Turn on microphone - Windows + Chrome
For most users, Joy Notes will simply prompt you to give access to your microphone, and when you press ‘Allow,’ it works seamlessly. However, certain browser settings might block software from accessing your microphone. If that happens, you’ll need to adjust those settings to allow Joy Notes to record. We can’t change these settings for you, but this guide will walk you through troubleshooting the issue.
Joy Notes works best in Chrome, so make sure you’re using that browser. Let’s get started!
Open Chrome and click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner of the browser.
From the dropdown, select Settings (it's near the bottom of the list).
On the left side, look for Privacy and security - it's like a shield icon. Click that.
Now click Site settings then Microphone.
You’ll see a list of websites that have requested microphone access. If Joy Notes is listed (depending on whether it’s open right now), make sure it’s set to Allow. If it’s set to Block, click the dropdown next to it and change it to Allow.
If Joy Notes isn’t listed, you can still set the default behavior for all websites (including Joy Notes). At the top of the Microphone settings page, ensure the dropdown says Sites can ask to use your microphone (this is the default setting). Avoid selecting "Don’t allow sites to use your microphone," as this will block Joy Notes.
Done? Close the Settings tab and refresh the page (click the circle-arrow button near the top of Chrome) or just close Chrome and open it again.
If you’ve got the settings right but Joy Notes still can’t hear you, here’s what to check:
Unplug headphones or extra mics: If you’ve got headphones plugged in but aren’t wearing them, the microphone might be trying to listen through those instead. Unplug them and try again.
Restart Chrome: Close Chrome completely (click the X in the corner), then open it back up. Computers can be stubborn sometimes, and this often fixes things.
Quick Windows check: Look at the bottom-right corner of your screen, near the clock. See a little speaker icon? Right-click it, pick Sound settings, scroll down to Microphone, and make sure "Allow apps to access your microphone" is turned on.
For additional trouble-shooting: Go to Chrome support page for Camera and Microphone here.
Computers can be quirky—sometimes they just need a little nudge to get back on track!
Note: This guide is for Chrome on Windows
Joy Notes works best in Chrome, so make sure you’re using that browser. Let’s get started!
Chrome on Windows:
Open Chrome and click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner of the browser.
From the dropdown, select Settings (it's near the bottom of the list).
On the left side, look for Privacy and security - it's like a shield icon. Click that.
Now click Site settings then Microphone.
You’ll see a list of websites that have requested microphone access. If Joy Notes is listed (depending on whether it’s open right now), make sure it’s set to Allow. If it’s set to Block, click the dropdown next to it and change it to Allow.
If Joy Notes isn’t listed, you can still set the default behavior for all websites (including Joy Notes). At the top of the Microphone settings page, ensure the dropdown says Sites can ask to use your microphone (this is the default setting). Avoid selecting "Don’t allow sites to use your microphone," as this will block Joy Notes.
Done? Close the Settings tab and refresh the page (click the circle-arrow button near the top of Chrome) or just close Chrome and open it again.
Still Not Working? Try These Tricks:
If you’ve got the settings right but Joy Notes still can’t hear you, here’s what to check:
Unplug headphones or extra mics: If you’ve got headphones plugged in but aren’t wearing them, the microphone might be trying to listen through those instead. Unplug them and try again.
Restart Chrome: Close Chrome completely (click the X in the corner), then open it back up. Computers can be stubborn sometimes, and this often fixes things.
Quick Windows check: Look at the bottom-right corner of your screen, near the clock. See a little speaker icon? Right-click it, pick Sound settings, scroll down to Microphone, and make sure "Allow apps to access your microphone" is turned on.
For additional trouble-shooting: Go to Chrome support page for Camera and Microphone here.
Computers can be quirky—sometimes they just need a little nudge to get back on track!
Updated on: 11/03/2025
Thank you!