Guide
The microphone is not working
If Bitácora will not let you dictate, it is almost always the browser's permission, another app using the microphone, or a connection without https. Here is each message and what to do.
Who can do this
- For
- Designers, Your team
- Role
- “Can review and comment” and up
- Plan
- All plans, including Free
- Where
- On a computer, On your phone (Bitácora Lite)
While you fix it, you can type the note with the E key: it does the same as dictating it.
It does not start recording
| You see | What to do |
|---|---|
| The browser has no permission to use the microphone | Give the site permission next to the address bar and try again (below, by browser) |
| Another app is using the microphone | A call (Zoom, Teams, Meet…) or another tab has it. Close it and try again |
| We could not find a microphone | Connect one and try again |
| Dictation could not start | Try again; if it keeps happening, reload the page or type the note |
| To dictate, the browser needs a secure connection | Use the address with https. Over your local network's IP address, the browser does not offer the microphone |
| This browser cannot take dictation | Use an up-to-date Chrome, Edge, Safari or Firefox |
Give permission:
- Chrome: click the icon to the left of the address and turn on Microphone.
- Edge: the padlock in the address bar › site permissions › Microphone.
- Safari: Safari › Settings for This Website and set Microphone to Allow.
- Firefox: click the crossed-out microphone in the address bar and remove the block.
- iPhone: also, in Settings › Safari › Microphone, let it ask or allow.
It records, but nothing is saved
- “Too short: nothing was saved”: the dictation barely lasted at all. Speak a little longer.
- “Could not save the recording”: the upload failed. Check your connection and dictate again.
- It cut off at 5 minutes: each note can last up to 5 minutes. At 4:30 it warns you; when it gets there, it saves on its own and you can start another. The challenge in First steps works the same way: at 5 minutes, it's sent.
The card says “Not transcribed”
The audio was saved but did not become text. The card says why:
- The dictation was not understood: no voice was heard. Play the audio from the card's menu to check.
- The audio never arrived: the audio did not reach the server. Dictate it again.
- Could not turn it into text: the transcription failed. Open its menu and try Transcribe it again.
- The transcriber did not turn it into text: the service replied instead of transcribing. Listen to the audio and type what you meant, or dictate it again.
In every case you have Dictate it again, Write it and Discard.
On your phone
In Bitácora Lite the messages are the same: no permission (and where to give it), no microphone, or another app using it. On a phone, the browser's permission is also in the system settings. There too, dictation stops and is saved at 5 minutes.
