Support

Need help with VinylCrate? You’re in the right place. Find answers to common questions below, or contact us directly.

Getting Started

How do I add records to my collection?

There are several ways to add records to VinylCrate:

1. Barcode Scanning (Recommended)
   • Tap the search icon and select “Scan Barcode”
   • Point your camera at the barcode on your record
   • VinylCrate will find the release on Discogs
   • Tap “Add to Collection” to save it
2. Search Discogs
   • Use the search tab to search by artist, album, or catalog number
   • Browse results and select the correct pressing
   • Add to your collection
3. Sync from Discogs
   • Connect your Discogs account in Settings
   • Tap “Sync Collection” to import your existing collection

How do I connect my Discogs account?

1. Go to Settings in VinylCrate
2. Tap “Connect Discogs Account”
3. You’ll be redirected to Discogs to authorize the connection
4. After authorizing, you’ll return to VinylCrate
5. Your accounts are now linked

Note: VinylCrate uses OAuth authentication, so your Discogs password is never stored in the app.

How do I create crates?

1. Go to the Crates tab
2. Tap the “+” button
3. Enter a name for your crate
4. Choose a color and icon
5. Tap “Create”

To add records to a crate, view any album and tap “Add to Crate.”

Discogs Integration

Why can’t I find my record on Discogs?

Discogs is a community-driven database, and some records may not be listed yet. Try:

• Searching by artist name only
• Searching by catalog number (found on the record label)
• Using the barcode if available
• Checking for alternate spellings

My collection won’t sync

If you’re having trouble syncing with Discogs:

1. Check your internet connection
2. Try disconnecting and reconnecting your Discogs account
3. If you have a large collection (1000+ records), sync may take several minutes
4. Ensure VinylCrate has permission to access Discogs in your account settings

Will changes in VinylCrate affect my Discogs collection?

Currently, VinylCrate is read-only for your Discogs collection. Adding or removing records in VinylCrate does not affect your Discogs account.

Collection Insights

How is my collection value calculated?

VinylCrate estimates collection value based on:

• Median sale prices from Discogs
• Recent completed sales data
• Condition grades (when available)

Important: This is an estimate only. Actual market values may vary.

Why is a record showing no value?

A record may show no value if:

• There’s insufficient sales data
• The specific pressing hasn’t been sold recently
• The release isn’t fully cataloged on Discogs

Apple Music Integration

How do I connect Apple Music?

1. Go to Settings
2. Tap “Connect Apple Music”
3. Grant permission when prompted

Why can’t VinylCrate find my album on Apple Music?

Apple Music may not have the exact release that matches your vinyl. VinylCrate searches by artist and album title, but:

• Regional releases may differ
• Some albums aren’t on Apple Music
• Compilation albums may not match

Record Player

How do I use the Record Player?

1. Open any album in your collection
2. Tap the play button or “Open in Record Player”
3. The Record Player shows your album artwork spinning on a turntable
4. Use the playback controls to play, pause, skip tracks, or adjust volume

What are the sound effects?

VinylCrate includes authentic vinyl sound effects:

• Vinyl crackle: Subtle surface noise that plays with the music
• Tonearm sounds: Needle drop and lift sounds when starting/stopping
• Surface noise: Ambient vinyl texture

Toggle sound effects on/off in the Record Player settings (gear icon).

How do I use AirPlay?

1. While music is playing, tap the AirPlay icon in the Record Player
2. Select your AirPlay device (HomePod, Apple TV, AirPlay speakers)
3. Music streams to your selected device

What is the Mini Player?

The Mini Player appears at the bottom of the screen when music is playing, allowing you to:

• See what’s currently playing
• Play/pause without opening the full Record Player
• Tap to expand to the full Record Player view

Apple Intelligence

What devices support Apple Intelligence?

Apple Intelligence features require:

• iPhone: iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or newer
• iPad: iPad with M1 chip or newer
• Settings: Apple Intelligence must be enabled in your device settings

What can Apple Intelligence do in VinylCrate?

• Collection Summaries: Generate insights about your entire collection
• Crate Descriptions: Automatically describe what makes each crate unique
• Album Insights: Discover interesting facts about individual albums

Why don’t I see Apple Intelligence features?

Check the following:

1. Ensure your device supports Apple Intelligence (iPhone 15 Pro or newer)
2. Enable Apple Intelligence in Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri
3. Wait for Apple Intelligence to be fully set up on your device
4. Some features may require an internet connection initially

Is my data sent to Apple?

Apple Intelligence processing happens on-device using Apple’s private cloud compute. VinylCrate doesn’t send your collection data to external servers.

Scanning

What is Text Scanning?

Text Scanning lets you use your camera to scan text from:

• Record labels
• Album spines
• Catalog numbers
• Sleeve text

The scanned text is used to search Discogs, making it easy to find records without barcodes.

How do I scan text?

1. Tap the search icon and select “Scan Text”
2. Point your camera at the text you want to scan
3. VinylCrate highlights recognized text
4. Tap the text to search Discogs

When should I use Text Scanning vs Barcode Scanning?

• Barcode Scanning: Best for records with a barcode (most modern releases)
• Text Scanning: Best for older records, imports, or records without barcodes

Background Sync

How does Background Sync work?

When syncing large Discogs collections:

1. The sync runs in the background while you use other features
2. Progress is shown in the Discogs settings
3. You can close the app—sync resumes when you return
4. No lost progress, even if interrupted

My sync was interrupted. What happens?

VinylCrate automatically saves your sync progress. When you return:

1. Go to Settings > Discogs
2. Tap “Resume Sync” if prompted
3. The sync continues from where it left off

How long does syncing take?

Sync time depends on collection size:

• Small collections (under 100 records): A few seconds
• Medium collections (100-500 records): Under a minute
• Large collections (1000+ records): Several minutes

Sync happens in the background, so you can continue browsing while it completes.

Troubleshooting

The app is running slowly

Try these steps:

1. Close and reopen VinylCrate
2. Restart your device
3. Ensure you have sufficient storage space
4. Check for app updates

Barcode scanner isn’t working

1. Ensure camera permissions are granted in Settings
2. Clean your camera lens
3. Ensure adequate lighting
4. Hold the phone steady and close to the barcode

Data seems to be missing

VinylCrate stores data locally on your device. If data appears missing:

1. Check if you’re signed into the correct iCloud account
2. Ensure iCloud sync is enabled (if used)
3. Don’t delete and reinstall the app without backing up first

Privacy & Data

Where is my data stored?

Your collection data is stored locally on your device. If you enable iCloud sync, data is also stored in your iCloud account.

How do I export my data?

Data export features are coming in a future update.

How do I delete all my data?

To delete all VinylCrate data:

1. Go to Settings
2. Scroll to “Delete All Data”
3. Confirm deletion

Warning: This action cannot be undone.

Contact Us

Can’t find what you’re looking for? We’re here to help.

Feature Requests

Have an idea for VinylCrate? We’d love to hear it! Send feature requests to support@vinyl-crate.com with “Feature Request” in the subject line.

Known Issues

No known issues at this time. Check back here for any known issues and their workarounds.