When a session doesn't generate notes, it's almost always one of three things: the audio wasn't captured, the recording didn't upload, or the AI couldn't process what it received. Knowing which one applies means you can fix it yourself in most cases — or know exactly what to tell support if you can't.
First: which type do you have?
Open the session, stay on the Context tab, scroll to Recordings and click the recording to expand it.
No recording, or the transcript is completely empty → Type 1 (no audio captured) or Type 2 (upload didn't finish)
Stuck processing, or the session disappeared → likely Type 2 (upload issue)
Transcript is there but partial or garbled, or the note is blank → Type 3 (processing issue)
If there's a full transcript but no note, that's not a failure — see Have a transcript but no clinical note?
Type 1 — No audio captured
The recording ran, but nothing was heard. This is the most common failure and almost always caused by a microphone or permissions issue. Fix Session will usually report "No audio found".
Common causes:
Microphone permission wasn't granted to PatientNotes in your browser or device settings
The wrong microphone was selected (e.g. a virtual device such as PatientNotes Input (Virtual), or a disconnected headset)
Headphones were used during a telehealth call — the client's audio went into the headphones, not the recording
The browser tab was muted or audio was routed away from PatientNotes
What to do:
Check your microphone permissions — in Chrome, click the padlock icon in the address bar and confirm the microphone is set to Allow
Choose your microphone from the selector on the recording screen rather than leaving it on Default. If PatientNotes Input (Virtual) keeps being selected on a Mac, remove the old PatientNotes Virtual Mic
For telehealth sessions: use device speakers instead of headphones, or use the PatientNotes desktop app (Mac & Windows) or Telehealth Audio Capture in Chrome or Edge to capture both sides of the call
Start a short test recording before your next session to confirm audio is being captured
If no audio reached us, the session usually can't be recovered — but contact us and we'll check. Full guide: No audio or blank recording
Type 2 — Recording didn't upload
The audio was captured, but the file didn't fully reach PatientNotes for processing. This is usually a network issue or the app being closed too soon.
Signs: The session shows as processing for a long time, the session disappears from your dashboard, or the app shows "files failed to sync".
Common causes:
The app was closed, the phone was locked, or the browser tab was refreshed or backgrounded before the upload completed
An unstable internet connection interrupted the upload
A long session (30+ minutes) that needs more time to upload
What to do:
Open PatientNotes on the device you recorded on and keep it open, in the foreground, on a stable connection — pending audio will keep uploading. Don't delete or reinstall the app while audio is waiting to upload.
Give it time — most sessions repair themselves within about an hour. Then refresh the session.
If it's still stuck, press Fix Session once. Notes stuck processing
Next time, wait 2–3 minutes after stopping a recording before closing the app or navigating away — longer for sessions over 30 minutes. Why this matters
Type 3 — Processing failed
The recording uploaded successfully, but the AI couldn't generate a usable transcript or note from it. This is the least common failure type.
Signs: The transcript is incomplete or garbled, or the note is blank or very short despite a full session.
Common causes:
Very low audio volume — microphone too far away, or significant background noise
Fast-paced or overlapping conversation that affected transcription accuracy
An extremely long session (60+ minutes) that exceeded processing limits
A technical processing error on our servers (rare)
What to do:
Click Fix Session once — this re-triggers processing and resolves most cases
If the transcript is partial, you can add extra audio to supplement the recording. How to add extra audio
If Fix Session doesn't help after two attempts, contact us — include the session date and patient name and we can investigate at the server level
When to contact support
Contact us via the help widget if:
There's no recording or transcript and the session contained important patient content you need to recover
Fix Session says "No audio found", or has been used twice and the note still hasn't generated
You're seeing the same failure repeatedly across multiple sessions
Please include: the session date, the patient or session name, the device you recorded on, and which failure type you think applies. This helps us investigate much faster.
Still have questions?
Chat with us via the help widget inside PatientNotes or email [email protected].