How to Fix "App Not Set Up: This app is still in development mode"

Have you ever tried to log into a game like 8 Ball Pool or Mobile Legends using your Facebook account, only to be greeted by the error "App Not Set Up: This app is still in development mode"? This frustrating error prevents you from accessing the app and continuing your progress.

In this comprehensive troubleshooting guide, we‘ll explain exactly what this error means, why you may be seeing it, and most importantly – how to resolve it.

What Does "This App is Still in Development Mode" Mean?

When an app displays this error message, it means that the developer has not yet pushed it into live production mode. By default, apps start in development (dev) mode, which allows the developer to test configurations and functionality before launch.

In dev mode, only registered testers and app admins can access the app. This explains why regular users encounter the forbidding "App Not Set Up" error.

According to Facebook‘s latest statistics, over 10 million apps and websites have integrated Facebook login since they opened up their platform in 2008. With this massive adoption, incidents of apps remaining stuck in dev mode after launch are increasing.

Industry experts predict that as more apps move to social login, we‘ll see even more cases where small configuration issues lead to blocking public access. Understanding the difference between an app‘s development and live modes is key.

Key Differences: Development Mode vs Live Mode

There are two potential modes that apps on the Facebook platform can operate in:

Development Mode: The initial state for new apps that are still in progress. This mode:

Allows developers to thoroughly test their app‘s integration and functionality before public launch
Strictly limits access to only authorized testers, app admins and analytics users
Provides unrestricted access to all platform features and sensitive user data during configuration

Live Mode: The production state allowing any eligible Facebook user to access the app. Enabling this mode requires developers to:

Submit additional app details including privacy policy, icon and contact info
Undergo review to confirm adherence with platform policies
Restrict access to sensitive user data and permissions

The table below summarizes some key differences:

Feature	Development Mode	Live Mode
Accessible by public	No	Yes
Access to friend list data	Yes	Restricted
Can enable payments	No	Yes
App review required before launch	No	Yes

So in summary – the development mode allows building and testing an integration, while live mode is for public launch.

Troubleshooting Tips for Users

If you encounter the ominous "App Not Set Up" error message as a user trying to log in, here are some step-by-step troubleshooting guides tailored to your mobile platform:

1. Check the App‘s Status

First, check if the app or game itself is currently experiencing issues with their Facebook integration that could trigger this error.

Visit their social media pages or status sites like Downdetector to confirm whether others are reporting problems logging in with Facebook.

For example, in June 2022 the immensly popular pool game 8 Ball Pool had a widely reported complete outage with Facebook logins impacting over 200 million users.

The developers confirmed they were working urgently on a fix:

If you do see a recent outage post like this, you‘ll simply need to wait patiently for the app developer to deploy an update before trying again. So make sure to monitor their social channels for resolution updates!

2. Contact Developer Support

However, if the app seems to otherwise be functioning normally apart from login issues, it likely indicates the backend Facebook integration has remained stuck in the development mode inadvertently post public launch.

In such cases, you should directly contact the app developer/publisher‘s customer support and report the problem:

For iOS Apps:

Open the App Store on your iPhone or iPad
Tap your profile icon in the top right
Tap "Purchase History"
Find the problematic app and tap the "Report a Problem" link
This opens a pre-filled email to the developer‘s support team
Explain you are encountering "App Not Set Up" errors when trying Facebook login

For Android Apps:

Open the Play Store app on your Android device
Tap the ≡ icon to open the slide-out menu
Select "My apps & games"
Find the app and tap on it
Scroll down and tap "Developer contact"
Select "Email" and it will open your email app with their support address
Explain you are encountering "App Not Set Up" errors when trying Facebook login

Notifying developers that users are unable to login to their app due to it stuck in development mode prompts them to double check and toggle the mode to live. This instantly resolves the access issues faced by users.

How Developers Can Fix "App Not Set Up" Errors

For developers who have launched their app publicly but receive user reports of Facebook login failing with "App Not Set Up" errors, here are the steps to resolve it:

Visit the Facebook App Dashboard
Select your app facing login issues
In Basic Settings, enter your Privacy Policy URL, App Icon and any other missing information
Toggle the switch from "In Development" to "Live" mode.

This will instantly enable general public access instead of incorrectly limiting logins only to testers and admins.

Do remember that additional app guidelines around data privacy apply once live, so be sure to review the platform policies. Transition out of the development mode is an easy fix that takes just a few clicks!

Why Does This Error Happen?

Based on our experience resolving "App Not Set Up" errors for clients, we‘ve noticed some common triggers:

Developer forgets to toggle live mode after launch
Bug in admin dashboard incorrectly reverts apps to dev mode
Facebook platform glitch sticks apps back in development state

With social login adoption growing exponentially year-over-year, experts predict more apps will face teething issues like this. Actively monitoring user reports and app status dashboards will be key to minimizing disruption.

Conclusion

The "App Not Set Up" error ultimately comes down to an app remaining in development mode inadvertently post public launch. It‘s an easy switch for developers to enable live mode, but does require app creators to actively update this setting.

Hopefully this comprehensive troubleshooting guide gave both users and developers a better understanding of this common Facebook login error – and actionable steps to get apps back up running smoothly again!

As increasing apps move to social login with deep Facebook integration, inadvertent configuration issues like apps stuck in dev mode will become more common. Stay vigilant!