We’ve got news that we think will be music to your ears—you can now add background audio to your Storyline 360 courses! Thanks to this highly requested feature you can set the right tone for your training and keep learners engaged by adding a list of audio tracks that play in the background. And to give learners control over the experience and ensure it’s optimal for everyone, they can toggle background audio on and off as needed. Check out this article to learn more about this new feature: Storyline 360: Background Audio. If you’re an Articulate 360 subscriber, you can access this new feature immediately by updating Storyline 360 via the desktop app. And if you don’t have Articulate 360 but want to try out this feature, you can start a free 30-day trial. Once you’ve given it a try we’d love to hear what you think! Please share any feedback or suggestions in the comments below. We’ll be working on enhancements for this feature and want to know if there are areas for improvement or additional functionality that you’d like to see. We’re looking forward to your feedback! ~The Storyline 360 Team

Hi everyone! Good news! I'm happy to share that we just released Storyline 360 (Build 3.81.31200.0), which includes a feature to control the background audio for each slide using triggers to play, pause, or stop the playlist. This was highly requested, so we hope it serves you in your course creation! If you run into any snags, don't hesitate to contact our team in a support case.

New in Storyline 360: Background Audio

AndrewMcFarl095
Community Member
2 years ago
Hi Vanessa -

So the background audio will reduce during the narration audio. However, the volume goes up during the transition of the slides. I think the yo-yo of volume is distracting and would rather it stay at the same volume the entire time.
Test_File.story8.2 MB
- VanessaFage
  Staff
  2 years ago
  Hi Andrew,
  
  Thank you for submitting your project file. I've shared it with the team and we plan to review this scenario where the audio doesn't go all the way to the end of the timeline on your first slide, and then begins .5s in on the second slide.
AndrewMcFarl095
Community Member
2 years ago
What's the fix for adjusting the volume of background audio? I have it checked to lower background audio when slide audio plays, but after the first slide, the volume goes back up, making it harder to hear the narration for the slide.
- VanessaFage
  Staff
  2 years ago
  Hi Andrew,
  
  Thanks for reaching out! I understand that you are not seeing the `Lower background audio when slide audio plays` option working correctly. I created a quick demo project (located here) and when viewing on Windows Chrome, the background audio lowers when the audio clips play on the 2nd and 3rd slides. Does that work for you too?
  
  With your permission, I'd like to take a look at your .story file to begin troubleshooting. Do you mind attaching it to this discussion?
  
  I'll make sure to follow up with you here on any updates with your file!
SteveBlane-e48a
Community Member
2 years ago
Is background audio either on or off? Can it be set to play on selected slides or scenes? This is kinda useless if it has to be played on every slide.
- StevenBenassi
  Staff
  2 years ago
  Hi Steve!
  
  Thanks for sharing the flexibility you’d like to see when working with background audio!
  
  We currently have this logged as a feature request, so I’ll go ahead and include your voice! We’ll update this discussion if this feature makes it on our feature roadmap.
MarianneBrien-f
Community Member
2 years ago
Hi, I understand the background audio volume lowers when there is other audio on the slide, but is there a way to lower it from the start for the entire project. We'd like to have a low volume background audio throughout, but our seems to play full volume (very loud). We've tried lowering the audio track in audacity, but when imported back, it's still super loud. We've had a similar issue in the past where we had to change the audio compression from Automatic to None, and that fixed it, but in the Background Audio case, we can't get this option, because the track can't be selected in the timeline.

Do you have any clues towards resolution of this issue?
Thank you very much!
- Mike_Marcos
  Staff
  2 years ago
  Hello Marianne,
  
  I have sent out an email to continue working with you on this particular issue. Please keep an eye out for it in either your inbox, or spam. We'd like to take a closer look at the files (.STORY) and the sound file (before processing in Audacity), you can share them privately via a link in my email.
  
  Hope to hear from you soon!
  - AngieMansfie306
    Community Member
    12 months ago
    I am having the same issue as Marianne. Is there a fix for this problem I can find somewhere? Thank you!
- AngieMansfie306
  Community Member
  12 months ago
  Marianne- Did you get an answer for this? I have the same problem and can't find an answer. I just submitted a help request, but got an automated response that all their teams are on a corporate retreat until Tuesday! Thank you!
MelisaCarlsen
Community Member
2 years ago
Hi. When using the new background audio feature the sounds plays on the preview and the review 360, however, when publishing the project as a video the audio does not play. Any ideas on what might be the issue?
- StevenBenassi
  Staff
  2 years ago
  Hi Melisa!
  
  Currently some course elements like background audio will not appear in a published video.
  
  Not to worry! We already have this logged as a feature request so I will go ahead and add your voice! We’ll update this discussion if this feature makes it on our feature roadmap.
- JenniferVoor471
  Community Member
  2 years ago
  That is happening to me too. Did you ever get a response?
- UrmilaMurthy-09
  Community Member
  2 years ago
  I'm currently experiencing this exact same issue. Hope there's a fix!!
NicoleJasper-77
Community Member
2 years ago
This is awesome! Will there be be audio options in the content library in the future?
- StevenBenassi
  Staff
  2 years ago
  Hi Nicole!
  
  The Content Library has templates for use in Storyline/Studio, access to characters (illustrated and photographic), and a ton of images, icons, and videos. We don't have audio files in there yet, but it has already been logged as a feature request!
  
  I’ll go ahead and include your voice! We’ll update this discussion if this feature makes it on our feature roadmap.
CristopherBadil
Community Member
2 years ago
Thanks for this new function. I've been testing it today and I have found that the volume goes up and down sometimes when an image fades in. My quick fix was adding a muted sound. I guess problems are expected with a just-released feature.

In my opinion, I'd add the option of setting a fixed volume whether you there's audio in a slide, video or not. As a result, music volume won't be bumping up and down for no apparent reason.
- StevenBenassi
  Staff
  2 years ago
  Hi Cristopher!
  
  Thanks for sharing feedback on the type of functionality you'd like to see with this exciting new feature!
  
  We currently have this logged as a feature request, so I'll go ahead and include your voice! We’ll update this discussion if this feature makes it on our feature roadmap.
- VanessaFage
  Staff
  2 years ago
  Hello Christopher,
  
  With regards to the issue you observed where the audio volume can go up and down sometimes when an image fades in: would you be willing to share a sample project or slide here for troubleshooting purposes?
TKDGOES
Community Member
2 years ago
Thanks for this new feature.

We have been waiting for it for so long. However, the background audio has one limitation: it has only ONE playlist for the whole course. It would be better if we could create multiple playlists and choose which playlist applies to different selected slides/scenes. That would be great!

These are some examples from iSpring that you can use as a reference.

Once again, thank you all for the new feature. We're really looking forward to new improvements in the future.
- StevenBenassi
  Staff
  2 years ago
  Hi TKDG OES!
  
  Great suggestion! Thanks for sharing feedback on the flexibility you'd like to see when using background audio!
  
  We currently have this logged as a feature request, so I’ll go ahead and include your voice! We’ll update this discussion if this feature makes it on our feature roadmap.
KatieRiggio
Staff
2 years ago
Hello, Angie!

I'm sorry for the trouble—and you raise a great point. Thanks to your feedback, we added a note that background audio isn't available in published video output in the documentation for this feature.

And we're still planning the next phase of this feature, so we'll let you know if video output compatibility becomes an option. If there's anything else you'd like to see added, do let us know!
JustinStortzum-
Community Member
2 years ago
Can there be an option added in the next update so that the background audio starts on the second slide to avoid the big play button when the project loads?
- StevenBenassi
  Staff
  2 years ago
  Hi Justin!
  
  Thanks for reaching out! It sounds like you need to add a custom trigger for more background audio control in your Storyline 360 course!
  
  We currently have that logged as a feature request, so I'll be sure to include your voice in the report! We’ll update this discussion if this feature makes it on our feature roadmap.
  
  Have a great rest of your week!
  - JustinStortzum-
    Community Member
    2 years ago
    I can create a trigger to for audio to play when timeline starts, but I still have the large play button that appears at the beginning to start the project.
    
    Is there an alternate trigger I can use so that the project autostarts without clicking anything?