps access your location, then come back to Poni. Poni doesn't use or send your location. See Bluetooth & Wi-Fi.

AI Chat errors

The usual causes: no API key yet, a wrong key, or Gemini's free usage limit. The error messages and their fixes are listed in AI Chat.

A Bluetooth device won't connect

  • The Connect and Disconnect buttons in Poni are only there for paired audio devices, such as headphones and speakers.
  • Connect other devices, like a mouse, keyboard or phone, in Windows. Click Bluetooth settings in the Bluetooth & Wi-Fi tab.
  • A device that was never paired: click Add device and pair it in the Windows Bluetooth settings.
  • If connecting fails, Poni shows the reason. Make sure the device is on and nearby, then try again.

Poni doesn't respond to clicks

After the lock screen or sleep, Poni reloads its window by itself. If it still won't take clicks or looks wrong, right-click the tray icon and choose Reload Poni. If that doesn't help, choose Restart to restart the whole app.

The log file

Poni writes what happens to %APPDATA%\Poni\poni.log. Once it passes 512 KB, it's moved to poni.log.old. To open the folder, press Win+R, type %APPDATA%\Poni and press Enter.

Reporting a bug

  1. Go to github.com/liimalim/Poni/issues and open a new issue (you need a GitHub account).
  2. Write your Poni version (Settings → About), Windows 10 or 11, what you did, what happened and what you expected.
  3. Attach poni.log if you can. A screenshot helps too.