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How do I set up my microphone?

Lyrebird needs to hear you clearly. This guide covers how to choose, connect, and troubleshoot your microphone across common setups.

A good microphone is the most important factor in Lyrebird's note quality. If the audio is unclear, the transcript will be unclear and the note will reflect that.

Setting up your microphone only takes a couple minutes if you have the right equipment!

Recommended microphone

We recommend the Audio-Technica ATR4697-USB.

Why this microphone?

  • Omnidirectional - picks up sound from all directions, including a patient on an examination bed

  • Long range - effective across a standard consultation room

  • USB plug-and-play - no drivers required, works immediately on Mac and Windows

If you cannot source this model, any long-range omnidirectional USB microphone will work well.

How to connect your microphone

In Google Chrome (standard web app)

  1. If you are using an external device, plug your microphone into your device

  2. Open Google Chrome and go to the Lyrebird app

  3. When the microphone permission prompt appears, click Allow

  4. In the Lyrebird app, confirm your microphone is selected - you'll see the audio level indicator move when you speak

⚠️ TIP: If you have multiple microphones connected (e.g. a built-in mic and a USB mic), make sure Lyrebird is using the correct one. You can check this in your browser's site settings to see which microphone is the default.

In Bp Premier (embedded integration)

  1. Open Best Practice and navigate to a patient record

  2. Click the Lyrebird Health icon on the toolbar

  3. When the Lyrebird browser prompts for microphone access, click Allow

  4. If no prompt appears, follow the steps here: Reset microphone permissions in Bp Premier

Fixing problems with your microphone

Step 1: Check the physical connection

Make sure the microphone is firmly plugged in. Try a different USB port if available.

Step 2: Check Chrome microphone permissions

  1. Open Google Chrome

  2. Click the three-dot menu → Settings

  3. Go to Privacy and security → Site settings → Microphone

  4. Find app.lyrebirdhealth.com and confirm the permission is set to "Allow"
    ​

    You can use this opportunity to check if you have any plug-ins installed on the browser that may be interfering with the default microphone.

Step 3: Check your system microphone settings

On Mac:

  1. Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone

  2. Ensure Google Chrome is toggled on

  3. Also check System Settings → Sound → Input and confirm the correct microphone is selected

On Windows:

  1. Go to Settings → Privacy → Microphone

  2. Ensure Allow apps to access your microphone is turned on

  3. Scroll down and confirm Google Chrome is set to On

  4. Also check Settings → System → Sound → Input and confirm the correct microphone is selected
    ​

Step 4: Test your microphone independently

It is a good idea to test your microphone on another application.
​
There are lots of options out there, if you simply search "Microphone Test" on Google Chrome, you'll find websites which can help you diagnose whether the microphone is working as expected.

Step 5: Restart your computer

A simple restart resolves most persistent microphone permission issues.

Reset microphone permissions in Bp Premier

If Lyrebird cannot detect your microphone inside Best Practice, This is usually caused by microphone permissions not being granted on the internal web browser that Bp uses.

The first time you open Lyrebird, you should see a microphone access prompt. Please ensure you click “Allow.”
​

If you previously blocked access - or no prompt appears - follow the reset steps below.

  1. Close Lyrebird and Best Practice completely

  2. Click the Windows icon (bottom left) → search for and open Run

  3. Open and type: %APPDATA% then click OK

  4. In the file path at the top, click AppData

  5. Open the Local folder, then the Best Practice folder

  6. Delete the EBWebView folder inside the Best Practice folder

  7. Reopen Best Practice

  8. Open a test patient file and launch Lyrebird

  9. When the microphone permission prompt appears, click Allow

If the above steps don't resolve the issue, contact your IT support to ensure:

  • Microphone access is enabled for Best Practice (or any underlying browser engine it may use).

  • No system-level privacy settings or restrictions are blocking microphone use.

  • The correct microphone is selected and available for the application.

Using Lyrebird through a Remote Desktop (RDP)

If Lyrebird is open but cannot detect your microphone and you are using Windows Remote Desktop, the issue may be related to audio redirection settings:

  1. First, test whether the microphone works outside Bp Premier (e.g. in Zoom or Windows Voice Recorder).
    If it doesn't work there, the issue is likely device-related rather than Lyrebird.

  2. Next, check Microphone Redirection settings in Remote Desktop

    1. Open Remote Desktop Connection → click Show Options → go to Local Resources

    2. Click Remote Audio → Settings

    3. Ensure "Record from this computer" is selected

    4. Reconnect your session

If multiple users in your clinic are affected, ask your IT team to check:

  • Group Policy → Allow audio recording redirection is enabled

  • Terminal server permissions allow audio redirection

💡 Tip: The same steps apply if you are using Lyrebird through remote applications such as Citrix - always check your system settings and application permissions to ensure the app you are connecting through can access your microphone.

Need help?

If you've worked through the steps above and your microphone still isn't working, contact our support team:

  • Live chat - click the blue icon in the bottom right corner of the Lyrebird app

  • Email - [email protected]

  • Phone - +61 483 964 067 between 8AM to 7PM AEST

When contacting support, please include:

  • A screenshot of any error message

  • The steps you have already attempted

  • Whether you are using Remote Desktop or a standard setup.

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