Having trouble with Bola's microphone, transcription, or voice dictation? This guide walks you through the most common fixes, from quickest to most involved.
Note: Windows 11 is actively supported. Windows 10 instructions are included as a courtesy.
Step 1: Check if your mic is being picked up
Open Bola Voice Assistant.
Click the microphone button to start voice charting.
Confirm the mic indicator turns red.
Speak a voice command or dictate a clinical note.
Watch for the waveform animation, which shows audio is being captured.
If the indicator turns red and you see a waveform, your mic and transcription connection are working.
If nothing happens, Bola can't access your mic or can't reach the transcription service. Work through the fixes below in order.
Fix 1: Match Windows default audio device to your mic
Bola uses Windows' default sound devices, so the OS default needs to match the mic you actually use.
Windows 11
Go to Settings > System > Sound.
Under Input, select the mic you want Bola to use as the default device (use the round selector on the left).
Scroll down to More sound settings.
In the Recording tab, select your mic and choose Default Device.
Confirm the same mic is selected inside Bola's settings.
Scroll to More sound settings:
In the Recording tab, select your mic and choose Default Device:
Windows 10
Go to Settings > System > Sound > Playback.
In the Recording tab, right-click the mic you want and choose Set as default communications device.
Confirm the same mic is selected inside Bola's settings.
Fix 2: Turn off audio enhancements
Some devices apply processing that interferes with transcription.
Windows 11
Open Settings > System > Sound.
Click the right arrow next to your input (microphone) device.
Find Audio Enhancements and set it to Off.
Repeat for any output device that's processing audio.
Windows 10
Type sound settings in Start and open the Sound control panel.
In the Recording tab, right-click your mic and choose Properties.
Uncheck Enable audio enhancements and click OK.
Fix 3: Check microphone permissions
Bola Voice Assistant needs permission to use your mic.
Windows 11
Open Settings (Win + I).
Go to Privacy & Security > Microphone.
Turn on Microphone access.
Turn on Let desktop apps access your microphone.
Find Bola Voice Assistant in the list and toggle it on.
Close and reopen Bola Voice Assistant for changes to take effect.
Windows 10
Open Settings (Win + I).
Go to Privacy > Microphone.
Turn on Allow access to the microphone on this device.
Turn on Allow desktop apps to access your microphone.
Confirm Bola Voice Assistant is enabled in the list.
Close and reopen Bola Voice Assistant for changes to take effect.
Fix 4: Disable audio mixing software or hardware
USB mic amplifiers, mixing software, and virtual audio cables can interfere with Bola. If you don't use any of these, skip this section.
If you do, try the following:
Disable any pass-through options that route mic input back as an output.
For stereo devices, send audio to the Left channel (or both Left and Right). Bola expects mono audio.
Make sure the mic is routed directly to Bola without extra processing layers.
If Bola starts working after disabling these, the audio chain is the cause.
Fix 5: Restart Bola Voice Assistant
This resets the connection to the transcription service and resolves most one-off connection problems.
Find the Bola icon in your taskbar.
Right-click the Bola icon.
Click Close window, then reopen the app.
Fix 6: Restart your computer
Sometimes the underlying audio process crashes and restarting Bola alone won't fix it.
Save any open work.
Click Start > Power > Restart.
After restart, open Bola Voice Assistant and test again.
Fix 7: Update Bola
Make sure you're on the latest version. Download the current installer here.
Fix 8: Run Bola as administrator
Right-click the Bola desktop shortcut and choose Properties.
Open the Compatibility tab.
Check Run this program as an administrator and click OK.
Reopen Bola.
Fix 9: Network troubleshooting
If transcription still isn't working, the issue may be on the network side.
Check your internet connection
A stable internet connection is required for transcription, updates, and cloud features.
If Bola can't establish a secure connection
Turn off your VPN.
Remove untrusted certificates from your certificate store.
Whitelist these domains in your firewall:
Transcription API: .bola.ai
App updates and resources: boladentalreleases.blob.core.windows.net
If connections drop or time out
Adjust or remove firewall rules for Bola Voice Assistant.
In a managed network (most dental offices), have your IT admin whitelist Bola's services.
Dentrix integration
If you see lag or sync issues between Bola charting and Dentrix voice commands, set the script to Bola Migration Path in the Script dropdown of the Dentrix Perio Chart.
Still stuck?
Reach out through the in-app chat or visit the Bola AI Support Center and we'll help you sort it out.