How to resolve network connection issues

Descript relies on an internet connection to power many key features. If your connection is unstable or blocked by your network settings, you may run into issues.

This article walks through the most common fixes for connectivity troubles, domains to whitelist, and what to do if Descript says you’re offline even though your internet is working.

This article covers:

If Descript says you're offline

If Descript is showing an “offline” message, it may mean your internet connection is unstable, blocked by a local network setting, or—occasionally—it may be a false alert.

These steps may help resolve the issue:

  1. Fully quit and restart your browser or Descript app. Quit Descript completely (click the Descript “D” icon in the OS taskbar) and select Quit Descript Completely.

    Quit Descript completely screenshot

  2. Refresh the browser page or Descript window. Use the shortcut Shift + Cmd/Ctrl + R or go to Window > Reload in the top menu.

    Reload window screenshot
  3. Clear your cache:
    • Using Chrome? Follow these steps to clear your browser cache.
    • Using Descript’s desktop app? From the top menu, go to Help > Debug > Reset app data.
  4. Restart your device. A full restart can resolve system-level networking issues.
  5. Check for network interference. Disable VPN, firewall, or proxy settings temporarily to see if they’re blocking Descript's connection. See required domains
  6. Free up disk space. Make sure you have at least 20GB of free space. See recommended system requirements
  7. Try a different network. Use another Wi-Fi network or a mobile hotspot. Plugging into a wired ethernet port on their modem/router instead of using a wireless (WiFi) connection can often improve connection stability.
  8. Switch platforms. Try web.descript.com if you're using the desktop app, or vice versa.

Firewall and proxy settings

If you’re using a firewall, VPN, or proxy (especially common in especially on a school, office, or coworking environments), Descript may not be able to connect properly.

To ensure Descript works properly, your firewall or proxy must allow access to the following domains:

  • *.descript.com
  • *.stytch.com
  • descript-assets.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com
  • d32u7zi7n7c34o.cloudfront.net
  • d2qfeu3f26dkj6.cloudfront.net
  • descript-assets.s3.amazonaws.com
  • descript-assets.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com
  • d1d3n03t5zntha.cloudfront.net
  • descript-publish.s3.amazonaws.com
  • descript-publish.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com
  • descript-publish.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com
  • d1sdqpkoqp177u.cloudfront.net
  • descript-teams.s3.amazonaws.com
  • descript-teams.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com
  • descript-teams.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com
  • d3s623uews94mf.cloudfront.net
  • descript-voices.s3.amazonaws.com
  • descript-voices.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com
  • descript-voices.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com
  • descript-users.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com
  • d1fizpkae570p1.cloudfront.net
  • descript-global-assets.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com
  • descript-global-assets.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com
  • d3grwaljw6zt7u.cloudfront.net
  • descript-recordings.s3.amazonaws.com
  • descript-recordings.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com
  • descript-recordings.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com
  • descript-users.s3.amazonaws.com
  • descript-users.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com
  • descript-global-assets.s3.amazonaws.com
  • d2ddoduugvun08.cloudfront.net
  • *.pndsn.com
  • production-273614-assets.storage.googleapis.com
  • production-273614-assets-us-east4.storage.googleapis.com
  • *.descriptusercontent.com
  • dh9qz98jqjqdu.cloudfront.net
  • dm0qx8t0i9gc9.cloudfront.net
  • *.giphy.com
  • zoom.us - Required if connecting your Zoom account to Descript
  • https://*.googleapis.com/*
  • wss://*.firebaseio.com/*
  • https://*.firebaseio.com/*
  • https://*.daily.co
  • wss://*.wss.daily.co

Optional domains to allow:

  • https://*.doubleclick.net/*
  • https://*.tapfiliate.com/*

Proxy requirements:
A proxy server must proxy HTTPS connections to:

  • https://prod-ks.pluot.blue/*
  • https://c.daily.co/*
  • https://gs.daily.co/*

It must also proxy HTTPS connections converting to WebSockets on:

  • wss://*.wss.daily.co
  • If possible, proxying on *.daily.co is preferred.

Need more help?

Reach out to our support team. We'll need to know your operating system, whether you're using the desktop or web app, and what troubleshooting steps you’ve already tried. Submit a ticket →