If your recording stopped, came out blank, or only captured part of the session after you locked your screen, switched apps, or moved to another tab, this is why — and how to stop it happening.
The short version: keep PatientNotes open and in the foreground until you've stopped recording and the upload has finished.
Why it happens
Phones, tablets and browsers limit what apps can do in the background to save battery. When PatientNotes is sent to the background, the screen locks, or the tab isn't active, the device can pause the microphone or the upload. That's what causes missing, short or blank recordings.
iPhone, iPad and Android
Keep PatientNotes open on the recording screen for the whole session.
Don't lock the device, turn the screen off, or switch to other apps (camera, messages, email).
Stop your screen locking during sessions: on iPhone/iPad go to Settings → Display & Brightness → Auto-Lock; on Android go to Settings → Display → Screen timeout. Set it longer while you're recording.
Keep the device charged or plugged in for longer sessions, and turn off Low Power Mode / battery saver, which can pause uploads.
After you stop recording, leave the app open for a minute so the upload can finish.
Android tip: if the app's bottom buttons sit close to Android's Back button, it's easy to tap Back by accident and leave the recording. Switching to gesture navigation (Settings → Display → Navigation bar → Gestures) removes the Back button from that corner.
Recording in a web browser
Browsers slow down tabs that aren't active. If you switch tabs, minimise the window, or your computer sleeps, the recording upload can stall.
Keep the PatientNotes tab open and visible for the whole session.
Need another program on screen at the same time? Use split screen so PatientNotes stays visible. Chrome split screen guide
Stop your computer from sleeping during sessions.
Best option on a computer: the desktop app
The PatientNotes desktop app runs as its own application rather than a browser tab, so it isn't affected by tab throttling. If you record on a computer and work with other windows open, we recommend it. Download for Windows or Mac. If Windows warns that the installer "isn't commonly downloaded", click More info → Run anyway.
If you see "files failed to sync"
This means some audio is still on your device waiting to upload. Don't delete or reinstall the app — those files only exist on your device until they upload. Open PatientNotes, keep it in the foreground on a stable connection, and the number should start dropping. If it doesn't move, contact us.
If a recording is blank or missing
Most incomplete sessions are repaired automatically within about an hour, as long as the audio reached us. If the recording is blank or very short, contact us straight away — see Recording, transcript or note problem? Start here. If the audio never left your device, it unfortunately can't be recovered.