Lexington Herald-Leader News

I’m generally pleased with the app functioning. New stories are posted quickly. I wish there was a search feature for older stories, but maybe they don’t have that much capacity built into the app. I have started regularly to get a message telling me to sign in. I click sign in, then cancel, and I can read the article because I am already signed in. I would really like this bug to be fixed.

I have to delete and reload this app onto my iPad almost every single day in order to read the most recent newspaper. Otherwise I am stuck with the previous day’s paper. Even then, the tools don’t work after the first page. Why can’t the Herald Leader improve this expensive service? Other purchased subscriptions don’t have these issues on my iPad, so I strongly suspect it is the app, not the new iPad. And, as others have noted, customer service is basically nonexistent. UPDATE: After writing the above review I received an email instructing me to empty the cache in the app. I did that but there was no improvement. Almost EVERY SINGLE DAY I have to delete the app from my Ipad, reload it and then use it for the day. Given the cost of the digital paper, which just rose, this is ridiculous! Then, today, I had to scroll through 2 pages of every page in the Sunday Extra section. What kind of quality control is utilized? Just deplorable! Yes, I can read the paper via the email link but the font quality and clarity is very poor; yet another quality control issue that could be solved. We subscribe to larger papers that don’t have these issues, so we know the technology exists to provide the readers with a decent experience. Apparently the HL values profits over investing in its products.

Update 28 July 2021: The “updated” App is totally useless. I have deleted it and gone back to reading HL content on Safari, which is a huge step backward. As always, there is no staff available to address App or login issues. This is a perfect example of why home town papers are going under. They can’t deal with even the most basic aspects of digital journalism. Still wish I could give the App 0 stars. This used to be a great app. Great news content with an app that worked seamlessly. Unfortunately, they have been having log-in issues for weeks and have been unwilling/unable to fix them. The problem is that they continue to charge me for content that I cannot access. I have contacted the support team and keep getting the same response: we are aware of the issue and will address it in future updates. If they are unwilling to deliver or fix their product, they should not be charging folks for e-subscriptions. Wish I could give this zero stars.

The new updated version of this app worked for a while on my ipad but not now. It will not open. Usually just a blank screen or the Herald title . The only way to get it to work is to keep installing. Just have to read it from the web. Very. Disappointed. I love reading it when it works Update several weeks later. —- i finally think I have found a work around on the ipad. If I go into settings and turn off background app refresh for all my programs it loads and seems rather stable. It might be specific to just a certain app, since I’ve not seen complaints consistent from others, but just didn’t have the inclination to trouble shoot that far. At any rate, it’s finally loading and working.

I uploaded this new app and wish I never had. The previous app allowed you to read other readers’ comments and when another article was highlighted, it would take you to that article. This app does neither of these things. As a matter of fact I deleted this app and reloaded it more than once in order to even be able to open some articles. There is a story about Kentucky schools’ test scores. I have tried several times to just type a county of school name over the course of several days. And, again, deleted and downloaded the app to see if I could access Ky test scores from last year. Nope & nope. Articles underlined and highlighted can’t be accessed either. Why bother to reference them if you can’t access them! Too many ads for a service you pay to get.

How are Lexington Herald – Leader has become a joke and an embarrassment to the citizens of Lexington. It seems to be rampant with spelling and grammar errors, incomplete obituary information lags behind to the point where sometimes the funeral service or visitation has been held before it appears in the paper if that’s what you want to call this. I find it odd that there seems to be an overabundance of articles and information about UK sports while the rest of the paper suffers for journalism that is incorrect and/lacking. This move to Louisville was supposed to make things so much better but sadly that is not the result and this is the Shame. Rick Young

Overall, an OK app as far as UI, but the main issue is the news is not updated frequently enough. As I write this review on a Sunday evening, the main story is about how to watch a UK basketball game that’s now been over for more than 24 hours, and there is still an article discussing an “upcoming” winter storm that happened overnight Friday, so that information is almost 36 hours past its time :( Update: The developers instructed me to pull down to refresh, but the news is still not updated on weekends. As I write this, the latest news is from 19 hours ago. Good during the week, poor on weekends.

I used to really enjoy using this ap. Read the paper first thing in the a.m. every day. The digital paper looked just like the printed version, and I was able to email articles to friends. With every update the iPad version has gotten worse. The screen is much smaller with an inch blank on each side, now there are ads on the bottom inch. Enlarging an article causes it to disappear behind the blank areas. There is STUFF at the top of the screen making it even smaller. I download a paper, get out of ap, and can’t find the downloaded version when I go back in. Digital version is a JOKE , but I am not laughing! Very dissatisfied!

I have been a loyal subscriber for the last 30 years and we cannot receive a paper delivery due to our distance from Lexington. Hence we rely on the digital version. With this latest update, we cannot view the print version of the paper online. We have emailed customer support twice and heard from them once with the standard reply that this new version is better. It is not better and we will not renew when our subscription expires later this year. Beyond frustrated and disappointed.

Because of a family crises, I’ve been in California since February. I could not stay abreast of current events in Lexington if the Herald-Leader didn’t provide access to news worthy topics around town. I appreciate knowing how things will have changed once I return to My Old Kentucky Home.

I paid for a year subscription but can only access it on the PC. The app will not work on my ipad unless I delete and reinsall it every single time. I contacted customer service several days ago and have not gotten a reply back. Not only that, I can’t access my account information on the web. I can log in, but my account won’t load. What a waste of money this subscription was. I’m afraid I won’t be able to cancel my subcription without calling, because I can’t get to in on the ipad OR the PC! Don’t bother.

This app has a very frustrating issue. In order to open, it’s necessary to delete and reinstall every single time. Then you have to click on the topics you’re interested in reading. There is not a single click to check all the boxes so you have to click through all the boxes each time. I have contacted support and was told to delete the cache, but that didn’t resolve the issue. This has been going on for several months. Either it cannot be fixed or no one cares.

Even though I have an account and active subscription to this newspaper, I cannot access any story on the app. It always tells me I need to login or subscribe, even though it shows one page over that I have already done both of those things. In addition, the search feature just doesn’t seem to work. I can type in keywords for a specific article, and nothing will come up. I can put in the exact title of the article, and nothing will come up. It’s just ridiculous.

Sports is done fairly well. Lackadaisical effort on some local reporting. Articles should be objective but aren’t. National/state reporting and opinion pieces are not far from being indistinguishable at times. Journalism used to go hand in hand with objectivity and integrity. Canceled paper delivery long ago but used this app to catch up on UK sports. Now behind paywall. I can get same information from other sources just takes a little extra effort than having in one place. Herald-Leader was a decent paper 15 years ago.

For one thing, I hate the way I have to access news in the list down the left side. Old news is mixed with newer items. I used to be able to access a full page view, which is the way I prefer to peruse the news - that way I can see everything (including photos) instead of having to intuit which stories might interest me and pull them up. Now I can’t always access the full page view to read in my browser and when I do, it tends to be blurry and hard to scroll up and down.

Stories close CONSTANTLY. Most of the time when I tap on a story to read it, the story may flash on my screen for a second but will immediately return me to the front page. Or a blank screen may flash briefly before returning to home page. Happens on multiple stories, multiple days, even after deleting and re-installing.

Regardless of what we were told, the new interface is a huge disappointment. You probably know this. (But we Really like the ExtraExtra.) Latest updates shut us out completely. Haven’t been able to access the e edition since updated my iPhone and iPad apps. 3 days now. Asks us to log in. Won’t take us to the login. Won’t let us log in on the app either. Question: Do you not field test the apps before you send out an update?

I don’t live in Lexington anymore but it’s great to keep up with the things going on there. The app is much better than any we have here. Glad they are investing in good reporting!

The new e-edition is awful. I have to log in with multiple steps every single day, sometimes multiple times a day. Some days it won’t even allow me to log in. What gives? This was supposed to be so much better. Exactly what was wrong with the previous app that needed changing? Are they just trying to annoy us subscribers by having to work harder to get content? In that, they succeed. Otherwise, it’s a bust!

I’ve used the app since it first came out years ago, and have always loved it. The latest version that came out May 1, 2024 is terrible beyond belief. I mean, *really* terrible. Unreadable terrible. I loved my digital paper and want it back. If they can’t fix this app by May 6, I will be cancelling the subscription I’ve had for more than 30 years.

I don’t know what the Herald Leader did, but I had to upgrade the version on my iPad this week. When I did, it made everything smaller to where I have to zoom in to read anything which doesn’t allow me to advance the pages unless I zoom back out.

After this latest update, the app is terrible. The paper “page” is much smaller and is blurry when enlarged. The bar at the bottom to skip to other pages is missing. What the heck. It worked fine before- leave it alone!

The app worked out the glitches after the summer rollout of the new version… but it was short-lived. It lasted until September when iOS 15 was introduced. The app is again useless. I have contacted H-L customer service three times via phone since the iOS update and still no resolution. I just canceled my subscription (that I had in some form since 1985).

I’ve subscribed to this paper for nearly 30 years and switched to all digital when home delivery became a sketchy proposition at best. This app is horrible. It simply does not work. I have deleted and re-Installed numerous times. Get your act together folks or based on the reviews I’m reading, you will be losing revenue. It’s just seems that obvious to me.

New Beta version of app is a huge improvement over the previous clumsy version - which was exasperating.

Links within articles do not work. I thought it could be because my phone is old, but with a new one they still don’t show me anything but a blank page.

New app update won’t open several days a week. Also, when you click on an article to read a blank page appears that you have to close get to article. I’ve deleted and reinstalled several times but only works for a day or two before doing it all over again.

The subscriber services page is for the wrong newspaper. It takes you to The Enquirer-Herald, Ft Mills times, Lake Wylie Pilot page. Going on the web instead of the app takes you to the Lexington Herald Leader page. But now there is no way to report an undelivered paper, only a wet/damaged paper or wrong paper. By the way, if you phone the service center -- it is in the Philippines. The operator on it told me.

The e-edition of the paper is good when it works. It seems if at least one day, typically more, you can’t access the e-edition. I’ve done everything the staff have advised me to do, clear my cookies, reload the app, etc.,to no avail. I’ve had to go sometimes three days or more without the e-edition. Contacted staff at the paper, almost never any type of response.

This app does not work. I ordered to read paper you have delete the app, upload, pick stories, update and hope the next day you can get the paper. Guess what? You have to do it all over again. I think you would get this fix. Someone is getting paid, but not doing their job, very bad tech support.

Long time eedition users. Old app worked fine. The new one, fall 2019, is terrible. If you prefer to read it in traditional print version, it is jumpey and many times will not open at all. The tv news style does not offer the comics and is had to scan. Love the paper, but hate paying for something we cannot use. Thank goodness for the Louisville Courier Journal!

The new e-edition of the paper is erratic and is difficult to maneuver through articles as well as turn pages. Expanding the page size often does not work at all. I would encourage management to use the app in its current form to understand what a poor product this “new and improved” version of the paper acts is. Please fix the issues!!

You guys could actually run more adds Ang should. They’re aren’t exactly to the point of annoying yet. Nice work

I used to love this app and the Lexington Herald Leader and supported the advertisers who advertised on this page. However, this morning I was prevented from reading my news because I had exceeded my number of stories for the month. I guess I will look to other news media groups to get my news. So disappointed in Lexington Herald Leader.

The new App seems to default to non Newspaper style at will. Constant pop up advertisements are a nuisance but fact of life. Multiple steps required to actually get to the paper. My subscription is paid in advance but I still have to prove who I am using the same iPad.

Hate this new digital app. I want to read the e-edition like a printed newspaper, not an overview of what digital editors think I should read. I can’t download the full e-edition on my ipad. I can only download it from my office computer. What a hassle! Also the same news/articles are being regurgitated for days in a row. Why are you still calling it a NEWSpaper?

Ridiculous that there is no search option on every page. Add it! Also you have to logon al the time. Accept cookies every time. Web browser links don’t even offer to open the app for you like most apps. Poorly designed.

The APP does not work; purchased subscription have my email and password and APP does not recognize my login. Freezes all the time. Called customer service 5 times and their phone system dropped me 4 times. FInally spoke to a person who was of no help. Asked for supervisor, even worse. HORRIBLE and strongly recommend you do not use. I requested partial refund and was refused. They beat me for a year's subscription for an e -edition that can't be accessed from the App; don't let them beat you. THE WORST

Better with browser, but why am I being asked to sign in every day before reading the paper? Surely this is a mistake. Very, very annoying!!

Even after confirming my subscription and contact info, the pop ups requesting meto subscribe to the E edition continue to pop up even while I am reading the paper online. Requests to stop this did not help. It is infuriating! They appear over and over.

This app has become useless. I can’t use it at all - either the app won’t load, or the article in the app won’t load. I end up going to safari and going straight to the website.

I see an article I want to read, and then it disappears and I’m not able to read it. This app is having some issues and bugs that need to be fixed. How am I able to read the newspaper when I can’t even get it?

I’ve been a print subscriber for a year and have never been able to read online consistently. When I try to sign in it either says my subscription has expired (it hasn’t) or it doesn’t recognize my address. Just a terrible app in general.

I can no longer see anything in my feed. It just says “Error fetching feeds”. This started about a week ago. I have deleted the app and tried reinstalling several times. Same problem. Please fix.

This app is has shown “Error fetching feeds” for weeks. All I get is the PDF version of the paper. Now “Latest News” or “Breaking News”. It seems obvious that the developers don’t use the app. Not a good experience for the paid subscriber.

The app won’t load! I agree with other negative reviews if the app doesn’t work why charge for it? We pay for this and can’t access? It’s stealing. If I I good give it ZERO I WOULD. The old app worked ok. Wasn’t great but you could read it. To make matters even worse HL sends me emails asking for “contributions” to support the journalists? If you can’t read it what good is it regardless of the quality Definitely the HL has fallen off since the 1970’s when I became a regular reader. Disappointed! CMAJR

The image of the document presents the print so small one has trouble reading it. If your eyes become strained trying to read one can assume your eyes are being harmed. On the positive side, the option to download the eedition for reading later has been placed in a convenient spot.

App keeps signing me out and even when signed back in it does not acknowledge my paid subscription and I can’t read any of the articles. If this keeps up I’ll be forced to end my subscription

I hate this new format. I loved that I could print off the crosswords from my iPad. I’m out of town for three months in the summer and I read it every day. It’s a struggle to read it now and I’ve been thinking about cancelling it!! What in the world was wrong with the old format???

Slow, unpredictable, hard to customize. Can’t even search for stories, and often they appear in seemingly random order. Unacceptable app design in 2022 given the increasingly exorbitant rates charged for a subscription.