Troubleshooting audio playback & AirPod issues (iOS, macOS)
Last updated: October 14, 2026
Available on: Mac, Windows, iOS
If AirPods keep switching devices, dictation cuts out mid-sentence, or your mic isn't picking up speech, choose a working input and use the recovery steps for your platform.
Quick checks
Are you using AirPods? They can add delay and hurt accuracy; their rows in the microphone picker show ⚠️ and the warning "AirPods may be slow to start and have more errors in dictation. We recommend the built in microphone."
Does your mic work in other apps? Record a short clip in Voice Memos (Mac/iOS) or Sound Recorder (Windows). If it's silent there, the problem is system-level, not Flow.
Choose and test a microphone (Mac/Windows)
This microphone choice affects dictation only; Notetaker always uses Auto-detect.
Warning: Finish dictation before opening the microphone picker. Opening it mid-dictation does not transcribe the recording automatically. Flow attempts to save previously captured audio to History, but saving can fail; nothing is saved if no audio was captured or your organization prevents audio storage. Close the mic test before retrying saved audio from History; retries are blocked during an active dictation.
Open Flow → Settings → General.
Click Change beside Microphone.
Select Built-in mic (recommended) or another input.
Speak into the mic. The dialog records a test while open, and the level meter beside the selected device should respond; a flat meter means Flow is picking up no usable sound, since input too faint to hear counts as silence. Selecting another input restarts the test.
Close the dialog with Esc or Dismiss on the notification to stop the mic test, so your mic indicator turns off and your next dictation works normally.
Change microphone priority
Flow prefers the highest-ranked connected mic. Selecting a device ranks it above currently connected devices; new devices start at the bottom. Auto-detect follows your computer's default input, so it selects AirPods only when Auto-detect has priority and AirPods are the system default.
Click Edit Ranking in the microphone dialog.
Drag devices into your preferred order.
Click Done Editing.
While editing, the trash button, "Forget device," removes disconnected devices only.
When a microphone connects
For a new physical mic other than AirPods, "<device name> detected" offers Switch and Don't Switch; this prompt does not switch inputs automatically.
Connecting a higher-ranked mic does not interrupt active dictation; Flow uses it for the next dictation. During a mic test, a device change instead restarts the test on the new input.
With AirPods selected, "AirPods aren't the best for dictation" can appear at dictation start at most once per hour. Switch microphone opens the picker; Don't show again permanently dismisses the tip.
Stop AirPods from auto-switching (Mac)
AirPods jumping from iPhone to Mac is Apple's automatic device switching, not Flow.
Open Apple menu → System Settings → Bluetooth.
Click the i next to your AirPods.
Set "Connect to This Mac" to When Last Connected to This Mac.
Move AirPods back to your iPhone manually if they jump to your Mac; this stabilizes future sessions.
Dictate a test phrase. If AirPods stay on your intended device, this step worked.
Respond to Flow's audio notifications (Mac/Windows)
Select microphone and Choose Microphone open Flow's picker; Troubleshoot opens microphone help in your browser. The first three notices below escalate with continued silence; "No audio received" and "Microphone is not working" clear if audio resumes during that dictation.
Note: Sound too faint to hear counts as silence, so these warnings also appear when your mic is picking up barely anything. If a dictation starts this way, nothing is sent for transcription; if speech is followed by a faint stretch, the recording is still transcribed normally.
Notification | What to do |
Is your microphone muted? | Flow heard no audio from the named mic; use Select microphone or Troubleshoot. |
No audio received | There may be a mic or permission issue; Contact us is the only button. |
Microphone is not working | Stop dictation and check your input with Select microphone, or use Contact us. |
No microphone detected* | Connect a mic or select an input through Open Sound Settings, not Privacy settings. |
Selected microphone is unavailable* | The selected mic isn't connected; use Choose Microphone to select another input. |
Microphone unavailable* | Another app or a stuck driver may block access; close other mic apps and retry, or select Troubleshoot. |
Microphone error* | Flow couldn't start your mic; reconnect it and retry, or select Troubleshoot. |
Unable to access mic | Flow is stuck accessing your mic; Restart App is the only button. |
Microphone Permission Required (Mac) | Select Grant Permission to enable microphone access. |
Microphone access is disabled (Windows) | Windows privacy settings block Flow's mic access; use Open Settings. |
Your laptop lid is closed (Mac) | The built-in mic cannot be used while the lid is closed; use Select microphone. |
Microphone disconnected | Recording stopped; Insert pastes the text recorded before disconnection. |
Transcription empty | Audio produced no words; use Select microphone or Troubleshoot. |
* Each starred notice appears at most once per 60 seconds; no repeat notice alone does not confirm recovery.
After taking the recommended action, dictate a test phrase. If the notification doesn't reappear and your text shows up, the issue is resolved.
Where the settings buttons take you
Open Sound Settings opens the Recording tab in Windows Sound settings, or Sound → Input on Mac.
On Mac, Grant Permission shows the system permission prompt if access has never been requested. If access was denied or restricted, it opens System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone; Flow may also open this automatically.
On Windows, Open Settings opens microphone privacy settings directly; there is no in-app permission prompt.
Why an error notice may not appear immediately
Flow retries starting the mic before showing an error, except for denied permission or a cancelled start. Successful retries show no error; cancelling startup produces no notification.
Permission, missing-mic, and unavailable-selected-mic notices appear on the first failed attempt after any automatic retry. Microphone unavailable and Microphone error appear only if the same failure repeats shortly afterward.
Using a MacBook with its lid closed
Connect an external mic or open the lid.
The lid warning appears only after a dictation captures no audio with the lid closed and built-in mic selected; a very short press gets a too-short notice instead. With an external mic selected, Flow shows the generic no-audio notice instead.
The picker disables inputs that use the built-in mic, with the tooltip "Laptop lid is closed." Flow skips these inputs unless no alternative is available.
For 60 seconds after the lid warning, "Is your microphone muted?" is suppressed so the notices do not stack.
Recover from audio interruptions (iOS)
Calls and device changes: An incoming call stops dictation; tap the keyboard's mic button to start again afterward. Connecting or disconnecting an audio device also stops an active recording.
Setup messages: Enable Full Access offers Finish Setup to open keyboard settings. If tapping the mic shows Microphone access denied, use Go to Settings and turn on Microphone.
Recording errors: Messages identify audio, transcription, network, mic-in-use, or mic-permission problems, or say "Unknown error. Please try again."; without error details, the title is "Error." Retry starts dictation again, either in Flow or by opening the Flow app. Dismiss the message with the x, by tapping outside, or by swiping down.
Inline errors: The keyboard's separate error strip offers Retry to retry transcription and a dismiss action to clear the message.
Keyboard not visible: A failed dictation is still saved, and a notification lets you tap to retry. With the keyboard visible, Flow shows the error there instead.
No audio: If audio can't start, a full-screen "no audio" view appears with Dismiss and Retry; Retry restarts recording.
Startup delay: Right after the app opens, iOS can reject the first attempt to start audio, so Flow retries automatically before reporting a failure.
Still stuck?
Contact support if recording still fails after selecting an input, granting access, or reconnecting the mic.
Open support: Mac/Windows: Help → Talk to support; iOS: Menu → Talk to Support.
Select Report an issue, not Share feedback.
Choose a request type; desktop defaults to Issue.
Describe the problem, your platform, device model, and steps you've already tried.
Send your request; both a request type and description are required. If sending fails on desktop, Flow copies your message to the clipboard so you can paste it and try again.
Desktop requests automatically include system info (architecture, region, app version) and your preferences file if readable and within size limits, but not diagnostic logs. iOS sends only your message, selected tab, and request type — no logs, system info, or files.