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Common Issues

Solutions for common AssisT problems — features not working, performance issues, and more.

Quick Fixes

Before diving into specific issues, try these universal solutions:

  1. Refresh the page — Many issues resolve after a reload
  2. Restart Chrome — Clears stuck extension states
  3. Check if feature is enabled — Toggle it off and on in the popup
  4. Update the extension — Go to chrome://extensions, enable Developer Mode, click Update

Installation Issues

Extension Won’t Install

Symptoms: Install button doesn’t work, error message during install.

Solutions:

  1. Check Chrome version — AssisT requires Chrome 88+
  2. Clear Chrome cache: Settings → Privacy → Clear browsing data
  3. Disable other extensions temporarily
  4. Try installing from Chrome Web Store in Incognito mode
  5. Restart Chrome and try again

Extension Icon Missing

Symptoms: AssisT installed but icon not in toolbar.

Solutions:

  1. Click the puzzle piece icon in Chrome toolbar
  2. Find AssisT in the list
  3. Click the pin icon to keep it visible
  4. If not in list, check chrome://extensions to verify installation

Extension Keeps Disabling

Symptoms: Extension turns off after browser restart.

Solutions:

  1. Check if your organization manages Chrome (enterprise policy)
  2. Verify extension isn’t corrupted: remove and reinstall
  3. Check Chrome settings for extension management restrictions
  4. Some antivirus software blocks extensions — add exception

Text-to-Speech (TTS) Issues

No Sound

Symptoms: TTS enabled, press play, no audio.

Solutions:

  1. Check system volume isn’t muted
  2. Check Chrome’s site-specific volume (click lock icon → Site settings)
  3. Try a different voice in TTS settings
  4. Test with another website
  5. Restart Chrome

TTS Stops Mid-Sentence

Symptoms: Reading starts then stops unexpectedly.

Solutions:

  1. Click back in the page window (focus may have shifted)
  2. Check if page has auto-refresh or dynamic content
  3. Press Ctrl+Shift+Space to resume
  4. For PDFs: try Reading Mode first

Voice Sounds Wrong

Symptoms: Robotic, wrong language, or distorted voice.

Solutions:

  1. Select a different voice in TTS settings
  2. Install better voices through your OS settings
  3. Adjust pitch and rate slightly
  4. Windows: Install neural voices from Settings → Time & Language → Speech

Highlighting Not Following

Symptoms: TTS plays but word highlighting doesn’t work.

Solutions:

  1. Check “Highlight enabled” in TTS settings
  2. Refresh the page
  3. Some dynamically-loaded content doesn’t support highlighting
  4. Try Reading Mode for consistent highlighting

Speech-to-Text (STT) Issues

Microphone Not Working

Symptoms: Click microphone, nothing happens.

Solutions:

  1. Check Chrome has microphone permission: chrome://settings/content/microphone
  2. Select correct microphone in Chrome settings
  3. Test microphone in another app
  4. Check if another app is using the microphone
  5. Restart Chrome

Low Recognition Accuracy

Symptoms: Words transcribed incorrectly.

Solutions:

  1. Speak clearly and at moderate pace
  2. Reduce background noise
  3. Get closer to microphone
  4. Try a different browser microphone
  5. Add problem words to custom vocabulary

Voice Commands Not Recognized

Symptoms: Commands like “delete last word” don’t work.

Solutions:

  1. Speak command clearly after brief pause
  2. Check voice commands are enabled in settings
  3. Use exact command wording (see reference guide)
  4. Some commands only work in specific contexts

Reading Mode Issues

Reading Mode Won’t Activate

Symptoms: Click Reading Mode, nothing happens.

Solutions:

  1. Some pages don’t have readable content (login pages, apps)
  2. Try on an article page with body text
  3. Refresh and try again
  4. Press Alt+R as alternative activation

Content Missing in Reading Mode

Symptoms: Article text incomplete or missing sections.

Solutions:

  1. Page may use unusual markup
  2. Dynamic content may not be captured
  3. Try selecting specific text before Reading Mode
  4. Some paywalled content can’t be extracted

Visual Features Issues

Dark Mode Not Working

Symptoms: Toggle Dark Mode, page stays light.

Solutions:

  1. Some sites override dark mode with !important CSS
  2. Try different Dark Mode preset
  3. Use Screen Overlay as alternative
  4. Some web apps (Gmail, Google Docs) have their own dark mode

Color Overlay Not Visible

Symptoms: Toggle overlay, no color change appears.

Solutions:

  1. Increase overlay opacity
  2. Check if Dark Mode is also active (may conflict)
  3. Some sites use complex layering that blocks overlays
  4. Try Reading Mode + Overlay combination

Font Changes Not Applying

Symptoms: Select font, text doesn’t change.

Solutions:

  1. Some sites force fonts with !important CSS
  2. Refresh page after changing settings
  3. Try “Force colors” option
  4. Reading Mode applies fonts more reliably

Focus Mode Issues

Spotlight Not Appearing

Symptoms: Enable Focus Mode, no dimming or spotlight.

Solutions:

  1. Check if another overlay feature is active
  2. Refresh the page
  3. Try Alt+F toggle
  4. Move mouse to trigger spotlight

Spotlight Too Small/Large

Symptoms: Can’t see enough content in spotlight.

Solutions:

  1. Use + and - keys to resize
  2. Adjust size in Focus Mode settings
  3. Try different spotlight shape (Circle → Rectangle)

Annotation Issues

Notes Disappearing

Symptoms: Create notes, they’re gone on page refresh.

Solutions:

  1. Annotations are URL-specific — check you’re on same page
  2. Check if URL changed (www vs non-www, http vs https)
  3. Verify notes in “View Annotations” panel
  4. Clear browser cache may remove notes — export regularly

Can’t Create Notes

Symptoms: Shortcut or button doesn’t create note.

Solutions:

  1. Check Annotations feature is enabled
  2. Try clicking page first to ensure focus
  3. Some interactive pages block note creation
  4. Try creating from highlight menu instead of shortcut

Performance Issues

Extension Making Chrome Slow

Symptoms: Chrome lags when AssisT is enabled.

Solutions:

  1. Disable features you’re not using
  2. Reduce number of simultaneous features active
  3. Check Chrome Task Manager (Shift+Esc) for memory usage
  4. Restart Chrome to clear accumulated memory
  5. Disable on heavy sites (social media, video sites)

High CPU Usage

Symptoms: Fan spinning, computer hot when using AssisT.

Solutions:

  1. TTS with highlighting uses significant CPU — reduce on weak devices
  2. Disable features when not needed
  3. Close other resource-heavy tabs
  4. Some features + complex pages = high load

Page Load Delays

Symptoms: Pages take longer to load with AssisT.

Solutions:

  1. Disable “Auto-apply” features
  2. Let page fully load before enabling features
  3. Some features analyze page content on load
  4. Consider using features on-demand rather than always-on

Keyboard Shortcuts Not Working

Shortcut Does Nothing

Symptoms: Press shortcut, feature doesn’t activate.

Solutions:

  1. Check feature is enabled first
  2. Click in page content (not address bar or other UI)
  3. Another extension may use same shortcut
  4. Check shortcut hasn’t been customized differently
  5. Some shortcuts only work in specific contexts (modals, etc.)

Shortcut Conflicts

Symptoms: Wrong action happens when pressing shortcut.

Solutions:

  1. Go to AssisT Settings → Shortcuts
  2. Change conflicting shortcut to new key combination
  3. Check Chrome’s global shortcuts: chrome://extensions/shortcuts
  4. Disable conflicting extensions

Reset and Recovery

Reset All Settings

If AssisT is behaving strangely:

  1. Click AssisT icon
  2. Click Settings (gear icon)
  3. Scroll to bottom
  4. Click Reset to Defaults
  5. Confirm reset
  6. Reconfigure preferences

Complete Reinstall

For persistent issues:

  1. Go to chrome://extensions
  2. Find AssisT
  3. Click Remove
  4. Restart Chrome
  5. Reinstall from Chrome Web Store
  6. Reconfigure settings

Note: Reinstalling removes saved annotations and custom settings. Export settings first if possible.

Getting More Help

Information to Include

When reporting issues, include:

  • Chrome version (chrome://version)
  • AssisT version (from popup footer)
  • Which feature is affected
  • Steps to reproduce the issue
  • Screenshot if visual issue

Contact Options

For Educators & Parents

Student-Specific Troubleshooting

IssueFirst Check
”It’s not working”Is the feature toggled on?
”I can’t hear it”Check system volume, headphones
”It looks different”Different Chrome profile/device
”My notes are gone”Different URL or Chrome profile

Classroom Checklist

Before class:

  • AssisT installed on all devices
  • Features tested on lesson content
  • Students know how to enable needed features
  • Backup plan if technology fails

When to Escalate

Contact IT support if:

  • Extension won’t install (may be organization policy)
  • Consistent issues across multiple students
  • Features that worked before suddenly don’t
  • Error messages you don’t understand