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Troubleshooting/Audio Issues

Audio Issues

Troubleshoot audio capture problems

Section: TroubleshootingUpdated August 31, 2026

No Audio Being Captured

Check permissions

First, verify permissions are correctly configured.

Check capture settings

  1. Open Parrot Scribe Settings > Sources.
  2. Ensure Transcribe Microphone is enabled.
  3. Parrot Scribe uses the default input device selected in System Settings > Sound > Input.

Check input volume

Your microphone might be too quiet:

  1. Open System Settings > Sound > Input.
  2. Speak and watch the input level meter.
  3. Adjust the input volume if needed.

Poor Transcription Quality

Speak clearly

  • Enunciate words clearly
  • Maintain consistent volume
  • Don't speak too fast

Reduce background noise

  • Close windows and doors
  • Turn off fans or noisy appliances
  • Use a directional microphone

Use a better microphone

Built-in Mac microphones work but external microphones provide better quality:

  • USB microphones (Blue Yeti, Audio-Technica)
  • Headset microphones
  • Lavalier microphones

Check the model setting

In Settings > Models, try a larger, more accurate model if your Mac can handle it.

System Audio Not Working

It is normal for a session to contain no system audio when nothing is playing. Microphone-only recording is also expected when Transcribe System Audio is turned off in Settings > Sources.

If system audio is expected but unavailable during a recording, Parrot Scribe shows:

System audio is unavailable. Recording continues with the microphone.

To restore system audio:

  1. Open Parrot Scribe Settings > Sources and enable Transcribe System Audio.
  2. Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Screen Recording.
  3. Enable Parrot Scribe.
  4. Reopen Parrot Scribe.
  5. Start a new session, play system audio, and confirm that the warning does not appear and the expected audio is included.

For more permission help, see Screen Recording Permission.

Incomplete sessions

The Library may label a session Incomplete, while session details and the viewer show System audio incomplete. This means system audio you expected may be missing or partial.

Transcription warnings in 1.0.0-beta.10

These changes require 1.0.0-beta.10 or later and are not included in 1.0.0-beta.9.

Capture warnings and recording errors request a Recording Needs Attention notification. Enable transcription notifications in Parrot Scribe and allow notifications in macOS to receive it. The warning also appears in the Parrot Scribe menu. Focus modes and other notification controls can suppress banners.

Transcription may be incomplete means capture or decoding failed and some speech may be missing. The warning remains in Library, the transcript header and session details after reopening. It also follows split sessions. It is separate from System audio incomplete: saved audio and saved transcript can have different problems.

If you see Microphone audio is unavailable. Trying to reconnect., check the microphone connection. The app attempts to reconnect and stops the session if recovery fails. Review the saved transcript for missing speech. A recovery warning is not proof that speech during the interruption was recovered.

Audio Cutting Out

Check CPU usage

Heavy CPU load can cause audio dropouts:

  • Close unnecessary applications
  • Check Activity Monitor for high CPU usage

Try a smaller model

In Settings > Models, try switching to a smaller Whisper model to reduce processing load.

Check for thermal throttling

If your Mac is hot, it may be throttling:

  • Ensure ventilation isn't blocked
  • Consider using a cooling pad
  • Check Activity Monitor for thermal warnings

Testing Audio

To verify audio is being captured:

  1. Start a transcription session.
  2. Speak or play audio.
  3. Stop the session and open Library.
  4. Confirm that the expected speech appears in the saved transcript.