Support
Frequently asked questions
How do I connect to my Whatnot show?
Tap Open Whatnot on the Live screen. The in-app browser opens; sign in to your Whatnot account, then start (or join) your show. Backstage watches the show in the background and captures every sale automatically.
Where do bin numbers come from?
Backstage assigns the next sequential bin number to each new buyer in a show, and reuses the same bin for every additional item that buyer wins during that show. When you end the show, the manifest PDF lists every buyer with their bin number.
How do I add a sale that I missed?
Tap the + Add sale button at the top of the Live feed. Type the buyer's handle and what they bought. Backstage assigns the bin and adds the sale to the list quietly (no popup banner since you're entering it manually).
How do I add notes to an item?
Tap any item row inside a buyer's card. The detail view opens with all the item info plus a notes field — useful for shipping reminders, condition details, or anything you want to remember. Notes save automatically when you close the modal.
What does "End Show" do?
End Show generates a PDF manifest listing every buyer and their items, saves it to your iPad's Files app (On My iPad → Backstage → Manifests), and clears the Live feed for your next show. The show then appears under Past Shows, where you can re-open the manifest, share it, or delete it.
Where are my manifest PDFs saved?
On your iPad: Files app → On My iPad → Backstage → Manifests. From there you can AirDrop them, attach them to email, upload to cloud storage, or print. They're also accessible from inside the app under Past Shows.
How do I delete a past show?
Tap Past Shows → tap Delete on the row you want to remove. You'll see a confirmation; tap Delete again. The show, its sales, and the manifest PDF are removed from your device. This can't be undone.
Can I use Backstage during a show on my phone?
Yes. Backstage runs on iPhone too — the layout adapts to the smaller screen and uses a bottom tab bar. Sales capture works the same way; Whatnot opens full-screen via the bottom tab.
I lost my access code. What do I do?
Email [email protected] and tell us which device you're on. We'll resend your code (or issue a new one if needed).
Backstage Lite (Chrome)
How do I start capturing a show in Backstage Lite?
Open your Whatnot show in Chrome, then open the Backstage Lite side panel. Lite watches the show and captures every sale, tip, and raid into the Live Feed automatically — no setup per show.
How do I get my manifest PDF in Lite?
At the end of your show, click Save Manifest PDF in the side panel. Lite opens the manifest in a new browser tab, and you save or print it like any PDF — it lands in your computer's Downloads folder (or use Print → Save as PDF). Lite generates the bin-label PDFs the same way. The manifest is your bin labels plus a packing manifest — not shipping labels, since Whatnot handles postage.
Where did my manifest go, and how do I open it again?
It's in your browser's Downloads folder (open it from Chrome's ⋮ menu → Downloads, or by pressing the Downloads button in your toolbar). From there you can open it again, re-print it, email it, or move it to cloud storage. Need a fresh copy? Click Save Manifest PDF again to re-generate and re-save it.
How does the free trial work on Lite?
Lite is account-based — there's no activation code. Sign in (or create an account) in the side panel, and your 7-day free trial unlocks it right away. Your captured data is stored locally in the browser, so signing out or removing the extension clears it.
How do I print labels from Lite?
Two ways. By hand: open the bin-label PDF Lite generates and print it on any printer. Hands-free: add the Backstage Print add-on (macOS today; Windows coming soon) and Lite sends labels straight to your printer as the show runs — no PDF step.
Printers that work with Backstage
These are printers we've confirmed printing labels from Backstage. We only list a printer once we've tested it ourselves — and the list grows every week. Don't see yours? Tell us below.
| Printer | Connection | Works on | Label sizes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rongta RP-series (e.g. RP425) | Bluetooth | iPad | 2x1, 4x6 | Built-in support — pairs directly in the app. |
| Most generic ESC/POS Bluetooth thermal printers | Bluetooth | iPad | 2x1, 4x6 | Pair, then run the in-app test print to confirm yours works. |
| JADENS thermal label printer | USB | Mac | 2x1, 4x6 | Used with Backstage Print on macOS. |
Printer won't print?
Backstage prints from iPad and Mac, and we're confirming more Bluetooth thermal printers all the time. If yours won't print, tell us exactly what you've got — we'll dig in, get back to you, and add it to the supported list.
Reporting bugs
Found something broken? Email us at [email protected] with a description of what happened, what you expected, and a screenshot if you can. We'll fix it in the next update.