TIPS + TRICKS
When in doubt, reboot
If you encounter any issues with FarPlay, the first thing to try is to restart your computer. Yes, we know that’s the oldest trick in the book, but it’s amazing how often it helps.Manually Adjust your Latency
With the Auto button engaged


Personal Meeting Rooms
As of version 1.0.7, FarPlay features Personal Meeting Rooms, allowing you to use a permanent, dedicated session ID for all your sessions. You still have the option of creating a one-time session ID if you prefer. This feature is particularly useful for teachers, who no longer have to send individual session IDs to their students: you can give them your Personal Meeting Room ID once and keep using it for as many sessions as you’d like. To use Personal Meeting Rooms, first go to farplay.io/myAccount, then click Account Preferences. This will bring you to the Account Preferences page. If you’re subscribed to either Standard or Standard+, you’ll find an option there:

Chat
As of version 1.1, FarPlay features Chat functionality, allowing you to chat via text with other participants in the session. To activate this feature, the person initiating the session must have a subscription. Chat is useful during setup, particularly if a participant has not yet connected their audio; it’s also useful for behind-the-scenes communication during a live performance.
To open the Chat window, click the 💬 Chat button in the main FarPlay window, or the 💬 icon in the Video window. By default, FarPlay opens the Chat window automatically when a new message is received, but this behavior can be disabled if preferred by unchecking the “Open this window when chat is received” checkbox.

Video recording
Subscribers can use FarPlay’s built-in video recording—no need to run a 3rd-party screen capture application! Exported combined video shows multiple participant video feeds in a single view. Standard and Standard+ subscribers can record combined video. Standard+ subscribers also get individual video tracks for individual participants (convenient for video editing). To get started, go to the Tools section and click Start Recording. Choose record multitrack video (for Standard+ subscribers) or record mix video (for Standard subscribers) in the context menu. Learn more about video recording using our step-by-step instructions.
Microphone Permissions on Mac
If you’re not getting any sound input on macOS, this is likely due to a mic permissions issue. To fix this, do the following:- Quit FarPlay.
- Open the Apple Menu at the top-left corner of the screen, choose System Settings and then Privacy & Security.
- Click Microphone.
- Scroll down to FarPlay.
- Make sure the toggle switch next to FarPlay is ON.
- Reopen FarPlay, and you should now have sound input from your microphone.

Camera Permissions on Mac
If you’re not getting an image from your camera on macOS, this is likely due to a camera permissions issue. To fix this, do the following:- Quit FarPlay.
- Open the Apple Menu at the top-left corner of the screen, choose System Settings and then Privacy & Security.
- Click Camera.
- Scroll down to FarPlay.
- Make sure the toggle switch next to FarPlay is ON.
- Reopen FarPlay, and you should now have video input from your camera. If not, restarting your computer at this point should fully solve the issue.

Working with Windows
FarPlay supports native Windows audio devices, so you can use FarPlay immediately with your computer’s integrated audio device, without any additional downloads. FarPlay also supports ASIO devices and drivers, which will give you the best possible latency. We have more information on optimizing your Windows setup here.
Fine-tune your Hardware Buffer
When you first start a session, before anyone else connects, you’ll find your Local Latency displayed under Remote Sound. This is an estimate of the total latency in your audio hardware, from capture at the mic to reproduction in your headphones. You can fine-tune this by adjusting the Audio Buffer Size in Preferences.⚠ If you’re using Windows, you’ll need to use an external audio interface with reliable manufacturer-provided ASIO drivers. When this is the case, the Audio Buffer Size is adjusted using the ASIO Buffer Settings button or an icon the audio interface’s software puts in the system tray.


Broadcast Output
Standard+ subscribers can use FarPlay’s Broadcast Output feature to output a separate clean audio mix (to a livestreaming application or a DAW, for example).


Stuck “Connecting to …” when using restrictive networks
Most users use FarPlay without making any changes to their network settings (remember to use Ethernet!). Using FarPlay with especially restrictive networks—often found on university campus and corporate networks—sometimes requires additional steps.
![Cartoon showing audio equipment connected to a computer connected to a router connected through the Internet to another router connected to another computer connected to another set of audio equipment. The routers are highlighted and labeled. On the two computer screens, FarPlay's main window can be seen. Zoomed-in insets show that the bottom of each of these instances of FarPlay's main window is stuck displaying "Connecting to [redacted name of remote user] ...". A caption, reading "Stuck, doesn't connect" points to each of these messages.](https://farplay.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/StuckConnectingToChain-1024x327.jpg)
