How to Solve Hardware and Software Trouble

This article describes what to do if a connection is not established.

Last Updated: March 2024

On this page:

  1. Immediate troubleshooting steps
  2. Check your web browser
  3. Check your internet connection
  4. How to improve your internet connection
  5. Screen-sharing is not working
  6. My camera is not working
  7. I cannot hear my client or patient
  8. My client or patient cannot hear me
  9. My device is slowing down
  10. Connecting from a corporate or work network
  11. More support options

Immediate troubleshooting steps

If you have checked your internet connection and it is working fine, try the following steps before moving on:

  1. Clear your browser cache.
  2. Close other open applications on the computer.
  3. Restart your computer.

Check your web browser

  • Coviu currently supports Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Microsoft Edge. You can check your browser at https://www.whatsmybrowser.org/.
  • We prefer a Google Chrome browser (49+), but Coviu also works in Firefox (50+) and Safari (12+). Please try to use the latest production browser as it will support all features.
  • You can run Coviu on Windows, Mac OS X or Linux.
  • Perform the Pre-call test to check whether your setup is complete.

Check your internet connection

  • If it is taking a long time to connect and, when it does connect, you get poor-quality video and broken audio, you may want to check your internet connection.
  • We recommend a minimum of 350 Kbps upload and download speed for a two-endpoint call. Also, your latency (or ping time) should be less than 100 ms.
  • More information is available here if you are interested.

How to improve your internet connection

  • You may have different types of internet connections; which is best for Coviu?
  • We recommend using a wired connection first (e.g. ethernet in your office). If your computer runs on both wireless and ethernet connections, you may want to turn off the wireless connection to make sure it uses the ethernet connection.
  • A wireless connection in an office can sometimes turn out worse than a 4G or 5G connection, particularly when many users are competing for wireless access. Often it is not even a lack of bandwidth, but the amount of packet loss that causes issues and dropouts; try ethernet, 4G or 5G connection if that is the case. If you are worried about your data usage, you can check the bandwidth usage of Coviu.

Screen-sharing is not working

A mixed Chrome and Firefox browser environment will disable certain features due to a lack of browser interoperability; this may be why the screen-sharing feature is not working for you.


My camera is not working

  • Are you stuck in a loop of being unable to access your camera? Make sure you are using Google Chrome, Safari, Edge or Firefox.
  • You can do an audio-only call if you do not have a camera. However, it will give you a reduced experience. So, we recommend you buy an HD webcam.
  • If your computer has a camera but you cannot access it, try restarting your browser or Coviu. If that still does not work, restart your computer.

I cannot hear my client or patient

  • This can either be the audio source at your end or an issue with the microphone at your client's or patient's end.
  • Make sure your speakers or earphones are plugged in properly, and the volume is turned up and not muted.
  • You can always try playing a YouTube video to check if the audio works.
  • Coviu allows you to choose different output devices - go to the Settings cogwheel and choose your speakers.
  • If your audio is fine, then you may need to ask your client or patient to check if their microphone is working.

My client or patient cannot hear me

  • If other call participants cannot hear you, make sure your microphone is plugged in properly and the microphone level on your computer is turned up.
  • Make sure Coviu is using the right microphone. You can choose your microphone input by going to the in-call Settings, clicking Select microphone and choosing the correct microphone.
  • On tablets or mobile devices, check that the microphone has not been disabled or muted.
  • If your microphone is working properly, then it may be that your client's or patient's audio or speakers are not working properly. Please ask them to check if their volume is turned up and not muted.

My device is slowing down

  • This may happen if you have blurred or virtual backgrounds enabled on an older device.
  • Performance can vary with older devices; you may see a noticeable frame rate loss or lag in your video feed.
  • Usually, this should only affect what you see of yourself, not what your client or patient sees (in other words, your client or patient should be able to see you normally).
  • However, we recommend disabling virtual backgrounds if your device slows down noticeably with the feature.

Connecting from a corporate or work network

If you are connecting to a Coviu call from a corporate or work environment, your corporate firewall may be blocking or hindering connectivity. You may need your IT Team to allow Coviu through the corporate firewall. Feel free to share this guide with them.


More support options

You have completed another Coviu help article. You now know what to do if a connection is not established.

If this is not what you were looking for, explore our knowledge base and search for another article from here.

If you still require any assistance, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our friendly Customer Success team using any of the contact methods available here.