Fixing silent dictation with a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (or other multi-input audio interface)

Last updated: July 16, 2026

Available on: Mac, Windows (when using an external audio interface like the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2)

If your mic works everywhere else on your computer but Flow's volume bars stay flat when you dictate — or you see a "No audio received" or "Microphone is not working" toast — the most common cause is simple: your mic is plugged into the wrong input on your audio interface. This guide fixes it in under a minute.

Quick checks

  • Is your mic on Input 1? On a two-input interface like the Scarlett 2i2, Flow only hears the first input. If your mic is on Input 2, that's the problem — jump to the fix below.

  • Is the correct device selected in Flow? Open Flow → Settings → General → Microphone → Change, and confirm your Scarlett is selected. Speak into the mic — the live volume indicator next to the selected device should move.

  • Does the mic work in other apps that record a single channel? If your mic is silent in a mono recording app too (not just Zoom or System Settings, which listen to both inputs), the problem is on the interface, not in Flow.

Why this happens

Flow records a single (mono) channel from the selected input device, and it always uses that device's first channel. On a two-input interface like the Scarlett 2i2, that's Input 1. A mic plugged into Input 2 won't be heard by Flow, even though apps that record both channels at once will still pick it up.

That's why the mic can look fine everywhere else: some apps listen to both inputs simultaneously, so they hear you no matter which jack you use. Behavior is identical on Mac and Windows.

How to fix it

  1. Power off your Scarlett 2i2 or audio interface.

  2. Unplug anything connected to the 1/4" jack on Input 1. On many interfaces, a cable in the 1/4" Input 1 jack overrides the XLR Input 1 connection, even when nothing on the device indicates it.

  3. Connect your microphone to XLR Input 1 — the three-pin connector labeled 1.

  4. Power on the interface.

  5. Enable phantom power by pressing 48V — only if your microphone requires it (most condenser mics do; most dynamic mics don't).

  6. Speak into the mic and confirm the ring around the Input 1 gain knob lights up green. That confirms Input 1 is receiving your voice.

  7. Open Flow and start a dictation. The volume bars should now respond as you speak. If they do, you're done.

Note: If you'd prefer to keep the mic on Input 2, that input would need to be the first one Flow sees, which the 2i2 hardware doesn't allow. Moving the cable to Input 1 is the reliable fix.

Still silent? A few more things to check

  • Gain: Turn up the gain knob for Input 1 and confirm the ring lights green when you speak.

  • Phantom power over XLR only: On the 2i2, the 48V button powers both XLR inputs at once. Phantom power only travels over the XLR connection, not the 1/4" jack — so a condenser mic must be connected via XLR.

  • Mic picker ranking: In Flow's microphone picker, use Edit Ranking to make your Scarlett your preferred mic so Flow selects it automatically.

  • Flow's audio toasts: If Flow still isn't hearing you, watch for a "No audio received" toast, or a persistent "Microphone is not working" toast with a Select microphone button that opens the picker directly.

FAQs

My mic works in Zoom and System Settings but not Flow. Is Flow broken?

No. Apps like Zoom listen to Input 1 and Input 2 at the same time, so they pick up your voice regardless of which jack you use. Flow listens to the first input only, so the mic needs to be on Input 1.

Will creating an Aggregate Device in macOS fix it?

No. An Aggregate Device keeps the interface's input order the same, so Input 1 is still first. Moving the mic to Input 1 is the fix.

Does this affect other audio interfaces too?

Yes. Any interface with more than one input can show this behavior. If dictation is silent, put your mic on the first input.

Still stuck?

Reach out to our support team if:

  • Your mic is on Input 1, gain is up, and Flow's volume bars still don't respond.

  • You see a "Microphone is not working" toast that won't clear after switching inputs.

  • Include your platform (Mac or Windows), your interface model, your mic model, and what you've already tried. Most mic issues are resolved in one reply.