Troubleshooting Guide for 'No Model Available' Error

"Flow is having trouble loading" or "Flow is having trouble starting"

Flow failed to initialize. "Flow is having trouble starting" appears after Flow has retried several times without success. Click Restart Flow in the notification to retry, or click Contact us to reach support.

"Audio system failed to load"

Flow's audio system couldn't initialize. Click Restart Flow in the notification to retry, or click Contact us if the issue persists.

"Something's not right"

Transcription failed. Click Retry to try again, or click Open History to recover the transcript.

"Is your microphone muted?" or "We couldn't hear you"

Flow isn't detecting audio from your selected microphone. Check for a hardware mute key on your keyboard or headset, then click Select microphone to try a different mic, or click Troubleshoot for help.

"No audio received" or "Microphone is not working"

"No audio received" appears first when Flow doesn't hear anything, with a Contact us button. If silence continues, it escalates to "Microphone is not working," which offers both Select microphone and Contact us.

"No microphone detected"

Flow can't find a microphone on your device. Connect a microphone and try again.

"Selected microphone is unavailable" or "Microphone unavailable"

Your previously selected microphone can't be accessed, often because another app is using it. Close other apps that use audio, then click Select microphone to choose a different one.

"Microphone error" or "Unable to access mic"

Flow encountered a problem with your microphone. Check permissions, confirm no other app is holding the mic, and try selecting a different mic or reconnecting your current one.

"Microphone disconnected"

Your microphone was disconnected during dictation. Click Insert to paste the audio captured up to that point.

"Your laptop lid is closed" (Mac only)

The built-in mic is unavailable when the lid is closed. Click Select microphone to choose an external mic.

"Microphone Permission Required"

Flow needs microphone access to work. Click Grant Permission to fix this:

• Mac: On first use, this triggers a system permission prompt. If you previously denied access, it opens System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone instead.

• Windows: This opens your system microphone privacy settings directly. If you see a separate "Microphone access is disabled" notification, system-level microphone privacy is turned off and needs to be enabled.

"Accessibility Permission Required"

Flow needs accessibility access to work properly. Click Open Settings to grant permission.

"Transcription session ended"

Flow enforces a maximum dictation duration per session. On Mac and Windows, the limit is 20 minutes. On Android, the limit is 5 minutes, with a warning shown 1 minute before the limit is reached.

Mac

1. Check microphone permissions.

   1. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone.

   2. Confirm Wispr Flow is listed and the toggle is on.

   3. If Flow shows "Microphone Permission Required," click Grant Permission.

2. Check accessibility permissions.

   1. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility.

   2. Confirm Wispr Flow is listed and the toggle is on.

3. Select a different microphone.

   1. Click the Wispr Flow icon in the menu bar → Microphone → choose a different mic.

   2. If your laptop lid is closed, the built-in mic is unavailable — use an external microphone.

   Tip: If you're using AirPods, try switching to the built-in mic or another external mic. AirPods can be slow to connect and may cause errors during dictation.

4. Restart your Mac.

   1. Click the Apple menu → Restart.

   2. Open Flow after restarting and try dictating.

5. Reset Flow data.

   Warning: Only use this step if directed by Wispr Flow support. This deletes Flow's local data (transcription history, cached data). Your dictionary, stats, settings, notes, and meetings are preserved and re-sync from the cloud after restart. Flow restarts automatically after you confirm.

   1. Open Flow → Settings → System → Data → Reset app, then click the Reset & restart button.

Windows

1. Check microphone permissions.

   1. Open Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone.

   2. Confirm both the global "Microphone access" toggle and the "Let apps access your microphone" toggle are on.

   Note: Both system-level toggles must be enabled. If dictation fails, Flow will open Windows Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone directly so you can verify both toggles.

2. Select a different microphone.

   1. Click the Wispr Flow icon in the system tray → Microphone → choose a different mic.

3. Restart your computer.

   1. Click Start → Power → Restart.

   2. Open Flow after restarting and try dictating.

iOS

1. Enable Full Access for the Flow keyboard.

   1. Open Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards → Flow.

   2. Turn on Allow Full Access.

   Note: If Full Access hasn't been granted, tapping the keyboard triggers a setup modal with a Finish Setup button that opens a two-step privacy guide before Settings.

2. Grant microphone access.

   1. If microphone access is denied, tap Go to Settings from the mic-access card on the Wispr Flow home screen.

3. Force close and reopen Flow.

   1. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and swipe the Flow app away.

   2. Reopen Flow and try dictating.

4. Enable Low Data Mode for slow connections.

   1. Open the Wispr Flow app → Settings → General → turn on Low Data Mode.

   Note: This setting is inside the Wispr Flow app, not in iOS System Settings.

Android

1. Check permissions.

   1. Open Settings → Apps → Wispr Flow → Permissions.

   2. Confirm Microphone, Overlay, and Accessibility permissions are granted.

   Note: The Wispr Flow home screen may also show diagnostic cards for Battery Optimization ("Keep Wispr Flow running") and service-state issues ("Flow Bubble Disabled") when applicable. Follow the prompts on any card that appears.

2. Force close and reopen Flow.

   1. Open Settings → Apps → Wispr Flow → Force stop.

   2. Reopen Flow and try dictating.

3. Restart your phone.

   1. Hold the power button and tap Restart.

   2. Open Flow after restarting and try dictating.

Will I lose my transcriptions if Flow crashes?

No. Flow saves transcriptions locally. If a transcription fails, check your home screen history — you can retry from there.

Why does the error keep coming back after restarting?

Recurring errors usually point to a permissions issue or a mic that isn't working properly. Work through the full troubleshooting steps for your platform above.

Why does dictation sometimes stop working silently?

Some mic errors only appear after repeat failures to avoid interrupting you. If dictation stops working without an error, check your microphone in your system's Sound Settings and try dictating again.