Audio and Narration Troubleshooting

No Sound / Narration Won't Play

Check your plan. Narration is available on Monthly, Annual, and Family plans. Free plan stories are text-only. If you are on the Free plan, you'll see text without an audio play button. Upgrade from Dashboard → Settings → Billing to enable narration.

Check device volume and silent mode.

• On iOS: the physical silent/ring switch on the side of the device must be set to ring (not muted). Volume buttons control ringer volume, not app audio, when in silent mode. Check the switch first.
• On Android: check that media volume is not muted (separate from ringer volume). Go to Settings → Sound and ensure media volume is above zero.

Reload the story. Close the reader screen completely, then reopen the story. Tap Read to Me again.

Wait for processing. Narration is generated when the story is created. If you generated the story in the last 60 seconds, audio may still be processing. Wait a moment and try again.

Try a different browser. If you're using StoryKind on the web, some browser extensions (particularly ad blockers) can block audio. Try in a private/incognito window, or in a different browser.

Word Highlighting Not Syncing

Word-by-word highlighting requires the narration timing data to finish generating. This completes within 60 seconds of story generation.

If highlighting still isn't working: close the story, wait 1–2 minutes, reopen the story, and start Read to Me again. If the problem persists with a story that is more than 10 minutes old, contact support with the story title.

Narration Plays But Sound Is Wrong (distorted, cutting out)

Check your connection. Narration audio streams from our servers. A weak internet connection can cause buffering or distortion. Try moving closer to your router or switching from Wi-Fi to mobile data (or vice versa).

Lower playback speed. If narration sounds rushed, try 0.75× speed using the speed control in the reader.

Microphone Not Working in Duet Mode

Duet mode requires microphone access. If you see the message "Microphone access denied," your browser or device is blocking the microphone.

To fix on iOS (Safari):

1. Go to Settings → Safari → Microphone
2. Set to Allow
3. Close and reopen Safari, then reload StoryKind

To fix on Android (Chrome):

1. Tap the lock icon in the browser address bar
2. Tap Permissions → Microphone → Allow
3. Reload the page

To fix on Desktop (Chrome or Firefox):

1. Click the camera/lock icon in the address bar
2. Find Microphone → set to Allow
3. Reload the page

After granting permission, select Duet mode again. You should see a permission request if this is your first time — tap Allow in that browser prompt.

If Duet mode still doesn't score your reading: Make sure you're reading in a reasonably quiet environment. The microphone picks up background noise. Speak clearly and at a normal pace — not whispering and not shouting.

Still Having Issues?

Contact us at [email protected] with:

• Your child's name
• The story title
• What you see (or don't see/hear) happening
• Your device type and browser

We typically respond within 24 hours.