Common audio issues
Important Note
If your microphone is "stuck" in a muted state, clearing your browser cache and cookies should resolve the issue. See our Clearing Cache and Cookies guide for more information.
To ensure your video has audio, click the Media Settings button at the bottom of the recording screen.
Then, from the microphone dropdown menu, make sure to select your microphone from the list. (If no microphone is listed in this drop-down menu, then you will need to see the expandable sections below for "Additional steps on Mac" or "Additional steps on PC").
To make sure that GoReact is picking up adequate sound, you can watch the audio meter on the lower right-hand side of the recording screen. Yellow is too quiet, green is good, and red is too loud.
If you are having trouble recording audio, walk through the following steps.
- Check that GoReact is allowed to access your microphone through the browser.
- Check that the microphone is powered on. If the microphone operates on battery power, make sure the batteries are correctly seated and are functional. If the microphone operates on external power, make sure that all the power connections are secure and the power cord is connected to a power source.
- Check the microphone connection. Disconnect the microphone from the computer port and then reconnect it. Make sure that the connection is secure and that the microphone is connected to the correct port.
- Check the microphone volume. If the microphone has a volume control, make sure that it is turned up.
- Check that the microphone works in other applications (such as Voice Recorder or Quicktime Player).
- If it doesn't work in these apps then the issue is likely with the microphone itself. If the microphone came with software, make sure it is installed properly (you can also see the steps below for updating the microphone driver).
- Try recording in a different browser (Firefox, Chrome, Edge, or Safari).
- If it works in a different browser, then your original browser may be blocked from accessing the microphone. To check this, see the expandable sections for "Additional steps on Mac" or "Additional steps on PC" below.
- Check your antivirus software for settings related to blocking access or permission to use your microphone. For help, visit your antivirus software company’s website.
Important Note
Participants should use headphones when recording a Stimulus Media response (unless the Stimulus Media has no audio). This will prevent viewers from hearing the Stimulus echo in the background of the Response recording.
Unusual sounds with my recording
GoReact will record whatever audio is sent to us from the recording hardware. If the audio is not satisfactory, try changing the placement of the microphone and reducing any background noise. If the audio is distorted, turn down your microphone volume. If there is audio feedback, move the microphone away from the computer speakers.
The audio quality is garbled/poor
This could result either from the mic/camera being too close or too far from the presenter, or poor microphone hardware. Do some test recordings with various distances to identify which is causing the issue. If needed, try recording with another webcam/microphone. GoReact will record whatever audio is sent to us from the recording hardware.
External microphones
If you're using an external microphone or webcam, unplug/re-plug the USB cable from the computer to reset the connection. Also, make sure the software is up to date. Open the microphone software (that came with the camera or computer) to be sure the microphone is being recognized by your computer. If it's not, consult your microphone documentation to resolve the issue.
Additional steps on Mac
With the latest MacOS update to Mojave, applications can be blocked from accessing the camera and microphone.
To check if your browser is allowed access to your camera and microphone, run through the following steps.
- Open System Preferences from the Apple menu.
- Click the icon labeled Security & Privacy.
- Click the Privacy tab at the top.
- In the left-hand column, click on either Camera or Microphone to manage app permissions.
- Check the box next to the applicable browser to allow access.
Additional steps on PC
To check if your browser is allowed access to your camera and microphone, run through the following steps.
- Click the Start
button. - Open Settings
- Click the icon labeled Privacy.
- In the lefthand column, below App Permissions, click on either Camera or Microphone.
- Make sure the toggle for Allow apps to access your microphone is set to "On."
-
Below Choose which apps can access your microphone, make sure that your specific browser is also toggled to "On."
Updating the microphone driver
If your microphone is not working in any application, you may need to update the microphone driver/software. (Drivers allow your computer to access your devices.) To update the software on a Mac, consult your webcam documentation. To update the microphone driver on PC,
- Open "Device Manager" by right-clicking on the Windows button.
- Find the device (Typically under "Audio inputs and outputs" or "Sound, video and game controllers").
- Click "Update Device Driver."
- Click "Search automatically for updated driver software."
- Follow the prompts to finish the update.
If a new driver is not found, you may need to download the most recent driver from the microphone manufacturer's website.