Pinball Companion

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Support

Found a wrong rule, a missing machine or a bug? Email dev@peltriaux.com.

Common questions

The camera does not find my machine

Point it at the printed title on the backglass or the cabinet, in good light, and hold still for a second. If several machines match, pick yours from the list. Titles that are only artwork, with no readable lettering, may not be recognised.

Why is a machine missing?

The app lists only machines with a finished, fact-checked guide, and new guides arrive with updates. Tell us which machines you play most and we will prioritise them.

Changing the app's language

Go to Settings › Language and choose Automatic, English, Français or Español. Automatic follows your device's language. The interface and every guide are in all three languages. Pinball jargon (multiball, jackpot, skill shot…) and the names of modes and shots stay in English, as on the machine.

Pro or Premium/LE rules

On 38 Stern machines from 2012 on that play differently by model, the machine page has a Pro / Premium/LE switch. Pick your model and the rules, playbook, multiball and mode lists show only that model's version. The app remembers your choice for each machine.

Jumping to a chapter

On a machine page, tap the Chapters button in the top bar and pick a chapter to jump to it. On iPad in landscape, the sidebar lists the chapters under On this page and highlights the one you are reading.

Events and their line-ups

The Events tab lists the machines at 487 shows, club nights and regular competitions: filter by country and state, choose Nearby to sort by distance, and star the ones you follow. Line-ups update about once a week when you are online; to check right away, pull down on the Events list or tap Update now in Settings › Event data. Offline, the app keeps the last line-ups it has.

Finding events on the map

The Events list opens on a map of its events. Pan or pinch it, tap an event for its card, then tap the card to open the event. All / Upcoming switches the pins, and the arrow centres the map on where you are. After moving the map, tap Show events here to narrow the list to that area; tap In this area to clear it. The expand button opens the full map, where you can find a city or state, even offline. The map images need a connection. This needs Pinball Companion 1.4 or later.

A list shows fewer machines or events than I expected

A filter is on. The line at the top of Games, Events or an event's machine list says what it shows and how many search results it hides. Tap Show all to clear it.

Where are my starred events?

At the top of Library, above your starred machines. They sync through your own iCloud, like your starred machines.

Using it on iPhone Duo

Stand your iPhone Duo half-folded, with one half upright and the other flat. The machine page, the event page and Library then split in two: what you read (guide text, an event's machines, your starred events) stands up, and what you tap (Back, the star, the section picker, chapters, Add score, search, filters and the tabs) lies flat. On the Layout section the playfield photo turns on its side on the upright half, with the shot list flat. Unfold the phone, or turn it sideways, and the normal layout comes back. This needs Pinball Companion 1.3 or later. From 1.4, Events also splits (the map upright, the list flat), Games shows the era cards or a preview of the machine you tap upright (tap it again to open its guide), and Settings previews the setting you last touched.

Does it need a connection?

No. Every guide ships inside the app and works with no signal. When you are online, the app also checks for new event line-ups about once a week. The events map needs a connection to draw the map itself; its city and state search works offline.

My stars and notes are not on my other device

They sync through iCloud. Check that you are signed in with the same Apple Account on both devices. Sync can take a few minutes.

How do I add a score?

Open the machine's page and tap Add score. Photograph the score display at the end of your game and the app reads the score on your phone, or tap Type it in. On a machine with Pro and Premium / LE rules, the score starts on the model chosen with the switch on its page, and you can change it before saving. The app suggests where you played: an event running nearby today, or one of your saved places. Pick another, add a New place…, or choose None. Add a note if you like, then tap Save.

The score wasn't read correctly

Tap Retake and fit the whole score display in the frame, straight on and without glare. If several scores are read, tap yours; the player number shows when the app can tell. You can always correct the number before saving, or tap Type it in. To fix a saved score, tap the Best line on the machine's page to open its history, then tap the score.

Do my scores sync?

Yes, through your own iCloud, between devices signed in to the same Apple Account with iCloud turned on for Pinball Companion. Settings › Scores shows the sync status. "Scores are saved on this device only." means iCloud is not available to the app (no Apple Account signed in, or iCloud turned off for Pinball Companion): your scores are kept on that device. If you sign out of iCloud, your iCloud scores are set aside and come back when you sign in again. We never see your scores.

How do I remove photos or free iCloud space?

In Settings › Scores, tap Remove photos older than… and choose 3, 6 or 12 months. The photos are removed from all your devices; the scores are kept. Settings › Scores also shows how much space your score photos use.

How do I delete or rename a place?

In Settings › Scores, tap Manage places. Tap a place to rename it, see its scores or delete it, or swipe left on it to delete it. Scores played there are kept and show the place as removed.

What do tips unlock?

Nothing. Every feature is free. Tips only support development. Refunds go through Apple at reportaproblem.apple.com.