I don't see the talk button
Most common causes, in order:
"Dispatch is broadcasting" and my button is dimmed
That's the reply-lock. A dispatcher is holding the floor on the All hands channel; nobody else can talk on All hands until they release it. Two options:
Live audio isn't playing when a teammate keys up
Two things to check:
If audio still doesn't come through, check that your browser has microphone permission (Chrome: Site settings → Microphone: Allow) and that your default output device is what you expect.
The tab still shows a recording indicator after I stop
If Chrome's tab-level microphone dot stays on after you've stopped talking, refresh the page. This usually means an interrupted transmission left the mic held open, a known edge case that the app now guards against, but that older tabs can still hit. A page refresh always clears it.
I hear an echo when testing on one machine
That's expected. Two browser tabs on the same computer share one microphone and one speaker set. When you speak in tab A, tab B captures your speaker output and sends it back out, a feedback loop. Test with two separate devices (a phone plus a laptop is easiest), or with the second tab muted.
Transcripts say "Audio only, press play to listen"
That means recording is on but transcription is off for your org. Recordings still play. To get text transcripts, an admin can turn on Settings → Walkie-Talkie → Transcribe speech to text. Transcripts have a per-minute cost; see Recording and Transcripts.
If it says "Transcribing…" for more than a minute or two after a transmission, that transcription job is probably stuck. If it says "Transcription unavailable", transcription ran and failed for that clip, nothing to do; other clips will still transcribe normally.
The Walkie-Talkie page shows "No transmissions yet" forever
Two causes:
The empty state message reads *Press and hold the walkie button to make the first call.*
I made a channel in Team Chat but it's not showing up on the radio
Walkie channels are provisioned lazily, the mirror appears the next time you (as a member of that Team Chat channel) load the app. Refresh the tab, and the new channel should be in your channel menu. If it still isn't, verify that you're actually a member of the Team Chat channel (walkie won't show a channel to someone who isn't in it on the Team Chat side).
I'm on a phone call and my talk bar is greyed out with an amber pause badge
That's the mic arbiter. When PortaPro's Softphone is active, walkie pauses so the two systems don't fight over the microphone. As soon as you hang up, the pause clears automatically.
The full-screen ripple is distracting
Turn off Broadcast ripple in Settings → Walkie-Talkie → My talk bar. It's a personal preference; the talk bar still shows the speaker's name and audio waves so you know when someone's talking.
The squawk sound is annoying
Turn off Radio squawk in Settings → Walkie-Talkie → My talk bar. Personal preference, nobody else is affected, and you keep hearing the actual voice traffic. Emergency transmissions still sound, they use a distinct two-tone alert and deliberately ignore this switch.
I don't hear the squawk when someone keys up
Work through these in order: