Forum Discussion
Playing audio on a mobile device
Is there a way to embed an audio file on a Storyline course so that it plays like audio and not like video, meaning the user's phone's screen can be off and it will continue to play? I want to be able to provide an audio version of a course, but doesn't work as well if the screen has to be on the whole time. If it can be off, then users could listen as they run, drive, ride the train, etc., just like you can with podcast episodes.
I can get that behavior to work on Articulate Rise but not Storyline.
6 Replies
Hi DeanIchikawa-1a,
Being able to keep listening to course audio with your phone’s screen off would give learners more flexibility when taking a course on a mobile device.
Storyline 360 doesn’t currently have an option specifically designed to keep course audio playing while a mobile device is locked or the screen is off. Since you mentioned that you’ve been able to get this experience with a Rise 360 course, I’d like to understand a little more about the learning experience you’re trying to create in Storyline. What kind of course or content are your learners listening to when having the screen off would be useful?
That context would help us better understand the mobile learning experience you’re looking to support.
Oh sure, basically it's just an audio version of the course. Our "courses" are sometimes just an interface to read a company policy and then confirm that you've read it. If users are able to listen instead of read, then it not only is helpful for sight-impaired users, it also is helpful for people who want to listen while they drive or work out. So I'd like to be able to give users the option to either read or listen to a policy, which could be 20 to 30 minutes long, so not a short clip.
Hi DeanIchikawa-1a,
I appreciate you sharing more about the learning experience you’re trying to create. Knowing that your courses are often policy-based and can run 20 to 30 minutes helps clarify why screen-off audio would be useful.
Giving learners the option to read or listen could make longer Storyline courses more flexible, especially for people who are commuting, exercising, or relying on audio for accessibility. That context helps us better understand the audio-focused Storyline experience you’re looking to support.
Quick take: this looks like a phone OS limit, not a Storyline bug. Mobile browsers pause page audio on screen lock. For commuters I would export the narration as MP3 files, one per lesson, for their podcast app.
I did a test by creating a webpage with an audio player on it and it continues to play when the screen is locked. And providing an MP3 file means we lose control over course versions, which is critical in our business.
Oh and to be clear, I'm not saying it's a Storyline bug necessarily, I'm just wondering if there's either a way to get this working the way I want or if it could be enhanced, if others have this same need.
