When a guest tries to join a recording, they move through the green room before entering the recording room to connect with the host. Occasionally, the host may see the guest as "In Green Room" for an extended period, even if the guest is on the recording page.
This article explains what causes this issue and how to troubleshoot it.
What this issue looks like
Host’s end
On the host's view of the recording page, the guest’s track appears in a lighter shade of grey, and next to their name, it says “In Green Room” for an extended period.
Guest’s end
The guest’s experience depends on where they are in the process of connecting to the recording page.
Still in the Green Room
While still in the green room, the guest may see error messages like “Error accessing microphone or webcam” or “There was a problem accessing your mic or camera” alongside the option to join the recording.
On the Recording Page
When the guest clicks Join, they enter the Recording Page. The experience from here may vary:
They may see an error message saying “Error encountered while joining the call.”
If the error message is dismissed or closed, the guest may see “Waiting for microphone access” displayed next to their name.
What causes this issue
The transition from the Green Room to the Recording Page involves connecting the guest to the VoIP call with the host. When the connection fails, the host continues to see the guest as “In Green Room” even if they are technically on the Recording Page.
This usually happens when:
The browser hasn't been granted access permissions to the microphone and/or camera. (See step 1)
The browser hasn't been granted microphone and/or camera access in the computer’s system settings. (See step 2)
Less frequently, this might happen when:
The guest is using an unsupported browser. (See step 3)
The guest is using a supported browser that has pending updates. (See step 4)
Browser extensions, ad blockers, or a VPN are blocking access to Zencastr. (See step 5)
The guest is recording on a network with strict security settings (e.g. work, school, hotel) or a company-issued device that blocks access to Zencastr. (See step 6)
Troubleshooting steps
The troubleshooting steps below should be completed by the guest who is experiencing the issue. The host can't admit guests from the green room if there is an issue preventing them from connecting to the call.
Before starting: The guest should click Join in the green room to enter the Recording Page. There, even if the connection to see and hear them hasn’t been established, the host may still be able to chat with the guest.
Follow the troubleshooting steps below in order.
Step one: enable microphone and camera(*) access in the browser
Zencastr needs permission to use the guest's microphone and camera in the browser to complete the connection to the call.
Note: Microphone access is required for all recording modes. For the Record Audio, No Video mode, camera access isn't required. Any step that involves the camera is marked with an asterisk (*) and can be skipped if you are using this mode.
If the guest is in the green room:
Click the site settings icon to the left of the Zencastr URL in the browser’s address bar.
Set Microphone and Camera* to Allow or toggle on.
If you don’t see these options in the dropdown, click Site Settings to open the full settings list in a new tab.
Refresh the page to apply the changes.
If the guest is on the recording page:
Click the site settings icon to the left of the Zencastr URL in the browser’s address bar.
Set Microphone and Camera* to Allow or toggle on.
If you don’t see these options in the dropdown, click Site Settings to open the full settings list in a new tab.
Refresh the page to apply the changes.
If you changed permissions while on the recording page, you’ll be taken back to the green room. Click Join to re-enter the recording page.
Step two: allow microphone and camera(*) access in system settings
The guest's computer needs to allow the browser to access the microphone and camera in its privacy settings.
Note: Microphone access is required for all recording modes. For the Record Audio, No Video mode, camera access isn't required. Any step that involves the camera is marked with an asterisk (*) and can be skipped if you are using this mode.
For Mac users, follow Apple’s instructions to give browsers microphone and camera access:
For Windows users, follow Microsoft's instructions to give browsers microphone and camera access.
You may need to restart your browser for the changes to take effect.
Step three: use a supported browser
The guest must use a browser Zencastr supports.
Supported browsers: Chrome, Edge, or Brave on a computer or laptop.
Unsupported browsers: Other browsers or mobile browsers on smartphones or tablets, even if they are in "desktop mode."
For iPhone or iPad: The guest should download and use the Zencastr iOS app.
Unsupported browsers typically display a message instructing the guest to switch to a supported one. Some Chromium-based browsers may not show this message, so double-check if issues persist.
Step four: confirm the browser is up-to-date
If the guest’s browser version is outdated, it can prevent connection to the recording. To update to the latest version:
In your browser, look for a "New version available" or "Finish upate" message in the top-right corner, next to your profile.
If it's visible, click the message.
Click Relaunch to Update to update and restart the browser.
Step five: temporarily disable extensions and VPN
Some browser extensions, ad blockers, and VPNS can block Zencastr. The guest should:
Temporarily disable extensions, especially content blockers or ad blockers.
If connected to a VPN, try turning it off.
To disable extensions in Chrome:
At the top right, next to your avatar, click the 3-dot menu icon.
Hover over Extensions.
Click Manage Extensions.
Toggle the extension off.
Additionally, if the guest’s browser has built-in ad blockers they should temporarily disable them as some can interfere with Zencastr.
To turn off ad blockers in Brave:
Click the lion icon on the right side of the browser’s address bar.
Toggle Shields off.
Step six: check if the network or device has strict security settings
If the guest is connecting from a work or school network or using an organization-issued computer, security settings may block Zencastr. The guest should:
Share this article with their IT team
Ask the IT team to verify that Zencastr isn't being blocked by network firewalls or security settings.
Still having trouble?
If the error persists after trying the steps above:
Try using another supported browser such as Chrome, Edge, or Brave.
Contact Zencastr Support via chat or email.