Frequently Asked Questions
Below are answers to the questions we hear most often, grouped by topic.
Getting started
Do I need a physical Bible to use the app?
Yes. The Filament app is a free companion to Filament Edition Tyndale Bibles. It does not contain the full Bible text on its own. Instead, it unlocks study notes, articles, devotionals, audio, videos, interactive maps, and worship music tied to the exact page you are reading in your printed Bible. Look for the Filament logo on the cover or spine, or the Filament icon on the title page near the front. If you do not have one yet, click here to explore the Filament Bible collection from Tyndale.
Is the app free? Why was I charged?
The Filament app is completely free to download and use on both the Apple App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android). There is no subscription, and there is nothing to purchase inside the app to unlock features. If you are seeing a charge you’re confused about, reach out to Apple and Googles app support channels:
Which devices does the app work on? Is there a Mac, Windows, or web version?
Filament is available on iPhone and iPad (iOS 14.0 or later) and on Android phones and tablets (Android 8.0 Oreo or later). There is currently no Mac, Windows, or web version, so the app cannot be used on a computer.
Can I use the app offline?
The app needs an internet connection for most content, including streaming the Audio Bible and loading study material, so offline use is limited. Connect to Wi-Fi or mobile data for the full experience.
I have questions about the NLT
You’ll find common questions, and more detail about the NLT here: https://sites.tyndale.com/nlt/faq
Scanning and activation
The camera will not open, or the screen is blank when I try to scan.
The app needs permission to use your camera in order to scan. If the camera view is blank or does not appear, try these steps:
Make sure you allowed camera access. You can check this in your device Settings under the Filament app and turn Camera on.
Fully close the app and reopen it.
Restart your device.
Confirm you are running the latest version of the app.
If the camera still will not open, please email us at csresponse@tyndale.com and include your device and operating system.
The app will not recognize or scan the Filament icon during setup.
The app activates by scanning the Filament icon on the title page of your Bible. If it will not scan, these tips usually help:
Find a well-lit spot and avoid glare on the page.
Hold your phone steady and parallel to the page so the whole icon and page number sit inside the frame.
Give the camera a moment to focus before moving.
Confirm your Bible is a Filament-enabled edition, since the app only works with Filament-enabled Tyndale Bibles.
If you still cannot get past the icon screen, please reach out to us at csresponse@tyndale.com and we will be glad to help.
It scans the wrong page, or the content does not match my Bible.
This almost always means the app is set to a different Bible edition than the one in your hands, since page numbers and content are specific to each edition. To fix it, tap the Filament icon at the top of the app to open Quick Settings and check your Active Edition. Tap it to view your connected editions, then select the one whose name matches the edition printed on your Bible’s title page. Scan again, and the content should match. For more detail, see Connecting a Filament Edition Bible. If the correct edition is selected and pages still do not match, follow troubleshooting steps here: [INSERT LINK TO TROUBLESHOOTING ARTICLE]
I can only see one book (for example, Matthew). How do I unlock the rest?
If only one book is available, the app has not finished unlocking your full Bible yet. Scan the Filament icon in your printed Bible, since that is the step that unlocks all the books beyond the default. Make sure you have a stable internet connection, then fully close and reopen the app and scan again.
The scanner will not work in bright or dim light.
The scanner reads best in even, moderate light. In very bright light, glare on the page can block the scan, so tilt the Bible slightly to remove the reflection. In dim light, the camera may struggle to focus, so move to a brighter spot. In both cases, hold the phone steady and parallel to the page with the page number fully framed.
App not loading or crashing
The app opens to a blank white or black screen and will not load.
A blank or frozen screen can usually be cleared with a quick refresh and general troubleshooting steps here: [INSERT LINK TO TROUBLESHOOTING ARTICLE]
As long as you sign in to your account, your Bibles, reading plans, and progress are safely restored, so make sure you know your login before reinstalling. If the screen is still blank afterward, email csresponse@tyndale.com with your device and operating system.
I get a “download error” message.
This means the app could not finish downloading the content files for your edition. Connect to stable Wi-Fi, make sure your device has at least 100 MB of free storage, then fully close and reopen the app to resume the download. If it keeps stalling at the same point, clear the download and start it again, or try a different network.
The app keeps crashing, freezing, or closing.
Follow the same steps as above: update, force-close, clear the cache on Android, restart, and reinstall if needed. Reinstalling will not lose your data as long as you sign back in. If the app freezes but does not fully crash, try force-closing and reopening it before restarting your whole device. For the full list, see [INSERT LINK TO TROUBLESHOOTING ARTICLE]
The app says I am offline when I am not.
Some content, including the Audio Bible and daily readings, streams and needs an active connection. If you see an offline message while you are connected, confirm Wi-Fi or mobile data is working in another app, turn airplane mode off and on, then fully close and reopen Filament.
After an update, the app stopped working or my settings disappeared.
Occasionally an update needs a fresh start. Force-close and reopen the app first. If a reading plan or setting looks missing, make sure you are signed in to the same Filament account you used before, since your plans and progress are tied to your account rather than the device. If something is still missing after signing in, contact us. Turning on automatic app updates helps you stay current without checking manually.
Account and sign-in
Why do I have to sign in or set up again every time I open the app?
You should only need to set up each Bible once and sign in once, since the app is designed to keep you signed in and remember your editions. If you are asked to re-scan or log in each time, first update the app to the latest version, then sign in with your account rather than continuing as a guest, so your setup is saved.
Reading, audio, and reading plans
Can I add notes, highlights, or bookmarks in the app?
The app does not currently include in-app note-taking, highlighting, or bookmarking. Many Filament Bibles are designed for exactly that on paper, with wide margins and journaling editions for writing, art, and notes.
The audio stops, or it will not resume where I left off.
The Audio Bible streams alongside the page you are reading, so a stop can sometimes be a brief connection drop. Check your Wi-Fi or mobile data and reopen the player. Please note that the app does not currently save your exact spot within a section, so when you switch sections or close the app, you may need to scrub back to where you were.
Can I change the Audio Bible voice or playback speed?
Yes. You can choose your preferred Audio Bible version and set the playback speed under More > App Settings, in the Audio Bible Settings section. Audio availability varies by Bible edition and translation, so the voices you see depend on the edition you have connected.
My reading plan will not load, or the daily readings seem out of order.
First, make sure you are signed in and running the latest version, then fully close and reopen the app.
If your reading plan seems stuck on an earlier date, it's actually working as intended. The plan always shows the earliest reading you haven't finished yet as "Today's Reading" instead of jumping ahead to match the calendar. This gives you grace for any missed days without flagging you as "behind." It's resting on that date because at least one assignment there is still unchecked. To move forward, open the plan, tap "See Full Plan," go to that date, and mark every assignment complete. If it still won't advance, double-check that each individual reading has its own checkmark, since a single unchecked item keeps the whole day showing as current.
My screen dims or sleeps during a video or while reading.
If your screen turns off during a video or reading, your device’s auto-lock or screen-timeout setting is taking over. You can lengthen it in your device settings. On iOS, go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock. On Android, go to Settings > Display > Screen timeout.