Whether you're experiencing video or audio quality issues with Telehealth, or you just want to learn how to set yourself up for success, this guide outlines steps you can take to make sure your video calls run smoothly.
Below, we'll cover:
- Basic troubleshooting checklist
- Allowing camera and microphone access
- Resolving audio quality issues
- Resolving connectivity issues
Basic troubleshooting checklist
Follow these troubleshooting steps for a successful Telehealth call experience:
- Make sure you have a reliable internet connection
- See Resolving connectivity issues to learn how you can improve your internet connection
- Make sure your device meets the hardware and software requirements needed for a Telehealth appointment
- See Minimum requirements for Telehealth to learn more
- Make sure your device is plugged in and charged
- Move closer to your router
- Confirm that your speakers and volume controls work
- Test the sound and microphone by using another platform or application
- Confirm that your device can play video
- Test this by playing a YouTube video
- Make sure that you've granted permissions for the browser to use the camera and the microphone
- See Enabling your camera and microphone access for more details
- Make sure that security software installed on your device or web browser isn’t blocking access to your webcam or microphone for video.simplepractice.com
- Close all other applications
- Clear your browser cache
- Refresh the page
- Update your browser
- Close and reopen your browser
- Restart your device
- Try a different supported browser (Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge) or a different device
Allowing camera and microphone access
When accessing Telehealth on a computer, you'll need to make sure that your browser has permission to use your camera and microphone. If you and your clinician can't see or hear each other, check your browser permissions and allow camera and microphone access.
Chrome
- On a Mac
- Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy
- Choose Camera or Microphone from the left and check the box next to Google Chrome to allow it access to your camera or microphone
- On a PC
- Go to Start > Settings > Privacy
- Choose Camera or Microphone from the available options and select permissions for Allow apps to access your (camera/microphone)
- Under Choose which apps can access your (camera/microphone), turn on for Google Chrome
- Within Chrome
- Open Chrome
- At the top right, click the three vertical dots > Settings
- Click Privacy and security > Site settings
- Click Camera or Microphone
- Make sure video.simplepractice.com is listed under Allowed
- If it's listed under Not allowed, click the trash can icon to unblock it
Safari
- Open Safari
- Go to Safari > Preferences > Websites
- For Camera and Microphone:
- If video.simplepractice.com has Deny next to it, select Allow from the dropdown menu
Firefox
- On a Mac
- Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy
- Choose Camera or Microphone from the left and check the box next to Firefox to allow it access to your camera or microphone
- On a PC
- Go to Start > Settings > Privacy
- Choose Camera or Microphone from the available options and select permissions for Allow apps to access your (camera/microphone)
- Under Choose which apps can access your (camera/microphone), turn on for Firefox
- Within Firefox
- Click the padlock in the URL bar at the top of the browser window and select Permissions
- Next to Use the Camera and Use the Microphone, select Allow
Edge
- On a Mac
- Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy
- Choose Camera or Microphone from the left and check the box next to Microsoft Edge to allow it access to your camera or microphone
- On a PC
- Edge automatically has access to your camera and microphone because it's the default browser for Windows devices
- Within Edge
- Click the padlock in the URL bar at the top of the browser window and select Allow for Camera and Microphone
After you update your browser permissions, make sure to close and reopen your browser.
Resolving audio quality issues
If you're experiencing audio issues during your video call, try these steps:
- Make sure your volume isn't muted
- Confirm that your device is using the correct audio source
- Applications that use sound usually let you select a source
- Switch between headphones and speakers to confirm that your device can play audio
- Close all other applications, especially any open media players (Spotify, Facebook, etc.)
- Applications and media players will sometimes control your speakers until they're closed
- Clear your browser cache, then close and reopen your browser
- Update your browser to the latest version
- Your browser settings can get corrupted and prevent your audio from working properly
- Update your operating system
- If you’re using a dedicated sound card, make sure its drivers are up-to-date
- Restart your device and try to play audio again
If you're hearing an echo or audio feedback during your call, you’ll first want to identify which end of the call it’s coming from. If you’re hearing your own audio back as an echo, the issue is on your clinician’s end. If the situation is reversed, and your clinician is hearing their own audio back as an echo, then the echo is coming from your end.
You and your clinician can resolve audio feedback by following these steps:
- If possible, move your microphone farther from the speakers
- Adjust your microphone’s sensitivity from your device settings or control panel
- Turn your volume down
- Use headphones so that the sound doesn't come through your speakers
Resolving connectivity issues
If you’re experiencing poor video quality, it's likely due to a bad internet connection. Try these steps to improve connectivity and the overall quality of your Telehealth calls:
- Use a wired connection instead of Wi-Fi whenever possible, and move closer to your router
- You’re more likely to experience lag and interference while using Wi-Fi. This can make your video and audio choppy. Moving closer to your router can decrease this lag or interference. Switching to using wired internet will also give you a smoother, more consistent experience.
- Check your internet connection
- You’ll see an indicator of your connection before you join your video appointment:
-
- Note: If you’re using Wi-Fi, the quality of your connection may vary throughout the call.
- Close other applications
- If you have several applications running in the background, closing them will improve the quality of your call.
- Adjust your light
- Small lighting tweaks can have a big impact on your video quality. Make sure that you don’t have too much light behind you. You can also place a lamp or other light source behind your monitor, pointed toward you. If you’re on a laptop, keep the camera at eye level instead of pointing it up at the ceiling or down at the floor.
- Turn off your video
- Keeping your video on during a call will cause more strain on your internet connection, which can impact the audio quality during a Telehealth call. If your audio becomes choppy, your connection or your clinician’s connection may not be strong enough to support a live video stream. Turning off your video, or asking your clinician to turn off their video, may help improve the audio quality.
- Reboot your network
- If necessary, you can reboot your network by unplugging your router and your modem, then plugging them back in.