---
title: "LockDown Browser: Microphone Settings for Speech-to-Text on Chromebooks"
slug: "lockdown-browser-activating-speech-to-text"
updated: 2026-02-04T17:15:11Z
published: 2026-02-04T17:15:11Z
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://support.eduphoria.net/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# LockDown Browser: Microphone Settings for Speech-to-Text on Chromebooks

Chromebooks and the LockDown Browser extension support [Speech-to-Text](/v1/docs/managing-speech-to-text). Before initiating a test with LockDown Browser, you must allow the browser to have access to the microphone in the testing environment using one of two options: the Google Admin Console or individual device setup.

> [!WARNING]
> **Caution:** Students attempting to set up or allow access to their microphone in an active test with LockDown Browser active will be booted from the test and their test will be force submitted. Allow the microphone using one of the two following options before starting the assessment.

## Google Admin Console for IT Administrators (Highly Recommended)

To enable Speech-to-Text at scale, update your Google Admin Console settings to allow microphone access using your full district URL across all managed devices.

### Quick Guide

1. Sign in to Google Admin Console.
2. Go to **Menu** > **Access Devices** > **Devices** > **Chrome** > **Settings**.
3. Click **Users & browsers**.
4. To apply the setting to all users, leave the top organizational unit selected. Otherwise, select a child organizational unit.
5. Scroll to the **Hardware** section.
6. Locate **Audio Input (microphone)** and set it to **Allow users to set microphone** or explicitly allow via policies.
7. Under **Audio input allowed URLs**, add your full district URL.
8. Click **Save**.

You can also use the Google Admin Console to restore microphone access if a user selected the **Never Allow** option at any point.

## Individual Device Setup

Students can use the browser settings to activate the microphone while logged in to select a test.

### Quick Guide

1. Log in and select **My Assignments**.
2. Click the **Microphone** icon ( mic ) in the top-right of the screen to test microphone access.
3. Once the pop-up window appears, select **Allow while visiting the site** to turn on the microphone during testing.
4. Should the student select **Never Allow**instead, restore microphone permissions by selecting the **Settings** icon to the left of the URL.
5. Under Microphone, toggle it on or select **Reset permission**, which allows you to reselect the Microphone icon and choose **Allow while visiting the site**. If the Microphone section does not appear, select **Site settings**.
6. Next to **Microphone**, use the drop-down menu to select **Allow**.

### Illustrated Guide

**Step 1:**Log in and select **My Assignments**.

**Step 2:**Click the **Microphone** icon ( mic ) in the top-right of the screen to test microphone access.

![Student testing window with the microphone icon highlighted.](https://cdn.us.document360.io/d6ce927e-20b2-40ab-af8d-ea0afbbc28f7/Images/Documentation/microphone icon.png)

**Step 3:**Once the pop-up window appears, select **Allow while visiting the site** to turn on the microphone during testing.

![Permission request for microphone access with multiple options to allow or deny.](https://cdn.us.document360.io/d6ce927e-20b2-40ab-af8d-ea0afbbc28f7/Images/Documentation/allow while visiting the site.png)

The microphone is now permitted for the Speech-to-Text support.

### Restore Microphone Access

Should the student select **Never Allow**, you can complete the following steps on the student’s Chromebook to restore microphone access.

**Step 1:**Log in and select **My Assignments**.

**Step 2:**Select the **Settings** icon to the left of the URL.

**Step 3:**Under Microphone, toggle it on or select **Reset permission**, which allows you to reselect the Microphone icon and choose **Allow while visiting the site**. If the Microphone section does not appear, select **Site settings**.

![Browser settings menu showing reset permissions for the microphone and site settings.](https://cdn.us.document360.io/d6ce927e-20b2-40ab-af8d-ea0afbbc28f7/Images/Documentation/reset permission.png)

**Step 4:**Next to **Microphone**, use the drop-down menu to select **Allow**.

![Google Chrome settings menu showing privacy options and permissions for location, camera, and microphone.](https://cdn.us.document360.io/d6ce927e-20b2-40ab-af8d-ea0afbbc28f7/Images/Documentation/allow microphone access.png)