Fixing silent dictation with a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (or other multi-input audio interface)
Last updated: August 28, 2026
Available on: Mac, Windows. Microphone selection is desktop-only — iOS and Android use the system default mic.
If your mic works everywhere else but Flow's volume bars stay flat when you dictate — or you see a microphone warning — it's usually plugged into the wrong input on your audio interface. This takes under a minute to fix.
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, go to the fix below.
Is the right device selected? Open Flow → Settings → General → Microphone → Change and confirm your Scarlett is selected. Speak — the live volume indicator next to the device should move.
Is another app holding the mic? Flow can detect which other apps are capturing audio; on older macOS versions it recognizes only common apps and may not name the culprit.
Does the mic work in a mono recording app? Zoom and System Settings listen to both inputs, so they aren't a valid test. If a single-channel recording app is silent too, the problem is on the interface, not in Flow.
Why this happens
Flow captures the first channel the device presents — Input 1 on a two-input interface. A mic on Input 2 is silent in Flow but still audible in apps that record both channels. Behavior is identical on Mac and Windows.
How to fix it
Power off your audio interface.
Unplug anything in the 1/4" Input 1 jack — on many interfaces it silently overrides the XLR Input 1 connection.
Connect your microphone to XLR Input 1, the three-pin connector labeled 1.
Power on the interface.
Press 48V for phantom power only if your mic requires it (most condenser mics do; most dynamic mics don't).
Speak into the mic and confirm the ring around the Input 1 gain knob lights green — Input 1 is receiving your voice.
Start a dictation in Flow. If the volume bars respond, you're done.
Note: Keeping the mic on Input 2 would require that input 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?
Gain: Turn up the Input 1 gain knob until the ring lights green when you speak.
Phantom power: The 48V button powers both XLR inputs at once, and phantom power travels over XLR only — so a condenser mic must connect via XLR, not the 1/4" jack.
Mic ranking: In the mic picker, use Edit Ranking to make your Scarlett the preferred mic so Flow selects it automatically; remove disconnected devices with the trash button.
Audio warnings: A microphone warning links to the mic picker, where the Microphone Quiz helps you identify the issue. Flow stops recording if the interface disconnects or the audio route changes mid-dictation, and shows an audio-input-busy error if the device reports an unusable format.
AirPods and clamshell mode: Selecting AirPods triggers an in-picker warning, and the built-in mic shows as unavailable in clamshell mode.
Virtual devices: Virtual or loopback devices (e.g., BlackHole) sit in a separate collapsible section of the mic picker and must be selected manually — ranking never auto-selects them.
FAQs
My mic works in Zoom and System Settings but not Flow. Is Flow broken?
No. Those apps listen to Input 1 and Input 2 at the same time, so they pick up your voice from either jack. Flow listens to the first input only.
Will creating an Aggregate Device in macOS fix it?
No. Aggregate Devices are not a supported workaround, and Flow has no special handling for them. Move the mic to Input 1 instead.
Does this affect other audio interfaces too?
Yes. Any interface with more than one input can behave this way. 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 warning that won't clear after switching inputs.
Include your platform (Mac or Windows), interface model, mic model, and what you've tried. Most mic issues are resolved in one reply.