Test cases for offline and poor network handling

1. Open the app online and visit the home, orders and account screens.
2. Close the app and turn on airplane mode.
3. Open the app again and visit the same screens, plus one never opened before.

Expected: Screens loaded earlier show their content with an offline note and the time of the last update. The screen never opened shows a plain message, not a blank page.

1. Open the app on Wi-Fi.
2. Turn Wi-Fi and mobile data off and wait a few seconds.
3. Turn mobile data back on.

Expected: A banner such as You are offline appears within a few seconds and goes away after reconnecting. The current screen refreshes without restarting the app.

1. Turn on airplane mode.
2. Do something the app allows offline, such as adding a cart item or saving a draft.
3. Turn airplane mode off and wait for the sync to finish.
4. Check the same account on a second device or the website.

Expected: The item appears exactly once on the second device. On the first phone, the Pending or Waiting label clears after the sync.

1. Turn on airplane mode and open a screen not loaded before, such as a new category.
2. Read the message shown.
3. Turn airplane mode off and tap Retry.

Expected: The message says there is no internet and offers Retry. After Retry the screen loads without the user leaving and reopening it.

1. Set a network throttling tool to a slow 3G profile.
2. Log in with OTP and complete the app's main action, such as placing an order.
3. Note what the screen shows during each wait.

Expected: Both complete, with a progress indicator during every wait. No screen freezes or shows an App not responding dialog.

1. Turn on airplane mode and try to log in, search and submit a form.
2. Read each error message.
3. Back online, have the backend team make one service fail, then open that screen.

Expected: Offline messages say there is no internet and what to do next, while the server failure says the problem is on the app's side. No message shows error codes, exception names or the word null.

1. Throttle the network to a slow profile.
2. Fill a form that creates something, such as an order or a payment request.
3. Tap Submit twice quickly.
4. Check the order list or history.

Expected: The button is disabled or shows progress after the first tap. Only one order or request is created.

1. Throttle the network so responses take longer than the app's timeout.
2. Place an order and wait for the timeout message.
3. Tap Retry, then check the order list and the test account balance.

Expected: Only one order exists, and the app shows it as placed instead of creating a second one. The account is charged once.

1. Fill a long form, such as a delivery address or KYC details.
2. Turn on airplane mode and tap Submit.
3. Read the error, then turn airplane mode off.

Expected: Everything typed is still in the form after the error. Submitting again works without retyping.

1. On an iPhone, open Settings, then Mobile Data, and turn the app off.
2. Keep Wi-Fi off so only mobile data is available.
3. Open the app and try to load the home screen.

Expected: iOS shows its mobile data alert or the app explains that mobile data is off for it. The app does not show a server error or retry endlessly.

Why a real phone: Per-app mobile data switches only apply with a real SIM data connection

1. Connect the phone to a router whose internet line is unplugged.
2. Turn mobile data off.
3. Open the app and try to load fresh content.

Expected: After the request timeout the app shows a no-internet message with Retry. It does not spin forever just because Wi-Fi shows as connected.

1. Connect to a public Wi-Fi hotspot, such as at a railway station, without signing in.
2. Turn mobile data off and open the app.
3. Complete the hotspot sign-in in the browser, then return to the app.

Expected: Before sign-in, the app says the network needs sign-in or has no internet, and never shows the hotspot page inside its screens. After sign-in it loads normally.

Why a real phone: Needs a real public hotspot; sign-in page detection differs across phone makers

1. Use a prepaid SIM whose daily data pack has run out, so speed is reduced.
2. Open the app, load the home screen and complete one key action.
3. Note the load times and any messages.

Expected: Text and buttons load before images, and the key action completes or fails with a clear message. No offline banner appears while data is still flowing.

Why a real phone: Carrier slowdowns after a daily pack are bursty and uneven, unlike throttling profiles

1. Load a product or service page, then turn on airplane mode.
2. Have the price or stock changed on the backend.
3. Turn airplane mode off and go to checkout from the cached page.

Expected: Before payment, the app shows the current price or stock and asks the user to confirm any change. The amount charged matches the amount on the final screen.

1. Log in to the same account on two phones.
2. On phone A, go offline and edit the delivery address.
3. On phone B, edit the same address online.
4. Bring phone A back online and wait for the sync.

Expected: Both phones end up showing the same address. If phone A's change was not kept, phone A shows a message saying so.

1. Load the app fully, then keep the phone offline for two or more days.
2. Reconnect and open the app.
3. Check offers, tickets or orders shown from the cache.

Expected: Expired offers and outdated statuses are refreshed or marked as old before the user can act on them. Queued actions that are no longer valid show a clear message.

1. Turn off automatic date and time and set the date a year back.
2. Open the app and try to load the home screen.
3. Turn automatic date and time back on and tap Retry.

Expected: The app asks the user to check the phone's date and time instead of showing a generic no-internet error. It loads normally once the clock is fixed.

1. Fill a form that creates something, such as a booking or an address.
2. Tap Submit and immediately turn on airplane mode.
3. Wait for the message, then turn airplane mode off.
4. Check the history and submit again if the app offers it.

Expected: The app says the result is unknown or failed and offers a safe retry. After reconnecting, exactly one booking exists.

1. Start a sandbox payment and enter the PIN or OTP.
2. Turn on airplane mode before the result screen appears.
3. Wait a minute, turn airplane mode off and reopen the app.

Expected: The app shows the payment as pending or checks its status, never as failed while money is debited. The final status matches the test account statement.

1. Connect to Wi-Fi and start a slow request, such as a photo upload or an order.
2. Walk out of Wi-Fi range so the phone moves to mobile data.
3. Watch the progress, then check the result.

Expected: The request finishes over mobile data or fails with a clear Retry option. Retrying does not create a duplicate upload or order.

Why a real phone: Handover from Wi-Fi to the carrier network happens only on real hardware with a SIM

1. On a dual-SIM phone with Wi-Fi off, use mobile data from SIM 1.
2. Open the app and start loading a screen.
3. In Settings, switch mobile data to SIM 2 and return to the app.

Expected: After a short pause the app reconnects over SIM 2 and loads the screen. It does not stay stuck on an offline banner until restarted.

Why a real phone: Changing the data SIM needs a real dual-SIM phone with two active SIMs

1. Start loading a heavy screen, such as order tracking or a statement.
2. Step into a lift or a metro section with no signal.
3. Come out after a minute and watch the app.

Expected: The app shows an offline message while signal is lost. Once signal returns it loads the screen without the user restarting it.

Why a real phone: Real dead zones drop and restore signal unevenly, which emulators do not reproduce

1. Set the preferred network type to 2G on an Airtel or Vi SIM, where allowed.
2. Open the app and complete login and one key action.
3. Note any screen that never finishes loading.

Expected: Login and the key action finish, even if slowly, with progress shown. A screen that cannot load shows a message and Retry, not a blank page.

Why a real phone: Real 2G adds packet loss and jitter that throttling profiles do not capture

1. Turn off VoLTE for an Airtel or Vi SIM in the phone's SIM settings.
2. Start a request in the app, such as loading a statement.
3. Receive a voice call on that SIM and talk for a minute.
4. End the call and return to the app.

Expected: While data pauses during the call, the app shows a waiting or offline state and does not crash. After the call the request completes or offers Retry.

Why a real phone: Data pausing during non-VoLTE calls happens only on a real SIM and carrier

1. Add a long delay to every request using a throttling tool.
2. Open lists, search, and tap buttons that load data.
3. Press Back while a request is still waiting.

Expected: Each wait shows progress, and Back works during it. Late responses do not reopen a screen the user left or replace newer search results.

1. Throttle the network so a key request takes longer than the app's timeout.
2. Start the request and wait without touching the screen.
3. Tap Retry when it appears.

Expected: After the timeout the app shows a plain message and Retry instead of spinning forever. Retry starts a new attempt that completes when the network allows.

1. Clear the app's cache and throttle the network to slow 3G.
2. Open an image-heavy screen, such as a product list or menu.
3. Scroll quickly and tap an item.

Expected: Text, prices and buttons appear first, with placeholders where images will go. The list stays scrollable and tappable while images fill in, without the layout jumping.

1. Throttle the network to slow 3G.
2. Upload a large photo, such as a KYC document or a profile picture.
3. Turn on airplane mode at about half progress, then turn it off.

Expected: The app shows upload progress and, after the drop, resumes or offers Retry without picking the file again. The image is uploaded once and is readable.

1. On a budget phone with default battery settings, start a large upload.
2. Press Home or lock the screen, and wait two minutes.
3. Return to the app.

Expected: The upload has finished or continues from where it stopped. If it was stopped, the app says so and offers Retry.

Why a real phone: Phone makers' memory and battery managers decide whether background uploads survive

1. Turn on airplane mode and save an action offline, such as a cart item.
2. In Developer options, set Background process limit to No background processes.
3. Open two other apps, then turn airplane mode off and reopen the app.

Expected: The waiting action is still listed after the app restarts. It is sent once after reconnecting.

1. Use a budget phone with 3–4 GB RAM and several apps open.
2. On a slow 3G connection, open the app from cold.
3. Move through three main screens.

Expected: The app opens to content or a loading state without an App not responding dialog. Moving between screens does not freeze while requests are waiting.

Why a real phone: Freezes and ANR dialogs on slow networks show up on low-RAM hardware

1. On a Xiaomi, Vivo or Oppo phone, keep battery settings at default.
2. Save a change offline, then swipe the app away from recent apps.
3. Reconnect, wait a few minutes, then open the app.

Expected: If background sync was blocked, the change is sent as soon as the app opens and appears once. The Pending label does not stay after a successful sync.

Why a real phone: These phone makers' battery managers block background sync that stock Android would run

1. Turn on Data Saver in Android settings without exempting the app.
2. Use the app, then send it to the background for a few minutes.
3. Open it again.

Expected: The app works in the foreground. On return it refreshes old content instead of showing an error about background data.

1. On an iPhone, turn on Low Data Mode for mobile data or Wi-Fi.
2. Open image-heavy screens and complete the key action.
3. Turn Low Data Mode off and refresh.

Expected: Login, lists and the key action still complete, with images possibly at lower quality. Full quality returns after Low Data Mode is turned off.

Why a real phone: Low Data Mode is a per-network setting not available in the iOS Simulator

1. Log in and open orders, statements and profile so they are cached.
2. Log out, then turn on airplane mode.
3. Open the app and try to reach the cached screens.

Expected: No data from the logged-out account appears anywhere, including cached lists and images. The app shows only the login screen.

1. Turn on the app's PIN or fingerprint lock.
2. Close the app and turn on airplane mode.
3. Open the app.

Expected: The app lock screen appears before any cached balance, order or profile data is shown.

1. Log in, save an action offline, and stay offline past the session timeout.
2. Reconnect and open the app.
3. Log in again when asked.

Expected: The app asks the user to log in before sending the waiting action. After login the action is sent once, or the user is told it must be redone.

1. Turn on TalkBack or VoiceOver and open the app.
2. Turn on airplane mode, then turn it off.
3. Move focus to the error message and the Retry button.

Expected: The screen reader announces the offline and back online states. The Retry button is read with its name and role, not as an unlabelled button.

1. Set the app language to Hindi and the phone's font and display size to the largest.
2. Turn on airplane mode and open several screens.
3. Throttle the network to trigger a timeout message.

Expected: All offline and timeout messages appear in Hindi, with no English fallback text. Messages and the Retry button fit on screen without being cut off.