Audio file does not play

[Paul Green 2]

Hi folks,

I have a very important audio file which I saved in January 2020.
Now that I need to play it, it just does not play.
It shows me the duration and date but will not start to play.
I had this problem already some years ago but Evernote never reacted to my mails about this issue.
I already exported it into an messenger to play and downloaded it to my phone to play via an music app and even tried to open it via the iPad app but it still won’t play.
Have you guys any suggestions what I can do?
Iam kinda tired of losing my notes without even having an error warning or something
 

Please see attached a picture 

 

Thank You all for your time and help.

[Search4f 1]

On 12/3/2020 at 5:06 AM, Paul Green said:

Hi folks,

I have a very important audio file which I saved in January 2020.
Now that I need to play it, it just does not play.
It shows me the duration and date but will not start to play.
I had this problem already some years ago but Evernote never reacted to my mails about this issue.
I already exported it into an messenger to play and downloaded it to my phone to play via an music app and even tried to open it via the iPad app but it still won’t play.
Have you guys any suggestions what I can do?
Iam kinda tired of losing my notes without even having an error warning or something
 

Please see attached a picture 

 

Thank You all for your time and help.

February 2021 I’m having same issues 

[gazumped 11,664]

In between times there's been a complete app revision,  so this would seem to be a new issue...  Have you tried exporting the file? Logged into Evernote.com to check the server version?  If the file is definitely damaged or lost,  then please report it to Support for individual and closer investigation.

[adrian_n 4]

I faced the same issue just recently when I recorded a ton of thoughts on my Android phone and wanted to play and transcribe them on my iPad. The Android recordings just wouldn’t play on iOS 😡

However, I figured out a workaround that fixed the problem for now:

- login to evernote web
- open your note with the voice recording 
- download the recording in the browser
- I had to convert the Android sound format to M4A to make it compatible with iOS 
- add the (converted) file to your note

after this, I was able to finally play the recording on my iPad

[gazumped 11,664]

45 minutes ago, adrian_n said:

- I had to convert the Android sound format to M4A to make it compatible with iOS 

There are Android apps that will record sound in various formats...  don't know if M4A is one of them,  but it might be worth a look,  just to avoid the extra step - although now you'd have to attach the app's output sound file to a note....  

[robderon 0]

Hello,

same problem here, sound recorded on evernote mac M1, can't read on evernote iphone 11 IOS 15.1 , with latest releases of evernote...

[gazumped 11,664]

7 hours ago, robderon said:

same problem here

Same answer. It isn't Evernote's issue if the local device can't play a sound file in the format it was saved. Use a different format/ convert to a usable format and play as required. 

[PinkElephant 8,105]

Unfortunately EN uses different audio formats on desktop, iOS and Android. To run an audio on a device with a different OS, usually downloading it to a player able to handle the formats will do the trick. And no, no idea why they would do something like this on a "unified" app:

https://help.evernote.com/hc/en-us/articles/208314418

 

[gewappnet 79]

I think the important sentence on the help page is:

• Audio recorded on the new Evernote for Mac or Windows will not play back on the new Evernote for iOS at this time.

I think THAT is really bad. They should change that asap.

[LukaszK 0]

Hello, issue still appear, recorded on win11, iOS 16.1.2 won't plan Error: Could not play audio.

I'am here from first google result.

 

[PinkElephant 8,105]

Read my post 2 posts above yours. Then you know that the different clients use different audio formats to record audio.

You can try to open the audio file outside of EN, and play it with a player that supports .webm audio files.

P.S. Reading a thread before posting blindly is often a good idea …

[gewappnet 79]

7 minutes ago, PinkElephant said:

You can try to open the audio file outside of EN, and play it with a player that supports .webm audio files.

I think his point is more about the error message and I would say strange display. Audio recordings of the desktop versions are in fact not displayed in the mobile version as an unknown unplayable file format (.webm). They are displayed as playable audio files incl. a full player interface. But if you press the play button within the player (of Evernote!) it gives this strange error message. This should not happen. Either make the built-in player of the mobile version play .webm files or display the .webm files just as attached files so you could use another app for opening,.

[LukaszK 0]

27 minutes ago, PinkElephant said:

Read my post 2 posts above yours. Then you know that the different clients use different audio formats to record audio.

You can try to open the audio file outside of EN, and play it with a player that supports .webm audio files.

P.S. Reading a thread before posting blindly is often a good idea …

I can read and I understand but I'm still a customer and we are now in next year in compare with previous posts and I get an error in application. In my opinion this should be reworked, because as I know there are not audio formatting knowledge required for use evernote.

I think it is good for refresh this topic especially in case when I found this topic from first google search result.

[gazumped 11,664]

Just to make sure everyone is on the same page:

I am a user,  like most of the posters and commenters here.  Evernote are happy for users to post and respond to comments and issues but this is not Evernote Support and we very rarely see a direct response from Staff.  Admin and Development staff read posts to get feedback,  not to provide it.

Any suggestions from us for work-arounds do not imply that we approve of any current limits or exclusions from Evernote's feature set.  It's just a suggestion for ways to keep on working despite any perceived issues.  Feedback directly to Evernote is available through this Forum,  links in most apps,  and via Support.

However contacting Support will get you a ticket number,  a place in their help queue,  and - within a few days - a direct human response.  Comments here and feedback generally will wait until someone from Evernote actually reads it.  There will,  in most cases,  be no official response.

With all that said:  the point that Evernote's audio file formats depend on the device on which a file has been recorded,  and playback may not always work transparently for the user has been made here. 

The current answer is to find an app capable of playing the clip,  go back to the original device and play it there,  or find an app that can transcribe the clip into something playable. 

There's nothing more to say here.  If you're a subscriber please vote above and contact Support;  if not,  please vote this feature anyway to support the issue.  I will note that with a massive 1 vote in 2+ years so far it's unlikely that Evernote will give this much attention.

Support:  https://help.evernote.com/hc/requests/new