If you can press the mic button but nothing's happening — or you're not getting the option to record at all — the most common cause is that Palteca doesn't have permission to use your microphone. Here's how to fix it.
(If recording works but Speaking isn't recognizing what you say, check out the article Why is Speaking not recognizing what I am saying? instead.)
Make sure nothing else is using your microphone
Before changing any settings, quickly check:
You're not on a phone call (or a video/voice call in another app)
No background music or audio is playing from another app
No other app is actively using the mic (like a voice recorder or video call app)
Give Palteca microphone permission
When you first try a Speaking exercise, the app asks for permission to use your microphone. If you tapped Don't Allow, you'll need to enable it manually in your device settings. (On iOS, after a few denials, the app isn't allowed to ask again — so you'll need to enable it from Settings yourself.)
On iOS (iPhone or iPad)
Open the Settings app on your device
Scroll down and tap Palteca
Toggle Microphone on
On Android
The exact path varies a little depending on your phone, but it's generally:
Open the Settings app on your device
Tap Apps (or Apps & notifications)
Find and tap Palteca
Tap Permissions
Tap Microphone and select Allow
Still not working? Try a hard close
If permissions look correct but recording still isn't working, try fully closing the Palteca app and reopening it:
iOS: Swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or double-press the Home button on older devices), then swipe the Palteca app card up and away. Then tap the Palteca icon to reopen it.
Android: Tap the recent apps button (usually a square or three vertical lines), then swipe the Palteca app card away. Then tap the Palteca icon to reopen it.
This refreshes the app and often resolves issues with the microphone not connecting properly.