You can see your website on your phone without publishing it. In EverWeb, click Preview in the toolbar, choose Preview QR Code, and scan the code with your phone's camera. Your phone has to be on the same Wi-Fi network as your computer, and EverWeb has to stay open while you look.
Preview on your phone
Before you start: connect your phone and your computer to the same Wi-Fi network, and open your project in EverWeb.
- In the page list, select the page you want to see.
- Click Preview in the toolbar and choose Preview QR Code. (It's also in File > Preview.)
- If EverWeb asks Do you want to enable the local preview server?, click Yes.
- Point your phone's camera at the code and tap the link that appears.
The page opens in your phone's browser, and you can tap through to your other pages. You can also type the address shown under the code into your phone's browser. It starts with http:// and ends in :13434, and your phone may say "Not Secure". That's normal: it's a private preview coming from your computer, not your live website.
After you change something, choose Preview QR Code again, then reload the page on your phone.
If the preview doesn't open on your phone
| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| EverWeb says "The local preview server is not activated" | Turn the preview server on: EverWeb > Settings > General on a Mac, or Edit > Options > General on Windows. Under Preview, tick Use preview server. |
| Settings shows "Not Connected to Wifi" under Remote URLs | Connect your computer to your network, then quit and reopen EverWeb. |
| The page keeps loading, then says it can't connect | Check that the phone is on the same Wi-Fi, not on mobile data or a guest network (guest networks in hotels and offices keep devices apart on purpose). Turn off any VPN on both devices, and iCloud Private Relay on the phone. Then check your computer's firewall (below). |
| "Error 404: File Not Found" | Keep the project open in EverWeb, choose Preview QR Code again and scan the new code. |
| Some pictures are missing | Reload the page on your phone. This was improved in EverWeb 4.6. |
| A contact form doesn't send, or a payment button doesn't work | These only work on your published website. Try them on a test copy: see Try out changes before they go live: publish a test copy of your website. |
Your computer's firewall
A firewall can stop your phone reaching EverWeb.
- Mac: open System Settings > Network > Firewall. If it's on, click Options... and make sure EverWeb is set to allow incoming connections.
- Windows: make sure your Wi-Fi is set to a Private network (in Settings > Network & internet), and that EverWeb is allowed through Windows Defender Firewall for private networks. If Windows asked about EverWeb when you first opened it and you chose to block it, allow it there.
- iPhone with Chrome or another non-Safari browser: go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network and turn it on for that browser.
Preview in other browsers on your computer
The Preview list shows the browsers installed on your computer, such as Safari, Google Chrome, Firefox and Opera on a Mac, or Chrome, Firefox and Edge on Windows. Choose one to open the selected page in it. On a Mac with Apple's Simulator installed (it comes with Xcode), Simulator also appears in the list and opens your page on a simulated iPhone.
Check the phone layout inside EverWeb
- Responsive pages: make the EverWeb window narrower. The page rearranges itself as it would on a smaller screen. Choose Window > Show Breakpoints to see dashed lines where the layout changes between phone, tablet and desktop.
- Centered Layout pages with a Mobile Page: the phone version is a separate page. Select it in the page list to see and edit it. Phones are sent to it automatically, including in the QR code preview. In a browser's device mode on your computer (such as Chrome's device toolbar), reload the page after choosing a phone so it switches to the mobile page.
If the page looks wrong on your phone, see My website looks fine on my computer but is cut off or jumbled on my phone.