There are three ways to test a Launchpad, each with different levels of coverage. Use the method that matches your setup.

Choose a testing method

Preview in the builder

Preview mode lets you quickly review how your Launchpad looks without publishing it.

1. Open your Launchpad in the builder.
2. Click the preview button (👁️) in the builder toolbar. The Launchpad renders on your page as an end user would see it.

Preview mode only displays Links block content. The Flow list block shows "Nothing to see here at the moment" — this is expected. Flows only appear when you test with one of the publishing methods below.

Publish to a staging environment

Publishing to a staging or internal environment is the most thorough way to test. It lets you verify targeting rules, user eligibility, and Flow behavior in a live setting without exposing the Launchpad to real users.

1. Add your staging environment to the Available Domains list. Go to Settings > Domains and enter your staging URL (e.g., staging.yourapp.com). You need admin permissions. See Manage Available Domains for details.
2. Go to your Launchpad's settings page and under Page targeting, select your staging domain from the domains list.
3. Click Publish, then Confirm. The Launchpad is now live only in your staging environment.

Publish to internal testers

If you don't have a staging environment, you can publish the Launchpad to production but restrict it to a small group of internal testers using a segment.

1. Create a segment that identifies your internal testers. You can define this using:

• Specific email addresses (e.g., Email | is | tester@yourcompany.com).
• A domain pattern (e.g., Email | contains | @yourcompany.com).
• User IDs from your system.

2. On your Launchpad's settings page, under Audience, select Users in a segment and choose the segment you created.
3. Click Publish, then Confirm.

To find your User ID, open the Appcues debugger on any page where Appcues is installed.

What to verify during testing

After publishing to staging or internal testers, walk through these checks systematically.

Beacon and appearance

• The beacon is visible on the page in the expected position.
• For floating beacons: the icon appears in the correct corner and doesn't overlap other UI elements.
• For inline beacons: the icon renders inside the target element in the correct embedding position (Inline Left, Inline Right, or Overlaid).
• The beacon's icon, label, color, and size match your styling configuration.
• Clicking the beacon opens the Launchpad content panel.

Content blocks

• Links block: All items display with the correct names. External links open the correct URL. Items set to trigger a Flow launch the correct Flow.
• Flow list block: The list shows the Flows your test user qualifies for. Flows the test user should not qualify for are not displayed.
• Click a Flow from the Flow list to confirm it launches as expected.
• If knowledge base search is enabled, type a keyword and verify results appear from your knowledge base. Click a result to confirm it opens the correct article.

Styling

• The Launchpad's primary color (background), secondary color (font), and font family display correctly.
• The title text matches what you configured.
• Links block items use the correct bullet or grid styling.
• Flow list block items use the correct bullet styling.

Targeting

• Navigate to a URL that should show the Launchpad — confirm the beacon appears.
• Navigate to a URL that should not show the Launchpad — confirm the beacon is absent.
• If using audience targeting, log in as a user who does not belong to the targeted segment and confirm the Launchpad does not appear.
• Use the Test Page Targeting tool on the Launchpad's settings page to verify URL and domain conditions match.

Checklist interaction

• If the user also qualifies for a Checklist on the same page and both icons would appear in the same location, confirm they merge into a single combined icon.
• Click the Launchpad section of the merged icon to confirm the Launchpad opens correctly.

If the Launchpad doesn't appear during testing

• Verify Appcues is installed on the test page. Open the Appcues debugger and confirm all rows show green checkmarks.
• Check that your test user belongs to the targeted segment. Go to Users in Studio, search for the user, and review the Segments tab.
• Confirm the page URL matches the Launchpad's page targeting conditions. Use the Test Page Targeting tool on the Launchpad's settings page.
• See Troubleshoot Launchpads for a full diagnostic walkthrough.

If the issue persists, contact support with the Launchpad URL from Studio, your test user ID, the page URL you're testing on, and a screenshot or recording of the issue.