FAQ

Answers to common questions about Astra Scout, privacy, commands, and devices.

Answers to the questions testers and developers ask most. For a specific error, see Troubleshooting.

Can I use my existing Maestro flows?

Mostly yes. Maestro is an open-source mobile test tool. Astra Scout reads the same YAML flow format and command syntax, so the Maestro CLI is not run separately. Which commands work depends on the device platform. See Supported platforms and the commands reference.

Does it send my data anywhere?

Flows run on the Mac, and Astra Scout has no telemetry. Sign-in, Builds and Team Sync use the team's cloud: a Cloudflare Worker with a private R2 bucket. Sign-in tells the app that the Google account is allowed to use it. Developers upload QA builds there, and Team Sync keeps the workspace files there: flows, subflows, scripts, tracking specs and the .scout project files. Astra Scout also tells the team which build you use and on which device, so the builds web page can show it. artifacts/ (videos, logs and run results), environments and files over 5 MB never go to the cloud. Apart from the team's cloud, only what the user starts or sets up uses the network: the AI CLI talking to its own provider, Jira (sign-in and the bug reports the user confirms), Amplitude and App Store Connect when a project or an API key is added in Settings, and the update check of a release build. Everything sent to Jira is redacted first. See Jira and the network table.

Which commands can I use in a flow?

Maestro commands that work on the connected device's platform (iOS or Android), plus assertWithAI, assertNoDefectsWithAI and extractTextWithAI. See Supported platforms and the commands reference.

Can I test a web app?

Not yet. There is no web test backend, and the web options are hidden.

Why does the first iOS device or simulator connection take so long?

The first time, Astra Scout builds WebDriverAgent (WDA), a small app that runs inside the device and receives commands. The first connection takes longer than later ones. Later connections reuse the build.

Why is a run Blocked instead of Failed?

Blocked means the device, driver, app install, signing or AI had a problem, so nothing can be concluded about the app. Failed means a real app or flow failure. See Run flows.

Why is a run Unsure?

The AI could not give a sure answer: its confidence was low (below 0.6 on a 0 to 1 scale), it answered in the wrong format, or assertNoDefectsWithAI had no screenshot. A person needs to review it. This only happens for an AI step with optional: false; AI steps are optional by default and only add a warning. Click the flow row in the runner to see the reason.

Can the AI make a purchase?

Astra Scout runs against test devices, and purchase steps run like any other step, with no confirmation. Do not use a real account or card. The AI never types passwords or card numbers. See Purchase testing.

Where are my videos and logs?

Flow videos are in <workspace>/artifacts/runs/. The server log is ~/Library/Logs/Astra Scout/server.log: open it with Help > Show Server Log. It starts empty each time the app starts. See Run flows.

Do I need Xcode?

Yes for the iOS Simulator or an iOS device. Not for Android only, although Help > Setup Check… lists the Xcode items as required. See Installation.

Which AI CLIs work?

Claude Code, OpenAI Codex and Gemini CLI. One is enough. See AI assistant.

Which app does a flow run on?

The app picked in the toolbar, left of the device picker. A flow with appId: ${APP_ID} runs on it, and the choice is saved in the project. The picker reads No App until an app is chosen. See Choose the app under test.

Where is the history of my runs?

In the Test Runs navigator, newest first. Click a run to open the runner with its steps, and click a row for its detail. See Run flows.

How do I change the language or update the app?

Choose Astra Scout > Settings…, click General, and pick a Language. The change takes effect after a restart (Restart Now). Release builds check for updates once a day and ask before installing: use Astra Scout > Check for Updates… to check now. See Updating.

How do I connect Claude Code, Codex or Gemini CLI to Astra Scout?

Install the scout plugin from Settings > Intelligence, then add the token to the shell. See The scout plugin.

My Personal Team iOS device setup stopped working after a week

A provisioning profile lets an app run on an iOS device. With a free Apple ID (Personal Team), the profile lasts only 7 days. Reconnect the iOS device so the app signs again, or use the company team.

What is Builds?

Builds is the window where a tester picks one of the team's builds of the app and installs it on the connected iOS device, iOS Simulator or Android device. Developers upload the builds. Astra Scout has no file picker for app files. See Builds and Share builds with testers.

Why will a build not install?

Either the connected device is not the kind of the build (iOS, iOS Simulator or Android), or the iOS device is not in the build's provisioning profile. In the second case the inspector shows Not in the profile. Click Send UDID… so an owner can register the iOS device, then install the next build. See Builds, troubleshooting and When the iOS device is not in the profile.

What does Team Sync sync?

Flows, subflows/, scripts, tracking-specs/, media for addMedia of at most 5 MB, and .scout/project.json with .scout/context.md. artifacts/, environments and files over 5 MB stay on the Mac. When the same file changed on two Macs, Astra Scout shows a conflict and you choose Keep Mine, Take Their Version or Keep Both. Nothing is overwritten without a choice. Every save that reaches the cloud is a revision you can restore from History. See Team Sync.

Who can sign in?

Every astraler.com Google account, plus the emails the team added one by one. An owner manages the list on the builds web page. When the app says an email is not allowed, ask the team owner to add it. See Installation and Google sign-in.

More help

See Troubleshooting.