Hi! I understand you're having trouble with the Substack app on your iPhone (iOS 18.3.1) where the video stream locks up and you can't get back to the main feed. I'd like to help you get this sorted out.

To make sure I fully understand:
- Is this happening with all videos, or just live streams?
- Have you tried any actions like tapping anywhere on the screen, swiping, or looking for back buttons?
- Also, does the app freeze completely, or can you still interact otherwise?

While I await those details, here are some initial steps we can try to fix the video lock issue:

1. Force Close and Restart the App
- Swipe up from the bottom of your screen and pause in the middle (or double-click the Home button if your iPhone has one) to bring up the app switcher.
- Swipe the Substack app off the screen to fully close it.
- Then reopen the app and see if you can return to the main feed.

2. Check for App Updates
- Go to the App Store, tap your profile icon, and scroll to see if Substack has an update available. Sometimes updates fix bugs.

3. Restart Your iPhone
- Restarting can clear temporary glitches affecting the app.

4. Clear the App Cache by Reinstalling
- Delete the Substack app by holding its icon and selecting Remove App.
- Then reinstall it fresh from the App Store. This can fix corrupted files causing the video lock.

5. Check Network Connection
- Make sure your internet connection is stable, either Wi-Fi or LTE/5G.

If none of these work, there could be a deeper issue with the live video feature or the app's navigation that might require an update or a known fix from Substack's end.

Also, as a temporary workaround, some users have found switching to desktop mode via the three-dot menu helps navigate out of video issues, although that option might not be as straightforward on iOS.

Could you please try the steps above and tell me if any progress? If the problem persists, I can look into it further or escalate it to our technical team.

Are you satisfied with this initial guidance?

Substack locks on video from stream and just keep showing videos. Can’t go back to main feed.

Thanks for continuing to share your issue with the Substack app getting stuck on video mode and not letting you return to the main feed on your iPhone running iOS 18.3.1.

Based on what I’ve found, a few other users have experienced similar issues with live video streams locking up in the app. Here’s a more tailored troubleshooting approach for this:

1. Exit Video Mode via Gestures or Buttons:
- Try tapping the video or screen edges to see if a back arrow or close “X” appears.
- Swipe down or swipe from the left edge to right to attempt a back gesture. Sometimes the UI hides controls, so this can help.

2. Check Live Video Support and Known Issues:
Substack’s live video feature is relatively new and designed to be simple but can sometimes experience glitches under certain network or app states. This might be why it’s locking you in the video view2.

3. Force Close and Reopen the App:
This often clears the stuck state. Swipe up from the bottom and swipe away the Substack app, then reopen it to see if the main feed appears.

4. Reinstall the App:
Deleting and reinstalling the Substack app can clear any cached or corrupted data causing this lock-up.

5. Check Network Connection:
An unstable connection during live video streaming can cause UI freezes. Try switching between Wi-Fi and cellular data to see if there’s an improvement.

6. Try Using the Web Reader:
As a workaround, access your Substack subscriptions and feed through Safari or another mobile browser at https://substack.com. This avoids the app’s video interface bugs6.

If these steps don’t resolve it, it might be a bug that requires an app update or developer attention. You could also reach out directly to Substack’s support team at [email protected] and provide this symptom for them to investigate further.

Would you like me to guide you step-by-step through any of these actions, or do you want help drafting a support request to Substack? Let me know how you’d like to proceed. Are you satisfied with this plan so far?