You're at the end of your formality on the French INPI Guichet Unique, you click "Sign with FranceConnect+", and... a blank page. No message, no progress, nothing. Refreshing changes nothing. It's the INPI portal's most reported bug since 2023.

This article reviews all the blank page causes and the troubleshooting steps that work — plus the qualified route that bypasses these bugs entirely.

Why does the INPI portal show a blank page?

The blank page is rarely a problem on your side: it's a front-end bug between the Guichet Unique, FranceConnect+ and your browser. The most frequent causes:

  1. FranceConnect+ session timeout: the authentication takes too long, INPI displays a blank page instead of an error message.
  2. Strict ad blocker (uBlock, AdBlock Plus): blocks INPI tracking scripts that the page wrongly considers necessary.
  3. Strict cookies (Firefox Strict mode, Brave): blocks third-party FranceConnect cookies.
  4. Active VPN: redirects the connection through an unrecognised IP.
  5. Outdated browser (Internet Explorer, old Edge): incompatibility with modern security cookies.
  6. Browser cache corrupted: old INPI session keeps in cache.
  7. Saturated INPI server: at peak times (end of fiscal year, end of month), the portal slows down dramatically.

10 troubleshooting steps to try

1. Clear browser cache

Ctrl+Shift+Suppr (Cmd+Shift+Delete on Mac), select "Last hour" + Cookies + Cache. Restart the browser.

2. Try in private browsing

Ctrl+Shift+P (Cmd+Shift+P on Mac). Reconnect to procedures.inpi.fr in this private window.

3. Disable ad blockers

Disable uBlock, AdBlock Plus, Ghostery for the inpi.fr and franceconnect.gouv.fr domains (or completely temporarily).

4. Disable the VPN

If you use NordVPN, ExpressVPN, ProtonVPN, etc., disable it temporarily. INPI sometimes blocks unrecognised foreign IPs.

5. Use a recent browser

Latest Chrome, Firefox or Edge. Avoid Internet Explorer (no longer supported) and old Safari versions.

6. Check time and date settings

HTTPS authentication relies on synchronised clocks. A wrong system time can cause certificate errors.

7. Try at off-peak hours

Early morning (8-9am) or late evening (10pm-midnight). Avoid Mondays and end-of-month days.

8. Different browser

If Chrome doesn't work, try Firefox. If Firefox doesn't, try Edge. Each browser has different default cookie handling.

9. Different device

Try from another computer or smartphone (Chrome mobile, Safari iOS).

10. Wait 1-2 hours

If the bug persists across all these steps, it's an INPI-side outage. Wait for the service to return.

To remember The blank page is sometimes a permanent INPI bug for some user accounts (related to a corrupt session in INPI's database). In this case, calling INPI support (0820 210 211) doesn't always help.

The radical alternative: bypass the bug

If after all these steps the blank page persists, the most efficient solution is to not use FranceConnect+. Instead:

  1. Stay on the Guichet Unique formality page.
  2. Look for a "Download summary" link (or "Téléverser un fichier signé" / "Upload signed file").
  3. Download the original PDF.
  4. Sign it with a qualified eIDAS provider on the EU Trust List (SignerSynthèse.fr, Universign, Yousign Pro+).
  5. Re-upload the qualified-signed PDF.

This route avoids FranceConnect+ entirely. The Guichet Unique accepts the qualified-signed PDF in 2 minutes, regardless of the blank page bug.

Blank page persists? Sign without FranceConnect+ in 2 minutes.

eIDAS qualified signature via Universign, accepted at 100% by the INPI Guichet Unique. €29 ex. VAT.

Sign my summary →

FAQ

Should I call INPI support?

Yes (0820 210 211), but expect long waits and "have you tried clearing your cache?" answers. For an immediate solution, use the qualified alternative route.

Can the blank page mean my formality has a problem?

Generally no, it's a technical bug. Your formality is saved on the Guichet Unique and you can come back later to resume.

Is my data lost if the page goes blank?

No. The Guichet Unique automatically saves the formality at each step. Reconnect to procedures.inpi.fr, find your file in "Pending formalities", and resume where you stopped.

Why is INPI so unstable?

The Guichet Unique was launched in emergency in 2023 to centralise all formalities. Persistent bugs come from this rapid migration, with under-dimensioned infrastructure for actual traffic. Fixes happen progressively but slowly.

Conclusion

The INPI blank page is rarely a definitive problem: 80% of cases are solved by browser cache + private browsing + ad blocker disable. For the remaining 20%, the qualified eIDAS alternative route via a specialised provider bypasses the bug entirely in 2 minutes.

Official sources