Troubleshooting

Fixes for the microphone or camera, signing in to record, recordings that stop, sign-in codes that don't arrive, and walkthroughs that don't play on the prototype

The microphone or camera isn't recording

The Glitterball panel on the prototype shows your microphone and camera before you start. Blocked means the browser was told not to allow it. None found means the browser sees no device.

1. In the panel, check Mic and Camera are on. Speak and check the level moves.
2. If the browser blocked the microphone or camera, click the icon at the left of the address bar, allow them for the site, then press Record again. Or choose record in a small window in the panel.
3. If Glitterball says "Your mic only heard silence", check the input device in your browser and your system's sound settings

If the mic drops while recording, the narration up to that point is kept.

The sign-in window didn't open

Signing in to record on a prototype's site the first time opens a small Glitterball window. If your browser blocks pop-ups, the panel says "Allow pop-ups for this site to sign in".

1. Click the blocked pop-up icon in the address bar and allow pop-ups for the prototype's site
2. Choose Sign in again

Recording stopped

• If the bar says it's reconnecting, wait a moment. It picks up again on its own.
• Recordings also stop on their own at 30 minutes
• If you recorded with a small Glitterball window (on a multi-page site, or one that blocks the camera and mic), closing that window stops the recording
• If the walkthrough wasn't saved, record it again

The sign-in code didn't arrive

1. Check spam and promotions folders
2. Check the address you typed. Choose Use another email to fix it.
3. Choose Send a new code. Only the newest code works.

A code lasts 10 minutes and works once. After 5 wrong tries, ask for a new one. You can ask for 5 codes an hour for one address; after that, wait a while.

The walkthrough doesn't play on the prototype

The player only loads on prototypes that carry the Glitterball tag or are hosted by Glitterball.

1. Check the prototype's page source for the Glitterball script in its <head>. If it's missing, add it from Connect prototype and deploy. See Connect a prototype.
2. Make sure the deployed build is the one with the tag. A preview deployed before you added it won't have it.
3. Use the script made for this prototype. A script made for another prototype shows Walkthrough unavailable.
4. Walkthrough unavailable also shows when the walkthrough was deleted

Hosted prototypes always carry the tag.

Recording won't start

• Continue to record: choose Continue in the panel, then try again
• "Couldn't reach Glitterball": check your connection, then try again
• This prototype belongs to another team: only its team records walkthroughs of it. Ask them to invite you, or choose Use another account.
• A page without the Glitterball tag can't be recorded at all. Add the tag or upload the build. See Add Glitterball to a prototype.

Still stuck

Email help@glitterball.dev with what you were doing, what you saw, and your browser.