If you’re using a Mac, you should know Apple has added some additional security features when it comes to applications recording your screen. You’ll want to make sure your browser has permission to record your screen and access your webcam and microphone.

In the System Settings app, navigate to "Privacy & Security". In the "Screen & System Audio Recording" menu, ensure screen recording permissions are enabled for your browser.

While here, double-check that your browser has access to your camera and microphone as well.

If you’re using Windows, you can enable access to your camera and microphone via the Settings app. Open Settings and select Privacy, then select Microphone. In Allow access to the microphone on this device, select Change and make sure Microphone access for this device is turned on. Then, in Microphone settings, go to Allow apps to access your microphone and make sure it's turned on.

Once you've allowed microphone access to your apps, you can change the settings for each app. In Microphone settings, go to Choose which Microsoft apps can access your microphone, and turn on apps you want to use with it. For desktop apps, make sure that Allow desktop apps to access your microphone is turned on. Repeat this process for your camera by going back to Privacy and selecting Camera.

If you’ve granted your browser permissions for Screen Recording, Camera, and Microphone and are still encountering issues, check your browser settings and confirm camera and microphone access are enabled for wistia.com.

If you’re using your laptop's internal microphone, make sure the lid is open and try again. Some laptops, including most MacBook Pros, disable microphone input when closed. If your laptop is open, or you're using an external microphone, and you are still encountering issues, check your browser settings and confirm that camera and microphone access are enabled for wistia.com.

If you’ve received an error message indicating that we’re unable to access your camera or microphone, it’s possible that another application, like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or another browser, is using them. Some of these applications can retain control of your camera and microphone even when they are not in active use (for example, if you have Microsoft Teams running in the background but aren’t in a meeting). To resolve these issues, close any open applications that use your camera or microphone and try again.

If you’re still seeing this error after closing other applications, check your system settings and ensure your camera, microphone, and speakers are enabled.

On a Windows computer, open the Settings app, click on "System", and select "Sound" from the left-hand navigation menu. Click "Device properties" for the microphone and speakers you want to use, then make sure the Disable box is unchecked.

To check your camera settings, open the Settings app, click on "Devices", and select "Cameras" from the left-hand navigation menu. If the camera you want to use is disabled, you will see an "Enable" button below the camera name. Click "Enable" to enable your camera.

On a Mac, check your microphone's input volume by visiting the "Sound" menu in System Settings. If the volume slider is set to 0 in the "Input" tab, increase it by dragging it to the right.

To save power, some laptops will throttle CPU or GPU performance when not connected to a charger. This can result in lag or other unexpected behavior. For best results, we recommend plugging your device in.

If you’re unable to connect to power, you can disable power saving settings on your device to improve performance. Keep in mind that this will likely reduce your battery life.

On a Mac, click into the Apple Menu, select "System Settings," and then click "Battery" in the sidebar. In the "Low Power Mode" dropdown menu, select "Never".

This will keep your energy mode on high power and ensure a smoother recording experience when creating videos or hosting a live event.

On Windows, click the battery icon on the right side of the Taskbar, then select Battery settings. In the pop-up window, scroll down to the "Battery saver" section and uncheck the box labeled “Turn battery saver on automatically if my battery falls below”.

Some companies restrict access to these settings on employee devices. If you can't change your battery settings, the best option is to plug in your laptop when you are recording.

When contacting Wistia support for assistance, please provide as many details about your environment as possible. Helpful details for troubleshooting include, but are not limited to: