Apple has additional security features for applications that record your screen. Make sure your browser has permission to record your screen and access your webcam and microphone.

In System Settings, select Privacy & Security > Screen & System Audio Recording, and make sure permissions are toggled on for your browser.

While you're here, double-check that your browser also has access to your camera and microphone.

If you share your screen from Chrome, Edge, or another app that uses its own screen picker, macOS asks you to re-approve screen recording about once a month. When you start sharing, you may see a pop-up saying your browser "is requesting to bypass the system private window picker." Click Allow For One Month to continue.

If you closed the pop-up or screen sharing suddenly stops working, stop sharing and start again so the prompt reappears. If you clicked "Open System Settings" instead, make sure your browser is turned on under Privacy & Security > Screen & System Audio Recording, then fully quit your browser (Command + Q) and reopen it.

If you're using Windows, make sure your browser can access your camera and microphone in the Settings app.

On Windows 11:

See Microsoft's documentation for more information and steps for Windows 10:

If you blocked or dismissed the permission prompt before, your browser won't show it again, and Wistia can't make it reappear. To reset it in Chrome, click the icon to the left of the address bar, then set both Camera and Microphone to "Allow." Reload the page, or leave and rejoin your webinar. If it still doesn't work, try a private or incognito window.

macOS applies new permissions only after the app restarts. After turning on permissions in System Settings > Privacy & Security, fully quit your browser (Command + Q) and reopen it. If you're recording with the Wistia desktop app, make sure Wistia itself is turned on under Screen & System Audio Recording, Camera, and Microphone, not just your browser.

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 applications can retain control of your camera and microphone even when they are not actively in use (for example, if you have Microsoft Teams running in the background but aren’t in a meeting). To fix this, close any open applications that use your camera or microphone and try again.

If you still see this error after closing other applications, check your system settings and make sure your camera, microphone, and speakers are enabled.

On a Mac, check your microphone input volume in 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.

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.

Webinars use a lot of upload bandwidth and processing power, especially when you share your screen with your camera on. Run an upload speed test, close any apps that use bandwidth, and use Ethernet or another network if you can. Then open Activity Monitor (Mac) or Task Manager (Windows) and reproduce the problem. If your CPU or memory is close to 100%, close extra tabs and apps, restart your computer, turn off your camera while sharing, or have another panelist share. Hosting from a phone or tablet isn't supported. For more help, see our Webinar Hosting & Troubleshooting Guide.

If your camera and mic permissions are set correctly but you still can't join the event room, your company's firewall may be blocking the connection Wistia Webinars needs. Ask your IT team to allowlist the domains and ports listed in our Webinar Hosting & Troubleshooting Guide.

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

This turns off Low Power Mode so your Mac runs at full performance while you record or host a webinar.

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, keep your laptop plugged in while recording.

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