Foto Master

FMX iPad App Crashes or Freezes

Updated 2 weeks ago · 5 min read

If FMX closes unexpectedly on launch, freezes during an event, or your settings disappear after an iPadOS update, this article walks through the diagnostics and fixes our support team uses most often.

Quick Diagnostics

  1. Note when it happens. On launch? After tapping Start Event? Mid-workflow? After a software update? The timing narrows the cause significantly.
  2. Check your iPadOS version. FMX 1.1.8+ requires iPadOS 18 or higher. Settings > General > About shows your version.
  3. Check available storage. Settings > General > iPad Storage. FMX needs at least 2 GB free to record video and cache event assets.
  4. Confirm you are on the App Store version of FMX, not a TestFlight build. TestFlight builds expire and become unstable after 90 days.

Common Issues

App Crashes Immediately on Launch

Problem: FMX opens to the splash screen and closes within a second or two. Re-opening produces the same result.

Cause: Corrupted local cache, an outdated app version, or an iPadOS version incompatibility.

Solution:

  1. Force quit FMX. Swipe up from the bottom edge and pause in the middle, then swipe up on the FMX preview to close it.
  2. Restart the iPad. Hold the power button + volume up until the slider appears, then power down. Wait 10 seconds and power back on.
  3. Update iPadOS to the latest version. Settings > General > Software Update.
  4. Delete and reinstall FMX from the App Store. You will not lose your cloud events -- they live on cloud.fotomaster.com and re-sync after you log back in.
  5. Log in with your Cloud account credentials -- the same ones you use at cloud.fotomaster.com. Tap Sync to pull your events down.

App Freezes During an Event

Problem: FMX runs fine for the first few guests, then locks up. The screen does not respond to touch.

Cause: Memory pressure on older iPads, a stuck workflow step, or a Bluetooth or camera resource that didn't release cleanly.

Solution:

  1. Force quit FMX (swipe up and away).
  2. Reopen FMX and tap your event again. Sessions resume from the last saved photo.
  3. For older iPads (Pro 2018 and earlier): Close every other app in the multitasking switcher before starting your event. iPadOS will aggressively kill background apps to free memory for FMX.
  4. Check your workflow for steps that wait on external input (a camera, a printer, a Bluetooth mic). If one of those devices disconnected, the workflow can hang waiting on it. Restart the device and resync.

Settings Reverted After Software Update

Problem: You updated FMX or iPadOS, opened FMX, and discovered that workflow settings, login credentials, or local preferences have been reset.

Cause: This was reported by Gabrielle Story in March 2026 and is a known issue with major version updates -- the local preferences file is replaced by defaults rather than migrated.

Solution:

  1. Before the next update, open each workflow in cloud.fotomaster.com and verify the settings are saved there. The Cloud is the source of truth -- anything saved in the Cloud will re-sync to the iPad.
  2. After an update, log back into FMX with your Cloud credentials and tap Sync. Cloud-side settings will repopulate.
  3. If a setting was iPad-local only (rare), reconfigure it once and then export the workflow to Cloud so it survives the next update.
  4. Save device-level settings as a screenshot before any major iPadOS update so you have a reference if you need to reconfigure.

Tip: Treat the Cloud as your settings backup. If a setting only lives on the iPad, it can be wiped by an OS update without warning.

App Slows Down on Older iPads

Problem: FMX is sluggish on iPads from 2018 or earlier -- workflows take seconds to advance, animations stutter.

Cause: Memory and GPU constraints. AI-heavy workflows (face swap, AI sketch, AI background removal) push older hardware hard.

Solution:

  1. Disable unused workflow steps. Every animation, transition, and AI step adds load. Trim the workflow to only what you need.
  2. Lower the photo resolution in the workflow settings. 1080p is more than enough for most outputs.
  3. Use Cloud-side AI rather than on-device processing where possible. The Cloud does the heavy lifting and the iPad just displays the result.
  4. Plan to upgrade. FMX is tested against iPad Pro M1 and newer. iPad 2018 hardware can run FMX but performance degrades as workflows get richer.

Storage Space Errors

Problem: FMX warns about low storage, or video recording fails to save.

Cause: The iPad is running out of free space. Recorded videos and cached AI outputs accumulate quickly.

Solution:

  1. Open Settings > General > iPad Storage and free up space.
  2. In FMX, clear the local event cache after each event. Cloud-synced photos remain safe in the Cloud.
  3. Reserve at least 5 GB free before a multi-hour event with video recording.

How to Enable Diagnostic Logs

If a crash or freeze persists after the steps above, enable diagnostic logging and send the output to support:

  1. In FMX, open Settings > Diagnostics and toggle Enable Logging. See iPad Logs & Troubleshooting for the detailed log-export walkthrough.
  2. Reproduce the issue.
  3. Tap Export Logs and email them to support@fotomaster.com along with your iPad model, iPadOS version, FMX build number, and a description of what you were doing when it happened.

Tip: Reproducing the issue once with logging on saves us hours of guessing. The first thing we ask for is logs.

Related Articles

Was this helpful?

Related articles