I can't download my letter

Ninety-five percent of download problems are one of five things. Work through this list before emailing support.

Fastest checks first

1. Check your Downloads folder. Some browsers save to Downloads silently. Look at your Downloads folder or the recent-files list on your OS. The file is named something like basis-appeals-[appeal-id].pdf.

2. Refresh the download page. If you are still on the /downloading/[id] page, refresh once. The page polls for payment confirmation and sometimes needs a nudge.

3. Wait a few more seconds. Stripe payment confirmation can take up to 60 seconds during peak times. The download page waits automatically for up to 90 seconds before showing an error. If you see the confirmation spinner, do not close the tab.

4. Try clicking the direct download link. On the confirmation page, if the automatic download did not fire, there is a "Click here to get the PDF" link. Click it.

5. Check pop-up blocker. Some browsers block PDF downloads from redirects. Check the address bar for a pop-up-blocker icon. Allow downloads from this site and refresh.

If those did not work

6. Try a different browser. Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge all work. If your default browser is having trouble, open the download page in another browser using the URL from your confirmation email.

7. Try incognito or private mode. Extensions (ad blockers, privacy tools) can interfere with downloads. Try the download in an incognito window with no extensions.

8. Try a different device. The download URL works from any device. Open your confirmation email on your phone and download the PDF there.

9. Check your email for the confirmation. The email includes both the download link and the appeal ID. If you never received the email, check spam and promotions folders. If it is not there either, see below.

If you never got the confirmation email

• Check spam and promotions folders
• Check the email you actually entered at checkout (typos happen)
• Log into your Stripe email receipt (it has the checkout email)
• Email support with your name, checkout date, and the last four of the card used

If the download starts but the file is broken

• Try downloading again
• Check the file size (a normal PDF is 40 to 200 KB depending on tier)
• Open the file in a different PDF viewer (Preview on Mac, Adobe Reader on Windows, Chrome's built-in viewer)
• If the file consistently opens with errors, email support with your appeal ID

If the file opens but pages look wrong

See My letter has a typo or The insurer address on my letter is wrong.

When to email support

Email support if:

• All the above did not work
• You never received the confirmation email and are sure you paid
• The PDF is corrupted every time

Include:

• Your appeal ID (from your URL or confirmation email)
• What browser and OS you tried
• What you saw at each step
• Whether you were charged (yes or no)

We answer within two business days. If you were charged and cannot download, we will deliver manually.

What we cannot do remotely

• We cannot check your Downloads folder for you
• We cannot access your browser settings
• We cannot see your device

That is why the local checklist above matters. Work through it in order.