I have run into an inconvenient and frustrating issue since updating Storyline 360. When playing the timeline the audio only comes out through my computer speakers, never through my headphones. Inconvenient in an open office environment.
That's certainly an odd set up - are you playing the course inside Storyline or in the browser once you've published? Have you checked your audio/device settings to ensure that the headphone is set up correctly?
It is happening in the Storyline 360 Timeline. I own my own license and I have a license through my company. Two completely different computers, two completely different headphones. The headphone work fine in Preview and all other modes/functions except Timeline. The symptom occurs whether I am using headphones in Bluetooth or hard wired. Once, on my home computer, it temporarily fixed itself when I rebooted the computer...but only once.
I just saw another user mention something similar - and she shared that she'd done a recent Windows update. Have you checked if that messed with any of your standard audio settings?
When you rebooted did the audio only play once, or did you try rebooting again and that didn't allow the audio to play again?
Thanks Ben - and I see you also started a support case too, so I'll follow along there.
Myself and a few other colleagues tested this earlier today and weren't able to replicate it, but I've now read two other discussions about it so we'll dig in a bit deeper.
Thanks for sharing that it works in Audacity. Have you tested it anywhere else, such as a Flash based browser? In Storyline 2 our preview is based on flash and I'd be curious to know if the headphones also don't work with other Flash content on the web.
Storyline 360 has it's preview set up within HTML5, so similarly if you were using a browser with Flash disabled, and viewing HTML5 content in the browser how does that sound with or without the headphones.
Ashley, I haven't tested a flash based browser. I did, however, test in Magix Cleaning Lab, which is another audio editor I use. It works fine. I also noticed that if I use SL's auditor editor, the headphones work. I played a .mp4 file and it works through the headphones. I decided to submit a case to Articulate Support.
I had the same frustrating issue and I just fixed it. Go to Sound setting (in PC), find your computer monitor audio and Disable. Once disabled, my timeline audio started playing through my headphones again.
I think it was caused by the recent Windows update.
Thanks for popping in to share Damien and for helping out Ben here. This is one we are monitoring, but not able to replicate yet.
Ben - It looks like your email signature came through when you replied via email. You can remove that if needed and here’s a quick Peek video if you need help.
Our end users are sporadically unable to hear audio in our modules (due to the recent Windows update). Is there a way to modify the default audio player when publishing? Will Damien's fix above solve for end-users?
Hi there, Jess. The users who are unable to hear audio - are they listening through a headset or headphones of some kind?
If so, it sounds like disabling the system display audio, and subsequently re-enabling it allowed headphone audio to play normally through headphones. Storyline won't be able to instruct which speakers/output to use on the machine where the course is launched.
We're still monitoring this issue, as we've seen customer impact and haven't been able to reproduce the behavior on our end. We'll keep you updated in this discussion!
Hi, I'm encountering the same issue. When I encountered it earlier this morning, disabling my laptop's speakers worked. However, revisiting Storyline later this evening, I am now dealing with the same issue. Except this time, I can't hear the audio from my headphones OR computer speaker - it seems that both are disabled. In Control Panel under Sounds, I have the headphones enabled and the speakers disabled. This setting worked this morning temporarily, but is no longer a permanent fix. Any other suggestions?
I'm sorry you've run into this too - we've shared it with our team, but so far haven't been able to replicate it ourselves. Could you help by sharing a bit more info with me?
What version of Storyline are you using?
What version of Windows are you on?
When did you first notice this behavior? Do you know if that coincided with any updates to Storyline or Windows?
Have you been able to reset your audio/speaker settings to at least hear through the standard speakers?
Anything else you can think of to help us track this down!
Hi there - I have a similar issue as Julie Moroney. I have a course that I've built in Storyline 2 (version 12) and I'm working locally in Windows 10.
As of today, audio I've imported into Storyline plays on my laptop speakers instead of my USB headset when in Preview. If I play the same audio file in Audacity, it plays just fine through my headset.
When I try to play the same audio from the Timeline, I can't hear anything (via headset or speakers).
If I open the audio file in the Audio Editor - it plays normally through my headset.
Storyline has also crashed at least 3 times in the past hour that I've been trying to work through all of this.
25 Replies
Hi Ben,
That's certainly an odd set up - are you playing the course inside Storyline or in the browser once you've published? Have you checked your audio/device settings to ensure that the headphone is set up correctly?
It is happening in the Storyline 360 Timeline. I own my own license and I have a license through my company. Two completely different computers, two completely different headphones. The headphone work fine in Preview and all other modes/functions except Timeline. The symptom occurs whether I am using headphones in Bluetooth or hard wired. Once, on my home computer, it temporarily fixed itself when I rebooted the computer...but only once.
Hi Ben,
I just saw another user mention something similar - and she shared that she'd done a recent Windows update. Have you checked if that messed with any of your standard audio settings?
When you rebooted did the audio only play once, or did you try rebooting again and that didn't allow the audio to play again?
The audio settings seem okay.
The problem started after updating Storyline 360, not Windows.
Yes, rebooting worked once, and then not again.
Ben Watson
Thanks Ben - and I see you also started a support case too, so I'll follow along there.
Myself and a few other colleagues tested this earlier today and weren't able to replicate it, but I've now read two other discussions about it so we'll dig in a bit deeper.
I just started having this problem today in SL2. I think my system received a Windows update last week. Any update on a solution?
Audio plays in Audacity through my headphones just fine.
Hi Linda,
Thanks for sharing that it works in Audacity. Have you tested it anywhere else, such as a Flash based browser? In Storyline 2 our preview is based on flash and I'd be curious to know if the headphones also don't work with other Flash content on the web.
Storyline 360 has it's preview set up within HTML5, so similarly if you were using a browser with Flash disabled, and viewing HTML5 content in the browser how does that sound with or without the headphones.
Let me know if you're able to do that test!
Ashley, I haven't tested a flash based browser. I did, however, test in Magix Cleaning Lab, which is another audio editor I use. It works fine. I also noticed that if I use SL's auditor editor, the headphones work. I played a .mp4 file and it works through the headphones. I decided to submit a case to Articulate Support.
I had the same frustrating issue and I just fixed it. Go to Sound setting (in PC), find your computer monitor audio and Disable. Once disabled, my timeline audio started playing through my headphones again.
I think it was caused by the recent Windows update.
I will try this. Thanks.
Ben Watson
Thanks for popping in to share Damien and for helping out Ben here. This is one we are monitoring, but not able to replicate yet.
Ben - It looks like your email signature came through when you replied via email. You can remove that if needed and here’s a quick Peek video if you need help.
Our end users are sporadically unable to hear audio in our modules (due to the recent Windows update). Is there a way to modify the default audio player when publishing? Will Damien's fix above solve for end-users?
Hi there, Jess. The users who are unable to hear audio - are they listening through a headset or headphones of some kind?
If so, it sounds like disabling the system display audio, and subsequently re-enabling it allowed headphone audio to play normally through headphones. Storyline won't be able to instruct which speakers/output to use on the machine where the course is launched.
We're still monitoring this issue, as we've seen customer impact and haven't been able to reproduce the behavior on our end. We'll keep you updated in this discussion!
Hi, I'm encountering the same issue. When I encountered it earlier this morning, disabling my laptop's speakers worked. However, revisiting Storyline later this evening, I am now dealing with the same issue. Except this time, I can't hear the audio from my headphones OR computer speaker - it seems that both are disabled. In Control Panel under Sounds, I have the headphones enabled and the speakers disabled. This setting worked this morning temporarily, but is no longer a permanent fix. Any other suggestions?
Hi Julie,
I'm sorry you've run into this too - we've shared it with our team, but so far haven't been able to replicate it ourselves. Could you help by sharing a bit more info with me?
Anything else you can think of to help us track this down!
Hi Ashley,
This is my timeline:
Trying to download the latest Storyline update now.
Updated Version 12 of Storyline 2 - no change. Still can't hear my recordings.
Thank you for the information Julie - I've shared this with our team on the internal report.
Hi there - I have a similar issue as Julie Moroney. I have a course that I've built in Storyline 2 (version 12) and I'm working locally in Windows 10.
As of today, audio I've imported into Storyline plays on my laptop speakers instead of my USB headset when in Preview. If I play the same audio file in Audacity, it plays just fine through my headset.
When I try to play the same audio from the Timeline, I can't hear anything (via headset or speakers).
If I open the audio file in the Audio Editor - it plays normally through my headset.
Storyline has also crashed at least 3 times in the past hour that I've been trying to work through all of this.
Hi D,
Take a look at the information here on how to fix this issue where audio won't play through the headphones.
Thanks very much Ashley - it fixed the issue!
Glad to hear that D!
This worked for me! Thank you :)
Awesome! Glad you were able to find what you needed here Diane and thanks for chiming in to share :)
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