Why can't students record their voice on Education Perfect?

Having trouble recording your voice on EP? There are a few things that could be impacting your ability to access your microphone and record your voice. This article explores how to fix them.

Your microphone might not be working

If we have access to the microphone, but can't hear anything through it, we'll display a notification saying No audio input is being detected.

To fix this, make sure your microphone is not muted, and that you have the correct microphone selected for recording. For example, if you have a headset plugged in, make sure you're using this instead of your computer's microphone. See the device permissions section for further steps.

Some browser extensions may interfere with microphone use! Try logging in through an Incognito Window in Google Chrome to bypass these extensions.

Your browser might not support voice recording

Different web browsers have different levels of support for recording audio. Below is a list of browsers and whether recording is supported:

Full automatic Support	Google Chrome (recommended), Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Education Perfect iPad, iPhone, and Android Apps
Not supported	Safari (on iPads), Safari 11 and up (on Macs), Legacy Language Perfect iPad, iPhone, and Android Apps

It's also important that the browser (or App) you use is fully up to date, so that you can be sure it's in full working condition.

Browser Permissions

Apps and websites that want to record your voice must ask for your permission. In many cases, if you say no once, we're not able to ask again, and you'll have to manually allow recording.

If we don't have permission to record your voice, when you click record a notification will appear that says Can't access the microphone.

You need to grant Education Perfect permission to use the microphone. To do this, follow the below browser specific instructions:

Google Chrome

Full instructions for enabling your microphone can be found on Chrome's support website.

Note: An issue with Google Chrome is identified that may occasionally distort voice recordings longer than 30 seconds. This is a known problem with the Chrome browser and not specific to the EP platform. We recommend taking the following steps to reduce the likelihood of encountering this issue:

1. Use an alternative browser for voice recordings as these may handle the recordings better.

2. Try to keep recordings under 30 seconds where feasible.

3. Check for extensions to ensure no unnecessary browser extensions are enabled, as these can sometimes interfere with recordings.

Android App

Managing Android permissions differ between devices and Android version. Instructions for the newest version of Android can be found here.

iPad App

Open the Settings app
Go to Privacy, then select Microphone
Turn on the switch beside EP.

Mozilla Firefox

Click the microphone at the top left of the screen.
Clear any 'Blocked' messaging by using the X.
You should be prompted again to give microphone permission (you may need to refresh).

Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge doesn't have a permanent setting to allow access to the microphone, which means that you need to grant permission every time you use Education Perfect. If you deny access to the microphone, refreshing the page causes the prompt to display again.

Safari

Full instructions for enabling your microphone can be found on Apple's support website.

Device Permissions

Selecting your microphone on Windows

Search for Sound Settings in your taskbar.
Open settings and select the correct input.
Test that your microphone is working.

Selecting your microphone on Mac

Click into the Apple Menu.
Navigate to: System Preferences > Sound > Input.
Select the microphone you wish to use.

Next steps

If you've tried the above and are still having trouble, here are some additional steps:

Update: Double check that the browser (or App) you are using is fully up to date. You'll be able to do this within the settings of your browser or in the Play Store or App store.
Clear your cache: Try clearing your browser's cache, as this can help to resolve a range of issues. Instructions on how to do this are found here.
Adblockers: Try turning off any ad blockers that you have installed. These can sometimes affect sites that you are accessing, but switching them off temporarily can bypass this.

Still stuck? Please reach out to your teacher for assistance.