> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.dictanote.co/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.dictanote.co/troubleshooting/troubleshooting-guide.md). # Troubleshooting Guide This guide covers common problems with Voice In. 1. [Not working: no live transcript](#h_01h12cnh08k8var5am19exj974) 2. [Not working: the live transcript shows what you say, but no text is inserted](#live-transcript-shows-what-i-speak-but-commands-don-t-work) 3. [No Voice In icon](#h_01h12d64a8d8tw8x7w3x05cdc8) 4. [Not working on local files (for example, local PDFs)](#h_01h12d6hnbx08x2pvvb5znmtdk) 5. [Additional steps for dictation in Google Apps](#additional-steps-for-dictation-in-google-apps-gmail-sheets-slides-etc) ## 1. Not working: no live transcript when you speak If Voice In shows a microphone permission error, start with [Enable Microphone Access](/troubleshooting/enable-microphone-access.md). If the message says access is denied by the system, use [Fix Microphone Access Denied By System](/troubleshooting/fix-microphone-access-denied-by-system.md). Otherwise, follow the checks below. ### **Step 1: Check your internet connection** * Make sure that your internet connection works. * If you use a VPN or a firewall, disable it and test Voice In again. * If the problem continues, go to **Step 2**. ### **Step 2: Check your microphone** One of the most common reasons Voice In does not work is that it gets no audio from your microphone. This can happen if: * You have more than one microphone connected, and the wrong microphone is selected. * The microphone is muted. * Your wireless headset (for example, AirPods) is in use on another device. **Check the microphone settings on Windows:** 1. **Open the Sound settings:** * Click the **Start menu** and select **Settings**. * Open **System → Sound**. 2. **Select the correct microphone:** * Under **Input**, make sure that the correct microphone is selected. * Make sure that the microphone is not muted: * If the microphone icon has a slash, click it to unmute the microphone.

* Speak into the microphone. If the input level indicator moves, your microphone works.

**Check the microphone settings on macOS:** 1. **Open the Sound settings:** * Click the **Apple menu** and select **System Settings**. * Select **Sound.** 2. **Select the correct microphone:** * In the **Input** tab, select your microphone. 3. **Test the microphone:** * Speak into the microphone. * If the input level indicator moves, your microphone works. ### **Step 3: Check the microphone in Voice In** After you select the correct microphone in your system settings, make sure that Voice In uses the same microphone. 1. **Open the Voice In Options page:** 1. Open the [Voice In Options page](https://dictanote.co/voicein/options/). 2. In the **General** section, find the line that starts with **“Current Microphone:”**. 3. If no microphone is listed, Voice In cannot access a microphone. 4. Make sure that a microphone is connected, and check your system sound settings again.

2. **Check the microphone in Chrome:** 1. Open a new Chrome tab and enter: ``` chrome://settings/content/microphone ``` 2. Make sure that the correct microphone is selected at the top. 3. **Test your microphone online:** 1. Use an [online microphone test](https://www.onlinemictest.com/). 2. When you speak, the line on that page moves. If your microphone works but Voice In still does not work, go to **Step 4**. ### **Step 4: Check speech to text** Open the [standalone dictation test page](https://dictanote.co/simple/). Click the microphone icon at the top-right corner of the text area and dictate. If dictation does not work on the test page, the problem is with the speech-to-text API of the browser. This may be temporary, so try again in a few hours. If it still does not work, see the [Hard Reset section](#last-case-scenario-hard-reset). If you can dictate on the test page, the browser can recognize speech. Next, test text insertion with Voice In. Open the [Voice In Notepad](https://dictanote.co/voicein/notepad/) and start Voice In. Make sure that Voice In is activated. ![](https://1715029537-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FLppVp8wXveO3zClwrkOP%2Fuploads%2FvS9PqSsNMXPHQqOjYYVd%2Fic_mic_red_36dp.png?alt=media\&token=89697897-0808-4b07-8d60-9e59367c695e)\ Activated \ ![](https://1715029537-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FLppVp8wXveO3zClwrkOP%2Fuploads%2FlfQtXrSUZXbvjSFQCeE0%2Fic_mic_black_36dp.png?alt=media\&token=08e988ef-67c2-4e03-8150-05111ab43752)\ Deactivated
The Voice In icon must be red. If you do not see the icon, see the "No Voice In icon" section below. Dictate into the notepad. If Voice In does not work on this page, [contact us](https://forum.dictanote.co). **Note:** For security reasons, Voice In does not work on some pages, such as the Chrome Web Store, the default new tab page, and the pages of other extensions. ## 2. Not working: the live transcript shows what you say, but no text is inserted Make sure that the cursor is in the text box. Voice In needs an active cursor to insert text. Some sites, such as Salesforce, Zendesk, and SimplePractice, need Voice In Plus to work. To see the list of sites that need Voice In Plus, open . If the site requires Plus, [upgrade](/plus/upgrade-to-plus.md) or [check that your existing subscription is activated](/plus/activate-plus.md). If direct dictation still fails, try the [Dictation Box](/help/features/how-to-enable-and-disable-dictation-box.md). For Google Docs or a managed browser, see section 5 below. ### Last resort: hard reset Try restarting Chrome first. This does not reset your Voice In settings. After restarting, test dictation again. If the problem continues after the checks above, reinstall Voice In as a last resort. Reinstalling can remove local settings and custom commands, and you may need to activate Plus again. Before uninstalling, [export your custom commands](/plus/custom-voice-commands.md#export-commands-and-sync) and note any settings you want to restore. ## 3. No Voice In icon Chrome hides extension icons at first. To see the Voice In icon in the toolbar, you must pin it. To show the Voice In icon in the toolbar again: 1. Click

on the right side of the address bar. 2. Click

next to Voice In. The Voice In icon ( microphone

) shows next to the address bar. For a demo video, see the [Pin Voice In section of the Getting Started page](https://dictanote.co/voicein/getting-started/#pin). ## 4. Not working on local files (for example, PDFs saved on your computer) To use Voice In on a local file (PDF or HTML), you must first give Voice In an additional permission. **Steps** 1. Open `chrome://extensions`. 2. Under Voice In, click "details". 3. Enable "Allow access to file URLs".

## 5. Additional steps for dictation in Google Apps (Gmail, Sheets, Slides, and other apps) Choose the guide that matches the problem: * **Google Docs inserts text with incorrect spacing or capitalization:** Read [Using Voice In in Google Docs](/help/general/using-voice-in-for-voice-typing-in-google-docs.md). Some editing commands are also unavailable in Docs. * **Voice In works in Notepad but cannot insert text on Google sites:** Check site access and, if your browser is managed, your organization's extension policies. See [Voice In works on some sites but not Gmail or Google Docs](/help/general/voice-in-works-on-some-sites-but-not-on-gmail-or-google-docs.md). If neither guide resolves the problem, [contact support](/help/contact-us.md) with the website, browser, and any error message.