Guide · Lovable
Lovable publish not working: what is failing, and what a visitor sees when it "published"
"Lovable publish not working" is one of two problems. Either the Publish button fails with a "Publishing failed" banner, which names one of six categories and offers the matching fix (Try again, Try to fix, or Ask the assistant to help), or publishing succeeds and visitors still see a problem: an old version, an invite-only app, a paused backend or a custom domain that is not Live.
Why it happens
The preview and the published app are separate. Lovable says only publishing puts your app on a public URL and that later changes are not pushed live on their own. Hosting serves the pages; the backend handles data and sign-in. Either side can be the one failing.
The causes, and how to fix each
When the Publish button fails, the banner names the category. The first six causes below are those categories.
1. Temporary issue
A short-lived problem such as a timeout or a rate limit on a connected service.
How to fix it
- Click Try again in the banner. Lovable says retries usually succeed.
Source: Lovable: Publish your project
2. Error in your app
A build error or an edge function that could not be deployed: the app ran in the preview but cannot be built for production.
How to fix it
- Click Try to fix in the banner, or describe the issue in the project chat.
- Publish again.
Source: Lovable: Publish your project
3. Configuration issue
A problem in the project setup, such as a file too large to include.
How to fix it
- Click Try to fix in the banner.
- Publish again.
Source: Lovable: Publish your project
4. External connection or secret
Something outside the project, such as an expired Supabase connection or a connected service at its plan limits.
How to fix it
- Fix that setting: reconnect the integration, or update its plan or quota.
- Click Try again.
Source: Lovable: Publish your project
5. Database change conflicts with existing data
A database change in this publish conflicts with data already in the live app.
How to fix it
- Click Ask the assistant to help in the banner and go through the fix with it, since it touches real data.
Source: Lovable: Publish your project
6. Internal error
The failure is on Lovable's side.
How to fix it
- Try publishing again after a few minutes.
- If it keeps failing, contact Lovable support with your project link.
Source: Lovable: Publish your project
7. Publishing is blocked, not failing
Some states stop publishing without a failure: security findings when the workspace blocks publishing with critical issues, an Enterprise workspace approval policy, or a user without editor access.
How to fix it
- "Fix security issues to publish": resolve the critical findings, then publish.
- "Publish requires approval" (an Enterprise workspace policy): select Request approval and write a short note for the approvers.
- "You don't have permission to publish this project": publishing needs editor access or above.
Source: Lovable: Publish your project
8. It is live, but visitors see the old version
A dot on the Publish button means the project has changes newer than the live version.
How to fix it
- Open the Publish dialog and click Publish changes.
Source: Lovable: Publish your project
9. It is live, but nobody else can open it
On Free and Pro, visibility is Public by default with an Invite only option; Business and Enterprise have Public, Workspace and Custom. A visitor who is not allowed cannot open the app.
How to fix it
- In the Publish dialog, set the audience to Public.
- Click Publish changes so the setting takes effect.
Source: Lovable: Publish your project
10. Pages load, but sign-in and data fail: the backend is paused
Lovable says pausing affects the app's data and logic, not page hosting, and that a paused backend may not restart on its own.
How to fix it
- Go to More, Database in the project and click Wake up on the paused card.
Source: Lovable: How Lovable hosts your app
11. The custom domain is not Live
Until a custom domain shows Live, visitors on that address do not reach the app.
How to fix it
- Open Project, Settings, Domains and read the domain's status; each status comes with instructions.
- If it shows Offline, click Recover, review the DNS records shown and update them at your DNS provider.
Source: Lovable: How Lovable hosts your app · Lovable: Custom domains
12. The app is down for everyone
Platform incidents, a Free-plan project unpublished for inactivity, or the Free-plan request limit ("App temporarily unavailable").
How to fix it
- Check status.lovable.dev for incidents.
- Open the Publish dialog to confirm the project is still published, and check your email for an inactivity notice.
- If visitors see "App temporarily unavailable", the Free-plan request limit was reached; they can try again after a minute.
Source: Lovable: How Lovable hosts your app
Why you can't see it yourself
You're signed in, your customers aren't. In the editor you see the banner and the preview, signed in as an editor, with an awake backend. A visitor sees only the published address and meets whatever the published side actually does.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Lovable say "Publishing failed"?
The banner names one of six categories: temporary issue, error in your app, configuration issue, external connection or secret, database change conflict, or internal error. Each offers its own action, such as Try again or Try to fix.
Why can't visitors see my latest changes?
Lovable does not push later edits live automatically. A dot on the Publish button means there are newer changes; click Publish changes.
My Lovable app is published but nobody can open it. Why?
Check whether the audience is Invite only (set it to Public), whether the custom domain shows Live, and status.lovable.dev.
Does a paused backend take my site down?
No. Pages still load, but data and sign-in fail until you click Wake up under More, Database.
What does "App temporarily unavailable" mean on Lovable?
On the Free plan, newer apps are limited to 1,000 server requests per project per 10 seconds. Visitors over the limit see that message and can retry after a minute.
Sources (official documentation)
Related guides
- Lovable custom domain not working: "Action required", "Verifying" or "Unable to verify"
- It works in the preview but breaks after I deploy
- My app shows a blank white page after publishing
- Supabase login not working on my published Lovable app (works in preview)
- My app is stuck on a loading spinner after I publish it
- Why is my Base44 app not working? The documented causes, from a blank page to a 403
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