Opening Buffer in an incognito or private window, how to safelist Buffer, and using a VPN

When looking into an issue you reported, our support agents explore all possible options to solve the issue with minimal additional hassle for you. In some cases, such as when we're having trouble replicating the issue, we may ask you to open Buffer in an incognito or private window to troubleshoot further. We may also recommend safelisting (also known as whitelisting) Buffer.

In this article:

• How to open Buffer in an incognito /private window
• Buffer Browser Extension specific troubleshooting
• How to safelist Buffer in common extensions and ad blockers
• Tips for using a VPN with Buffer

How to open Buffer in an incognito /private window

Some issues may be caused by certain browser extensions or add-ons being installed, so opening Buffer in an incognito or private window can help to determine if this might be the case.

The table below shares details on how to open Buffer in an incognito or private window in the common browsers. Please note, once you have opened an incognito or private window, you will need to re-login to Buffer.

Buffer browser extension specific troubleshooting

If you are experiencing issues with the Buffer browser extension, we may ask you to try using it in an incognito window. For Chrome and Opera, an extra step is needed to allow this to open.

To allow the browser extension to open in a Chrome incognito window, from the file menu click on More tools > Extensions. From there, locate Buffer and click Details. Scroll down and toggle Allow in incognito on.

To allow the browser extension to open in an Opera incognito window, click on Menu > Extensions. From there, locate Buffer and tick the checkbox labelled Allow incognito.

How to safelist Buffer in common extensions and ad blockers

Some extensions, VPN’s or browser settings have been known to sometimes cause issues in Buffer. Because Buffer and these other extensions are updated frequently, you may experience new issues even if everything worked well before.

It is important to note that the extensions listed here don't always cause issues, and you may have a different extension that could be causing trouble. That being said, these are some of the more frequent extensions we’ve encountered and the settings we recommend.

• VPN - Most VPN applications should have the option to safelist Buffer.com.
• AdBlock: Turn off a feature called "Fanboy's Annoyances" could allow Buffer to work more smoothly.
• uBlock Origins or Private Badger: Safelist the following rules under "My Filters" tab:
  • buffer.com#@#.ss-social
  • buffer.com#@##sharer
  • @@/ss-social.$domain=buffer.com
• NoScript: This Firefox add-on could block both buffer.com and the Buffer browser extension. Click on the NoScript add-on icon to "Allow All This Page"
• Ghostery: Add 'buffer.com' to the list of trusted sites.

Tips for using a VPN with Buffer

Some VPNs will block access to Buffer because of outdated security certificates or other configurations. You can test this by turning off your VPN. If you’re then able to successfully visit Buffer with your VPN turned off, there are some steps you can try within your VPN to enable access:

• On some VPNs you can adjust where your traffic is being routed through, in which case we recommend selecting a different country for your traffic origin.
• Within your VPN, safelist buffer.com and *.buffer.com