Magic Window
iPad/iPhone Support
If you're having an issue we apologize and are happy to help you solve it. This page include common questions and issues with the app. If you have any questions at all please contact us at support@magicwindow.app.
Click here if you are in need of support for Magic Window on Mac.
Click here if you are in need of support for Magic Window on Apple TV.
Help and Common Questions
Thank you for using Magic Window. If you have questions or issues that are not answered here please contact us at support@magicwindow.app and we will be happy to help you. Please enjoy Magic Window.
Weather has stopped working - how do I fix it?
We’re sorry to inform you that Apple has acquired and shut down our weather provider Dark Sky. Unfortunately the work and costs required to switch to yet another weather provider is beyond our capacity at this time. So for now, and the foreseeable future, the weather feature will no longer work. We’re sorry, we’re not happy about this either.
Downloads don't seem to be working - what should I do?
Check out the Troubleshooting Downloads section below for specific instructions on how to resolve issues with downloads.
I purchased scenes before but now I don't see them in the app. How do I get them back?
To unlock any Destinations you purchased previously open the Destinations section in the Scene Browser and press the Reload button at the top of the store list. This will unlock any Destinations that were purchased on the currently signed in account. If you previously used a different account to purchase the Destinations you will need to sign into that account in the Settings app prior to pressing Reload/Restore.
I purchased scenes on another device but they aren't showing up here. Do I have to buy them twice?
Nope you only have to buy scenes once for all devices. To get access to scenes you purchased on any device follow the instructions in the above question for Restoring scenes. You only ever need to purchase a Destination once for all devices that use your iTunes account.
I didn't purchase the Classics Destinations but I seem to have access to them - why?
The Classics Destinations packs include scenes that were in earlier versions of Magic Window. If you are upgrading from a previous version you will be given access to these scenes for free, as you already paid for them with your initial purchase of the app.
I had access to scenes in previous versions that are now paid. How do I get them for free again?
If you previously had access to scenes that are now in a "Classics" Destination you can unlock those Destinations for free. To do so open Safari on your device and enter the following URL: "magicwindow://legacy". This will unlock the Classics scenes. You may need to restart the app for the unlock to take effect.
The clock in Magic Window is wrong - how do I change its time?
The clock in Magic Window is based on the system clock on your device. To change it you need to change the time in the Settings application. You can find the setting under General in the Date and Time section.
Can Magic Window synchronize the scene with the time of day?
No, unforunately it's very hard to sync the images and time of day. We are working on it for a future application.
Can I use Magic Window as my wallpaper or on my lock screen?
Unfortunately iOS does not allow for live wallpaper or live lock screens. However you can save a snapshot from Magic Window and use it both places. To do this find the scene you want to use and press the Snapshot button on the main menu. This will allow you to save an image to your photos for use as wallpaper.
How do I use Magic Window with my Apple TV, Flat Panel, or Projector?
Check out the instructions below in the External Displays and AirPlay section for detailed instructions on how to use Magic Window with various displays.
Why is there a black border around Magic Window on my display when using AirPlay?
The Apple TV now automatically adds a border around apps using AirPlay to deal with overscan. To remove this border open Settings on your Apple TV and open the Audio and Video section. Turn OFF the option for ADJUST FOR AIRPLAY OVERSCAN.
Why are downloads required? Why can't the scenes come in the app?
We make scenes available by download for three reasons: (1) To allow you to control the size of the app, (2) To allow us to continue to add more and more scenes to the app, and (3) To reduce the size of updates. If we included all the scenes the app would be over 2GB and you wouldn't be able to delete any of the scenes.
Will downloads work over 3G or LTE?
No - the scenes are too large to download over 3G and LTE is still being tested at this time. WiFi is the only way to download scenes.
Can I load the scenes through iTunes or save them to my computer?
No unfortunately this is not possible.
Can I download multiple scenes at the same time or view scenes while downloading?
Yes, you can queue as many downloads as you'd like at once. Only one download will run at a time, but when that download finishes it will automatically start the next one in the queue. You can view other scenes or leave the app for up to 10 minutes and downloads will continue to run.
Why can't I delete some of the scenes?
Three scenes in Magic Window are built into the app and can not be deleted. We included these built-in scenes in Magic Window so that people without immediate access to a WiFi network would be able to view some scenes without downloads.
Can I listen to Magic Window sounds while using other apps?
You can listen to Magic Window audio in other apps while using the Sleep Timer. To do this switch the Play in background setting to ON in the Sleep Timer and then start the timer.
Does Magic Window consume a lot of battery power?
Magic Window will consume more or less battery power depending on the speed the scene is set at. When running fast Magic Window can consume quite a bit of battery power. When running slow most of the power is consumed by the display being on. For more information see the Power section below. We recommend connecting your device to a power source when using Magic Window for long periods of time.
Why are you charging for scenes?
The scenes in Magic Window are created by a team of professional photographers. To create a truly excellent scene can take a week or more including both photographing and processing. To cover these costs we could increase the cost of the app, but then we would be charging you for scenes you might not want. So rather than increase the app's price, we have decided to lower its price and offer optional scenes for sale.
Why are some of the scenes choppy?
Magic Window includes previews for scenes that need to be downloaded. If you haven't downloaded the scene you will be shown the preview which is choppy by its nature.
Scenes in Magic Window are captured at various time intervals which results in some scenes appearing smoother than others.
You may also experience some choppiness when the application first starts up and while downloading and viewing scenes at the same time.
I already own the Mac version and some of those scenes cost money here. Do I have to pay for them?
Yes, some of the scenes included on the Mac version are not included here for free. The price of the two applications is different reflecting the number of scenes that come with each app.
I have an idea for Magic Window. Who should I contact?
We're always excited to get feedback and ideas from people using Magic Window. Feel free to send us e-mail at contact@jetsoncreative.com with any ideas or other feedback you have.
Troubleshooting Downloads
If downloads are failing we can understand your frustration. We're here to help you. Please read through this section and if you still can not successfully download the scenes please contact us at support@magicwindow.app.
What is happening?
1. The download starts but no progress is made
If the download progress bar displays but does not move (or barely moves) the issue is likely with your network connection. Try the following steps:
Make sure WiFi is turned on and connected to a WiFi network. WiFi settings are available in the "Settings" application on your devie.
Use Safari on your device to browse to a website to confirm the network is up. Try visiting http://www.apple.com/ and see if the Apple home page is displayed.
If Safari doesn't work, try the following:
Turn off and back on your device
Confirm that WiFi is on and connected
Launch Safari and ensure you can visit http://www.apple.com/
Launch Magic Window and try downloading again
If you are still having problems, we suggest you try downloading on a different WiFi network. Visit a coffee shop, library, or friend's house and try it there. You can also review the following Apple knowledge base articles:
iPad: Issues connecting to WiFi Networks
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3304iPad: Troubleshooting WiFi networks and connections
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3237
2. The download starts but always fails while in progress
If the download starts but regularly fails it is likely due to interference on your WiFi network. There may be a cordless phone or other device interfering with your network. The easiest solution is to try the downloads on another WiFi network. Visit a coffee shop, library, or friend's house and try it there.
3. The download works but is slow
If the download is very slow it is likely due to the speed of your network connection or network interference. To improve speed, try bringing your device closer to your WiFi access point.
Magic Window downloads are hosted on Amazon CloudFront which is one of the fastest and most reliable services for hosting downloads internationally. When it comes to speed, the servers are not an issue.
Download Disk Space
Magic Window scenes are large because they contain a massive number of photos. For 22 scenes you will need almost 1.7GB of free disk space on your device. We know that is asking a lot, so we've added features to Magic Window to help you manage the downloaded scenes.
You can delete any scene you have downloaded from the scene browser
You can redownload scenes as many times as you want
The amount of disk space taken by a download is displayed in the scene browser
If your device is using the "fill with music" feature of iTunes it may have less than 500MB available in a normal case. If you are getting errors saying your device is low on disk space, we recommend disabling this option and removing some music or media and then re-attempting your downloads. Once you have the scenes downloaded you can re-enable the fill with music feature.
External Displays and AirPlay
Magic Window supports external displays including the Digital AV Adapter (HDMI), the VGA Adapter, and AirPlay. AirPlay support requires a device capable of AirPlay Mirroring, including the new iPad, iPad 2, iPhone 5, and the iPhone 4S. AirPlay also requires iOS5 or later.
Magic Window will automatically start using the external display when it is connected to your device. You can adjust external display settings including showing weather and time, resolution, and aspect ratio by pressing the settings button. Disconnecting the cable will return Magic Window to its normal state.
To use AirPlay you need to connect your device to an Apple TV using the AirPlay control in Control Center (iOS7) or on the multi-tasking bar (iOS6 and iOS5). To access Control Center drag up from the bottom of the screen - if an arrow appears, drag that arrow up. On iOS6 and iOS5 hit the home button twice to bring up the multi-tasking menu and then swipe it left-to-right. On iPhone you need to swiple left-to-right twice. Once you select your display you MUST set MIRRORING to ON. If your device does not support Mirroring than Magic Window will not be able to transmit video.
If the device fails to connect to your Apple TV, try connecting again or restarting the Apple TV. Make sure it is up to the latest software version.
If the image on your display is not the proper resolution, check to make sure your Apple TV is configured to the correct resolution. You should also check external display settings in Magic Window - press the resolution button to see other available resolutions. The maximum supported resolution for AirPlay is 1280x720.
If the image on your display is too large or too small for your display, use your display's settings to adjust the position and stretch of the screen.
If nothing is working, it is always worth trying to restart your device and connect it again.
External displays are not supported on the iPhone 3GS.
For more troubleshooting, see Troubleshooting External.
Troubleshooting External Displays
External displays can be a bit tricky to get working with an iPad or iPhone. Here are some common problems you may encounter and how to resolve them.
What is happening?
I don't hear sound through my display
If you do not hear sound from your display:
Make sure the volume is up on the display and that it is not muted
Make sure "Ambient Audio" is turned on in Magic Window Settings under Sound
Make sure your display is connected by HDMI or AirPlay. VGA does not support audio.
Try turning the volume up on the device
Try changing scenes
Try disconnecting and reconnecting the display (several times)
Try restarting your device and trying again
I don't see my Apple TV listed in the AirPlay selector
If you don't see your Apple TV listed in the AirPlay selector:
Make sure your Apple TV and iPad or iPhone are connected to the same network
Make sure your Apple TV is updated with the latest software
I don't see a "Mirroring" switch on the AirPlay selector
If you do not see a mirroring switch:
Make sure you are running iOS5 or later
Make sure you have an iPhone 5, 4S, new iPad, or iPad 2
Make sure your Apple TV is updated to the latest software
AirPlay Mirroring is required for AirPlay to work with Magic Window. This feature only works on the iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, new iPad, and iPad 2 with iOS5 or later.
The image on my display is too large for the display. The clock, title, weather are cut off.
You can use the stretch and position settings in Display Settings in Magic Window to adjust this. You can also use your display's positioning settings to adjust the width and height of the image and position on the display. Sometimes a combination of both works. You can also try changing resolutions, as some work better than others on various displays.
The image on my display is too small for the display. There is black space around the edges.
The Apple TV now automatically adds a border around apps using AirPlay to deal with overscan. To remove this border open Settings on your Apple TV and open the Audio and Video section. Turn OFF the option for ADJUST FOR AIRPLAY OVERSCAN.
You can also use your display's positioning settings to adjust the width and height of the image and position on the display. You can also try changing resolutions and aspect ratio settings.
Power Consumption
When Magic Window is running at fast speeds it can quickly consume battery power. If you are using Magic Window on your desk or nightstand we recommend you have it connected to power at all times.
To prevent draining your battery we have built a power manager that automatically monitors the battery and turns off the display when it is below 25%. If Magic Window is plugged in the display will always stay on.
To disable the Magic Window power manager and instead use the iOS Auto-Lock timer press Settings on the Menu Bar and select General Settings. Scroll to the bottom of settings and you will find an option to keep the display on. Disable this option and the Magic Window power manager will be disabled.
The sleep timer will also turn off the display to save power overnight. This can be disabled by using the "Keep display on" switch on the Sleep Timer setup screen.
Support and Feedback
If you are in need of further assistance please send e-mail to support@magicwindow.app. Please include a short description of the problem you are experiencing in the e-mail. We also love to hear suggestions about how the app can be improved.
Thank you. Magic Window loves you.