Troubleshooting FAQ

Get some help for some frequently asked troubleshooting questions. For more in-depth help, check out Netlify’s official support guides or use Ask Netlify AI.

How can I check for missing files in my last site deploy?

To check for a missing file, use Netlify’s Deploy File Explorer.

Using Netlify’s Deploy File Explorer, you can:

• Navigate your build output like a file system.
• Download only the files you need.
• Use substring search to quickly find specific resources.
• Download the entire output as a single zip file from any successful deploy.

Why do I get a page not found error?

The most common reasons for this error are the following:

• Incorrect publish directory
• SPA redirect rule missing
• Server-Side Rendered Content
• Incorrect asset paths
• Edge Functions blocking requests
• Rewrites to proxy a site into the sub-directory of another

To learn more about these issues and how to resolve them, check out the Page not found official Support Guide.

Why are my form submissions not appearing in the dashboard, and how can I resolve this?

If your form submissions are not showing up in the Netlify dashboard, there are several common causes and solutions. This guide summarizes the most frequent issues and how to resolve them, based on real support tickets and official documentation.

1. Form Not Detected at Deploy Time

Netlify detects forms by parsing your site’s static HTML at deploy time. If your form is not present in the HTML (for example, if it’s rendered only client-side with JavaScript), Netlify will not process it.

Checklist:

• Ensure your <form> tag includes data-netlify="true" or the netlify attribute.
• The form must have a unique name attribute.
• Every input must have a unique name attribute.
• If you recently enabled form detection, you must redeploy your site for changes to take effect. Turning on form detection only applies to new deploys, not retroactively see docs and forum guidance.

If using a JavaScript framework (React, Next.js, Svelte, etc.):

• You must include a static HTML “blueprint” form with all possible fields and matching names. This can be a hidden, unlinked HTML file. Netlify cannot detect forms rendered only at runtime by JavaScript see docs and forum post.

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2. Form Fields Missing or Mismatched

• If you add new fields to your form but do not update the static HTML version, Netlify will ignore those fields in submissions.
• Duplicate field names or missing name attributes can cause fields to be ignored or submissions to be blank see support guide.

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3. Spam Filtering

• Submissions may be flagged as spam by Netlify’s Akismet integration, especially if you use fake/test data or submit repeatedly from the same IP.
• Check the “Spam submissions” tab in your dashboard to see if your tests are being filtered see docs.
• Avoid using obvious test data (like test@test.com) and write realistic content in your test submissions see troubleshooting tips.

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4. AJAX/JavaScript Submission Issues

• If submitting forms via AJAX, ensure you include a hidden input with name="form-name" and the correct value.
• The POST body must be URL-encoded, not JSON.
• All fields you want to capture must be present in the static HTML blueprint see docs.

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5. Honeypot and reCAPTCHA Configuration

• If you use a honeypot field, it must be included (and left blank) in the submission. If omitted or filled, Netlify will silently reject the submission see docs and forum post.
• For reCAPTCHA, follow the integration instructions carefully. If using custom reCAPTCHA, ensure the g-recaptcha-response field is included in the POST body see docs.

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6. Form Detection Disabled

• If form detection is disabled in your site settings, new or updated forms will not be processed. Re-enable form detection and redeploy your site see docs.

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7. Recent Changes to Form Fields

• If you change the name or type of a form field, old submissions for that field will no longer appear in the UI, but are still available via the API see docs.

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8. Redirects or Server-Side Rendering Issues

• If your form submission endpoint is redirected or handled by a serverless function, Netlify may not process the submission. Make sure the form posts to a static route that exists in your site see support guide.

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9. Debugging Steps

• Check the Forms tab in your Netlify dashboard to see if your form is detected.
• Review your deploy logs for form detection messages.
• Use the API to check for submissions if they are not visible in the UI.
• If all else fails, consult the comprehensive debugging guide.

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Summary Table: Common Issues and Solutions

Issue	Solution
Form not detected	Add data-netlify="true", unique name, redeploy, ensure static HTML version exists
Fields missing in submissions	Ensure all fields are present in static HTML, unique name attributes
Submissions marked as spam	Check spam tab, use realistic test data, avoid repeated submissions from same IP
AJAX/JS forms not working	Add hidden form-name input, URL-encode POST body, match static HTML blueprint
Honeypot/reCAPTCHA issues	Include honeypot field (blank), follow reCAPTCHA setup instructions
Form detection disabled	Re-enable in dashboard, redeploy
Redirects/SSR interfering	Post to a static route, avoid redirects on form endpoint

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For more details and troubleshooting, see the Netlify Forms documentation and support guides.

Where are Netlify’s DNS records or name servers?

Your DNS name records will vary based on your domain details. To check out your DNS records, settings, and Netlify’s DNS Name Servers, go to your Netlify team dashboard where all your team’s projects are listed and select Domains. From your team’s domains dashboard, select the domain you want more details for.

If you set up DNS for a domain through a third-party or external DNS provider, you’ll need to check your third-party provider’s dashboard for your DNS records.

You can also look up basic DNS information for a domain using this Google DNS lookup tool or you can use the dig command in your terminal.