Help › In the session › E13

Talk to each other and hear the device's sound

Talk during the session, hear the sound of the Windows device and — only with consent there — switch on the device's microphone.

Preview this guide has not yet been clicked through on a real device. Button names and steps come from the program but may differ in details.

For: Person at the device · Technician
Applies to: Free · Cloud · Own relay
Controlled device: Windows
Control from: Program (Windows, macOS, Linux) · Browser
from version: 20261010.22

What it is for

Instead of a phone call on the side, the technician and the person at the device talk directly in the session. If wanted, the technician also hears what sounds on the device — an error beep, a video, a ringing.

What you need

A running session that goes direct. Through the relay tunnel there is no sound (E33).
Technician: BrowserDesk on a Windows, Mac or Linux computer or web access in Chrome or Edge, plus a microphone. Phones and tablets offer no sound.
Device: BrowserDesk from version 20261010.22. The device's sound exists only on Windows devices.
For the device's microphone: someone there who agrees. Only whoever is controlling can ask for the device's microphone.

How to do it

Technician

Click the speaker icon Ton (Sound) in the session bar.
Talk yourself: Sprechen (mein Mikrofon an) (Talk — my microphone on). The device hears you. Stop with Sprechen beenden (mein Mikrofon aus) (Stop talking — my microphone off).
Hear the device's sound: Ton des Geräts hören (Hear the device's sound). A second click switches it off.
Hear the person at the device: Mikrofon am Gerät anfragen … (Ask for the device's microphone). A question appears at the device. While it is open, the menu shows "Am Gerät wird gefragt, ob das Mikrofon an darf …" (the device is being asked). Once they agree, you hear the person. Stop with Mikrofon am Gerät beenden (End the device's microphone).

While you talk or the device's microphone is open, the icon is red.

In the browser: the same menu Ton. On the first Sprechen (mein Mikrofon an) the browser itself asks whether the page may use your microphone.

Person at the device

When the technician talks, you hear them through your speakers.
When they ask for your microphone, Mikrofon einschalten? (Switch on microphone?) appears. - Mikrofon einschalten (Switch on microphone) — the technician hears you. - Ablehnen (Deny) or do nothing — the microphone stays off.
The microphone goes off when the session ends. To end it earlier, disconnect (F1).

How you know it worked

In the Ton menu the switched-on item has a tick, the icon is red.
You hear the device's sound or the person at the device.

What the other side sees

The question Mikrofon einschalten? with your name and the sentence that only you listen in this session and nothing is recorded.
On Windows the system itself shows its microphone icon while the device's microphone is open.

Good to know

Sound is never recorded — not even when the session is recorded (E19).
No microphone without consent. No setting and no rule of the access can allow it in advance.
The technician cannot agree on their own: while the question is open at the device, the device ignores their clicks and keys. They get a notice about it.
After a "no" they can ask again only after 30 seconds.
At the sign-in screen or with no user signed in, nobody can agree — the microphone stays off.
A running conversation counts as activity for idle disconnection (E32).

If it does not work

If an item in the Ton menu is greyed out, the reason is shown next to it:

You see	Meaning and fix
"Ton braucht die direkte Verbindung (WebRTC). Diese Sitzung läuft über den Relay — dort gibt es keinen Ton." (sound needs the direct connection)	The network does not allow a direct connection. Phone or chat instead (E12).
"Den Ton des Geräts gibt es nur bei Windows-Geräten." (device sound only on Windows)	The device is a Mac or a Linux computer.
"Dieses Gerät kann noch keinen Ton übertragen (ältere BrowserDesk-Fassung)." (older version)	Update the device.
"Dieser Betrachter hat keine Tonspur angeboten (ältere Fassung oder Mobilgerät)." (viewer offered no audio track)	Connect from a computer instead of a phone, or update your program.
"In der Kachelansicht gibt es keinen Ton — öffnen Sie die Sitzung." (no sound in tile view)	Open the tile in the control room (D8).
"Um das Mikrofon am Gerät bitten kann nur, wer steuert." (only the controller can ask)	Take control first (E28).
"Am Gerät wurde gerade abgelehnt. Erneut fragen geht in … s." (just denied, ask again in … s)	Wait a moment and talk to the person at the device first.
"Am Gerät kann niemand zustimmen (kein angemeldeter Benutzer oder Anmeldebildschirm) — das Mikrofon bleibt aus." (nobody can agree)	Wait until someone is signed in.
Sprechen (mein Mikrofon an) does not work in the browser	Allow the browser to use the microphone.
The Windows device's microphone delivers silence	In Windows privacy settings, desktop apps must be allowed to access the microphone.

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