Confluence throws "The editor didn't load this time" error when trying to edit a page
Platform Notice: Data Center Only - This article only applies to Atlassian apps on the Data Center platform.
Note that this KB was created for the Data Center version of the product. Data Center KBs for non-Data-Center-specific features may also work for Server versions of the product, however they have not been tested. Support for Server* products ended on February 15th 2024. If you are running a Server product, you can visit the Atlassian Server end of support announcement to review your migration options.
*Except Fisheye and Crucible
Summary
Problem
When trying to edit a page in Confluence, you see the following error:
The editor didn't load this time
The connection timed out. If it happens again, speak to your Confluence admin. You may be using a proxy server that prevents WebSocket connections.
Quick triage — scope the issue (try these first): Before following the detailed troubleshooting below, determine the scope of the problem:
Is this affecting all users or just one? Ask other Confluence users to try editing a page. If all users see the error, the issue is your proxy server, load balancer, or firewall blocking WebSocket connections — proceed directly to the Resolution section below.
If only one user (or a subset): Ask the affected user to try from a different network (e.g., without corporate VPN or proxy). If the editor loads on a different network, the user's local network proxy is blocking WebSocket connections.
Test WebSocket connectivity: From the affected network, visit Real-Time Web Test - Does your browser supports WebSockets? to confirm whether WebSocket connections are being blocked. If the test fails, the network infrastructure between the user and Confluence is not allowing WebSocket upgrades.
If WebSocket tests pass but the error persists, the issue may be Synchrony-specific — check Administration > General Configuration > Collaborative Editing to confirm Synchrony is running, then contact Atlassian Support.
Diagnosis
Environment
You may encounter the error if you're using either:
A proxy server that doesn't allow WebSocket connections
A firewall that doesn't allow WebSocket connections
Confluence Cloud with an older, Supported browsers, which doesn't support WebSocket connections
Confluence Server with an older, Supported Platforms, which doesn't support WebSocket connections
Diagnostic Steps
Test WebSocket connections by using https://websocketstest.com/ to perform a quick HTML5 WebSocket test against an echo server.
If possible, connect to a different network that doesn't use a proxy server
Cause
Collaborative editing in Confluence requires a WebSocket connection. If one can't be established due to a timeout, or a proxy server or firewall that doesn't allow WebSocket connections, the editor will fail to load.
Solution
Resolution
As collaborative editing requires a WebSocket connection, the possible resolutions are:
Use Confluence Cloud with a Supported browsers
Use Confluence Server with a Supported Platforms
Configure your proxy server to allow WebSocket connections
Configure your firewall to allow WebSocket connections
Remove the proxy server from your network configuration
Verification — after applying a fix: After completing any of the resolution steps above, confirm the editor is working:
Navigate to an existing Confluence page and click Edit.
The editor should load without the "The editor didn't load this time" error.
To confirm WebSocket connectivity is restored: open your browser's Developer Tools (F12) → Network tab → filter by WS (WebSocket). Edit a page — you should see a successful WebSocket connection to
/synchrony-proxy/v1/bayeux-sync1with status101 Switching Protocols.If the editor loads but collaborative editing is unstable, check whether
synchrony.enable.xhr.fallbackis enabled as a system property — this indicates WebSocket is still partially blocked and falling back to XHR long-polling.
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