Unable to See or Hear in a Live Session

Fastest way to continue your session

If you’re experiencing audio or video issues during a live session, you can switch to phone audio for a more stable connection (available to members with a US phone number on file). Here’s how:

• Option 1: Tap "Call my phone" from the connectivity banner (fastest option)

  If you see an alert like “Microphone not detected,” “Volume is low,” or “Unstable connection,” tap Call my phone to continue your session by phone.

  

• Option 2: Switch to audio from Call settings

  1. Open Call settings by clicking the gear icon at the top left corner of your screen.
  2. Select "Audio Issues? Switch to phone."
  3. Answer the incoming call on your phone to continue your session.

  

  You can return to these settings at any time during your session to switch back to video if your connection improves.

More ways to resolve audio or video issues

If you couldn't use the phone audio option above or want to make sure everything works smoothly for your next session, follow these steps:

1. Check camera and microphone permissions.

   Permissions issues are a common cause of audio and video problems. Please follow this guide to check whether the Talkspace app or website has access to your camera and microphone, and update your settings if needed.

   If you’ve enabled your permissions and still have issues, ask your provider to check their permissions as well.

2. Ensure a strong internet connection.

   A weak or unstable connection can cause frozen video or choppy audio. You can google "speed test" to check your connection quality. If your connection is unstable, try switching networks (e.g., from WiFi to mobile data) or moving closer to your router.

   For long-term improvement, consider upgrading your internet plan or troubleshooting your home network.

3. Try general troubleshooting tips.

   If the above steps don't resolve the issue:

   • Try joining the session from a different device (e.g., switch from app to browser, or vice versa)
   • Use a supported browser—Google Chrome is recommended. If unavailable, try Firefox or Safari. Privacy-focused browsers (like Vivaldi or DuckDuckGo) may cause issues.
   • Try using your browser’s incognito or private browsing mode to rule out issues caused by extensions or cached data.
   • Clear your browser’s cache and cookies, and ensure your app or browser is up-to-date.

Still need help?

Most audio and video problems can be resolved by following the steps in this article, so we strongly recommend trying those first.

If you continue to experience problems, please contact Support and include the information below so our team can investigate further. Providing these details will help us resolve your issue more quickly.

• Short description of the problem and a screenshot of the error message (ensure any sensitive/private information is redacted).
• The time and date of your session.
• Your device type (i.e., Mobile - Android/iPhone, Windows/Mac desktop or laptop, Chromebook, Other). If you tried multiple devices, please include that in your response.
  • If on the app, were you using iOS or Android?
  • If on the computer, what web browser were you using?
  • For each device you tried, have you successfully joined a session on it before?
• Did you enable your device's microphone and camera before or at the start of your session?
• Were you able to join the session by clicking on the "Join session" button posted to your room?
  • If no, did you see the option to join at all within your room? Was the option greyed out?
  • If yes, for how long did the session connect?
• Is the issue equally occurring when connected to wifi and cellular networks?
• What country are you in currently?