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Fix microphone, camera, and screen-sharing problems

Help participants start or recover a voice interview or usability session.

Use these checks when a participant cannot start recording, the interviewer cannot hear them, or screen sharing does not start.

Last reviewed
troubleshootingaudiovoiceusability5–10 minutesBeginnerParticipantsResearchers

Before you start

Keep the study page open and note the exact error. A microphone, camera, or screen share is required only when that interview asks for it. Do not clear site data during an unfinished response unless the study owner advises it.

Steps

  1. Check the device and study requirement

    For voice, check that a working microphone is connected. For screen sharing, use a supported desktop browser or the Android app flow offered by the study. iPhone and iPad browsers cannot provide the required screen share. Ask the study owner if you need another way to participate.

  2. Review permission on the study page

    Continue from the interview’s permission notice to the browser prompt. Allow the microphone, and camera if requested, when you are ready. If you previously denied permission, use the browser-specific help link shown in the permission panel and review the site permission. Your operating system may also need to allow the browser to use the device.

  3. Check the sound path

    Confirm that the microphone is not muted and that your speaker or headphone volume is audible. Reconnect a loose headset and check your selected input device in the browser or operating system. Try closing another app that is using the same device.

  4. Recover interrupted audio

    If the interview reports a microphone interruption, keep the page open while it attempts to reconnect. Use the microphone restart control if it is offered after recovery fails. Check that you can be heard again before continuing; a connected call alone does not confirm microphone capture.

  5. Choose what to share

    For a desktop screen-sharing prompt, select the intended screen, window, or tab and confirm the selection. Close unrelated windows and notifications first. If you cancel the prompt, follow the study’s on-screen instructions to try again. A saved recording or video clip is available only if the study owner enabled recording.

  6. Report a persistent problem

    Contact the study owner with the error text, browser and version, device, time and timezone, and which step failed. Researchers can use the support form. Redact personal information and private participant-link tokens. Do not submit another paid response just to test a fix unless the researcher asks you to.

Details and limitations

For researchers: test the full participant experience on each intended device before recruitment. Confirm the language, microphone, screen-share handoff, transcript, and recording settings. Keep a text alternative or a clear contact route in participant instructions where appropriate.

Check the result

The required device works and the interview can continue, or the study owner has enough detail to arrange help or another participation method.

If something goes wrong

If the microphone permission is allowed but the interviewer still cannot hear you, check mute and input-device selection, then use the offered recovery control. If screen sharing is unavailable in an iPhone or iPad browser, permission changes cannot add that capability.