Troubleshooting video recording and transcription issues
Overview
This guide covers common issues users encounter when recording videos or using the automatic transcription feature in Workflow. Video recording lets you share feedback verbally without installing additional software—similar to Loom but built into your browser. For general instructions on how to use video recording, see Feedback.
Quick fixes
Before diving into detailed troubleshooting, try these quick fixes:
Refresh the page – Many recording and transcription issues resolve after a simple page refresh.
Check browser permissions – Go to your browser settings and ensure Workflow has permission to access your camera and microphone.
Try a different browser – Switch to Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari if you're using an older or unsupported browser.
Use "Screen only" mode – If you have camera or microphone issues, record your screen without them.
Wait 5-10 minutes for transcription – Transcription processing can take several minutes depending on video length.
Troubleshooting by symptom
Symptom | Likely Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
"Start recording" button disabled or grayed out | Browser permissions not granted for camera and/or microphone | Click the camera or lock icon in your browser's address bar and grant permissions. Refresh the page and try again. If still disabled, check browser settings under Privacy or Site Settings to enable camera/microphone access for Workflow. |
"No devices found" in camera or microphone dropdowns | Devices not connected, not recognized by your computer, or permissions denied | Check that your camera and microphone are physically connected. Try "Screen only" mode if you don't need camera/audio. Restart your browser or computer if devices still don't appear. Check System Preferences (Mac) or Device Manager (Windows) to verify devices are working. |
"Browser not supported" error message | You're using an outdated browser or Internet Explorer | Switch to a modern browser: Chrome (version 49+), Firefox (version 29+), Safari (version 14.1+), or Edge (version 79+). Update your current browser to the latest version if you're on an older release. |
Recording upload fails with error | Network interruption, file too large (over 5GB), or unstable connection | Check your internet connection and try uploading again. If the file is over 5GB, reshoot in shorter segments or reduce video quality. Wait a few moments and retry the upload—temporary network issues often resolve quickly. |
Transcription shows "Transcribing..." indefinitely | AWS Transcribe service is processing the audio; can take 5-30 minutes depending on video length | Wait 5-10 minutes and refresh the page to check status. For longer videos, transcription may take up to 30 minutes. If still processing after 30 minutes, contact support with the recording name and upload time. |
Transcription shows "Failed" status | AWS Transcribe service error, poor audio quality, or unsupported audio format | No automatic retry is currently available. Try recording a new video with clearer audio (reduce background noise, speak closer to microphone). If issue persists, contact support with the recording details. |
Video file rejected on upload | Unsupported file format (currently supports WebM and MP4) | If uploading a file directly, convert to MP4 using a free converter like HandBrake or an online tool. When recording within Workflow, the browser automatically uses a supported format (WebM for Chrome/Firefox, MP4 for Safari). |
"Record" button missing or disabled for guest reviewers | Workspace admin has disabled guest video feedback | Contact the workspace admin to enable guest video feedback in workspace settings. Alternatively, the admin can invite you as a full team member instead of a guest. |
Recording stops automatically after a long session | Browser resource limits reached during extended recording | For very long feedback sessions, split your recording into multiple shorter videos. Most browsers handle recordings well under 60 minutes, but performance varies by device and available memory. |
"Comments disabled" message when trying to record | Document owner has disabled comments on this asset | Ask the document owner to re-enable comments. Only the owner can change comment permissions for their documents. |
Video won't play after upload | Browser compatibility issue or video still processing | Wait 1-2 minutes for video processing to complete and refresh the page. Try a different browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge). Clear your browser cache if the video still won't play. |
"Please enable camera and microphone permissions" toast notification | Browser permissions denied when trying to start recording | Click the lock or camera icon in your browser's address bar and change permissions to "Allow." Refresh the page. If permission options don't appear, check your browser's privacy settings manually. |
"Your microphone is muted!" warning appears | Microphone is toggled off in video settings before recording | Click the microphone icon in the video settings dialog to enable audio. Ensure the correct microphone device is selected from the dropdown. Check your system sound settings to ensure the microphone isn't muted globally. |
Transcript appears blank or incomplete despite "Completed" status | Poor audio quality, excessive background noise, or no spoken words in video | Re-record with clearer audio: speak louder, reduce background noise, and position your microphone closer. Ensure you're actually speaking during the recording—screen-only recordings with no audio won't generate transcripts. |
No AI suggestions appear below transcript | Transcript doesn't contain actionable items, or AI couldn't identify tasks | This is normal if your recording doesn't mention specific action items or to-dos. AI suggestions only appear when the transcript contains clear actionable language (e.g., "Please update the header," "Fix the button alignment"). |
Browser compatibility
Video recording works best on modern browsers with full MediaRecorder API support:
Fully supported browsers
Chrome: Version 49 and higher (records in WebM format with VP9 codec)
Firefox: Version 29 and higher (records in WebM format with VP8 or VP9 codec)
Edge: Version 79 and higher (records in WebM format with VP9 codec)
Safari: Version 14.1 and higher (records in MP4 format)
Opera: Version 36 and higher (records in WebM format with VP9 codec)
Mobile browser support
Safari on iOS/iPadOS: Version 14.5 and higher
Chrome for Android: Latest versions supported
Samsung Internet: Version 5 and higher
Mobile viewing limitations: While video recording works on some mobile browsers, viewing creative work (websites, images, videos, designs) is not supported on mobile. You can only view comments on mobile devices. Use desktop browsers for full creative review. See Mobile Browser Support and Limitations.
Internet Explorer not supported: Internet Explorer (all versions) does not support video recording. If you're using IE, you'll see a "Browser not supported" error. Please switch to Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge.
Checking your browser version
To check which browser version you're using:
Chrome/Edge: Click the three dots menu → Help → About
Firefox: Click the hamburger menu → Help → About Firefox
Safari: Click Safari menu → About Safari
Understanding transcription
How transcription works
When you upload a video recording to Workflow, the system automatically sends it to AWS Transcribe for processing. The transcription process:
Extracts audio from your video file
Converts speech to text using AWS machine learning models
Creates clickable transcript segments synced with video timestamps
Uses AI (GPT-4) to extract actionable suggestions from the transcript
Transcription language: Currently, transcription only supports English (en-US). Videos in other languages may produce poor or incomplete transcripts.
Expected wait times
Transcription is asynchronous and happens in the background. Typical processing times:
Short videos (under 5 minutes): 5-10 minutes
Medium videos (5-15 minutes): 10-20 minutes
Long videos (15+ minutes): 20-30 minutes or longer
You don't need to wait on the page—transcription completes in the background and will appear when you return to the document.
Pro tip: Click individual transcript segments to jump to that moment in the video. This makes it easy to navigate long recordings and review specific feedback points.
Why transcriptions fail
Common reasons for transcription failure include:
Poor audio quality: Excessive background noise, muffled speech, or very low volume
No speech detected: Screen-only recordings with no verbal narration
Unsupported audio format: Rare, but can happen with unusual audio codecs
File corruption: Upload interrupted or file damaged during transfer
AWS service errors: Temporary infrastructure issues on AWS's side
If your transcription fails, the best solution is to re-record with improved audio quality.
File size and format limits
Maximum file size
Video uploads are limited to 5GB per file. If you try to upload a file larger than 5GB, you'll receive an error message.
Splitting large recordings: If your recording exceeds 5GB, split your feedback into multiple shorter videos. This also makes it easier for viewers to navigate and reduces transcription time.
Supported video formats
When recording directly in Workflow:
Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera: Records in WebM format (VP8 or VP9 codec with Opus audio)
Safari: Records in MP4 format (H.264 codec)
When uploading pre-recorded videos:
MP4 (recommended)
WebM
Most standard video formats
Unsupported formats: If you upload a video in an unsupported format, you may see playback errors. Convert your video to MP4 using a free tool like HandBrake or an online converter before uploading.
Permission troubleshooting
Granting camera and microphone permissions
Workflow needs browser permissions to access your camera and microphone for recording. Here's how to grant them:
Chrome, Edge, and Opera
Click the lock or camera icon in the address bar (left of the URL)
Find "Camera" and "Microphone" in the permissions list
Change both to "Allow"
Refresh the page
If you don't see permission options in the address bar:
Go to Settings → Privacy and security → Site settings
Click Camera, then find your Workflow domain and set to "Allow"
Click Microphone, then find your Workflow domain and set to "Allow"
Refresh the page
Firefox
Click the camera or microphone icon in the address bar
Click the "X" next to "Blocked Temporarily"
Reload the page and click "Allow" when prompted
Or go to Preferences → Privacy & Security → Permissions and manage camera/microphone settings manually.
Safari
Click Safari menu → Settings → Websites
Select Camera in the left sidebar
Find your Workflow domain and change to "Allow"
Select Microphone in the left sidebar
Find your Workflow domain and change to "Allow"
Refresh the page
Device not recognized
If your camera or microphone doesn't appear in the device dropdown:
Check physical connections: Ensure USB devices are securely plugged in
Test in other apps: Open your system camera app or a video call app to verify the device works
Restart your browser: Close all browser windows and open Workflow again
Check system settings:
Mac: System Preferences → Security & Privacy → Camera/Microphone
Windows: Settings → Privacy → Camera/Microphone
Update drivers (Windows): Check Device Manager for driver updates
Using "Screen only" mode: If you can't get your camera or microphone working, you can still record your screen by selecting "Screen only" mode in the video settings dialog. This captures your screen without camera or audio.
Known issues and limitations
Transcription limitations
English only: Transcription currently supports English (en-US) only. Other languages will produce poor results.
No manual retry: If transcription fails, there's no button to retry. You must upload a new recording.
Variable accuracy: Transcription accuracy depends on audio quality, accents, technical jargon, and background noise.
Processing delays: During peak times, transcription may take longer than usual. AWS Transcribe processes jobs asynchronously.
Recording limitations
Guest access: Workspace admins can disable video recording for guest reviewers. Contact your workspace admin if you need this enabled.
Browser memory: Very long recordings (60+ minutes) may fail due to browser memory constraints. Split feedback into shorter videos.
Background tabs: Some browsers throttle recording when the tab loses focus. Keep the recording tab active during capture.
Browser-specific issues
Safari on older macOS: Safari versions before 14.1 don't support video recording at all. Update to macOS Big Sur or later.
Firefox codec variations: Older Firefox versions use VP8 instead of VP9, which may affect video quality on large screens.
Mobile recording limitations: Mobile browsers have more restrictive memory limits. Keep mobile recordings under 15 minutes for best results. Note that mobile browsers cannot view creative work—only comments are visible on mobile.
Permanent failures: If a transcription fails, you cannot retry it. The only option is to record a new video with better audio quality. We're working on adding a manual retry feature in a future update.
When to contact support
Contact support if you experience:
Persistent permission errors that don't resolve after following the steps above
Upload failures that happen repeatedly with files under 5GB
Transcription stuck in "Transcribing..." status for over 30 minutes
Browser compatibility issues on supported browser versions
Video playback failures after successful upload
Missing features (record button not visible to workspace admins)
Information to include
When contacting support about video or transcription issues, provide:
Your browser name and version (e.g., "Chrome 120 on macOS 14")
The exact error message or symptom you're seeing
Whether the issue happens with all recordings or specific ones
Screenshot of any error messages
Recording name and upload time (if applicable)
Steps you've already tried from this guide
Most issues resolve quickly: The majority of video recording and transcription problems stem from browser permissions or temporary network issues. Following the quick fixes at the top of this guide resolves 80% of reported issues. If you're still hitting issues, please reach out!
Related guides
Feedback – Overview of feedback features including voice and screen recording
Getting Started – Introduction to using Workflow for design feedback