Webinar FAQs

What software do you use?

We use Adobe Connect software because it allows us to deliver various virtual experiences focusing on the audience experience as a learning platform rather than a meeting software like Zoom and Microsoft Teams. It allows us to offer different training methods via an online platform.

Registering and joining a webinar

When you register for a webinar, you will receive an email confirming your registration and a follow-up email as a reminder for the webinar the day before.

Please note that the webinar rooms will only open 20 minutes before the session, and you will not be able to join the webinar until the room is open.

When the room is open, you will see the option to join as a guest, and it will ask you for your name.

A note on browsers

One thing to note is that Adobe Connect cannot fully function on older web browsers such as Internet Explorer; there will be difficulties with sound and (often) picture quality. We recommend Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome and Safari for a better experience.

Why can't I hear the audio?

Historic England webinars are best viewed using a web browser set to allow audio to play automatically. If you experience issues with the audio during a webinar, please check the following settings.

On your laptop or desktop computer, you can adjust your audio policies as follows:

Google Chrome

1. Open Chrome
2. In the URL bar, click on ‘View Site Information’
3. In the drop-down menu, select ‘Site settings’
4. Locate the ‘Sound’ option and select ‘Allow’

Firefox

1. Open Firefox
2. Select the ‘Open application menu’ button in the top right corner of the browser
3. In the drop-down menu, select ‘Settings’
4. Select ‘Privacy and Security’
5. Scroll down and select Autoplay (settings)
6. Set your default to ‘Allow Audio and Video’

Microsoft Edge

1. Open Microsoft Edge
2. Select the ‘Settings and more’ button in the top right corner of the browser
3. Select ‘Settings’
4. Select ‘Privacy, search and services’ select ’Site permissions’
5. Select ‘All permissions’
6. Select ‘Media autoplay’
7. Using the ‘Control if audio and video play automatically on sites’ option, choose ‘Allow’

Safari

1. Open Safari.
2. Click the ‘Safari’ option in the top menu bar and select ‘Settings’ (or Preferences on older macOS versions)
3. Select the ‘Websites’ tab at the top of the settings window
4. Choose ‘Auto-Play’ from the left-hand sidebar
5. At the bottom right, next to ‘When visiting other websites, ’ click the drop-down menu and select ‘Allow All Auto-Play’

Why does my microphone or camera not work?

Historic England webinars do not usually allow microphone or camera access to attendees. If you are attending an online workshop, where you would expect to have this access, your browser may need permission to allow the use of the camera or microphone.

Chrome

Open Chrome.

1. Open Chrome
2. At the top right, click More Settings
3. Under 'Privacy and security', click Site settings
4. Click Camera or Microphone

Turn on or off Ask before accessing.

• Review your blocked and allowed sites
• To remove an existing exception or permission: To the right of the site, click Delete
• To allow a site that you already blocked: Under 'Blocked', select the site's name and change the camera or microphone permission to 'Allow'

You can select a default microphone to use on different sites.

5. Open Chrome
6. At the top right, click More Settings
7. Under 'Privacy and security', click Site settings Microphone
8. To select a default microphone, click the Down arrow

Microsoft Edge

You can use your camera and microphone for websites in Microsoft Edge. However, even when your camera and microphone are enabled for Microsoft Edge, you will still need to give individual websites permission before they can use your camera and microphone.

Here’s how:

• Go to a website that wants to use your microphone and/or camera
• If a dialogue box appears asking if you want to give the website permission to use your camera or microphone, select Allow once or Always allow, or close the dialog box to block access

If you have previously turned it off, you can:
1. In Microsoft Edge, select Settings and more and then select Settings
2. Select Advanced settings, and then under Website permissions, select Manage permissions
3. Select the website you want to manage
4. Under Camera or Microphone, turn the switch to Off to disable access for that website

Safari

In the Safari app on your Mac, use the Website's preferences to customize how you browse individual websites.
To change these preferences, choose Safari > Preferences, then click Websites.
To apply a setting to a website on the right, first select the setting, then choose the option you want from the pop-menu next to the website.

• Camera
  Ask: The site must ask if it can use the camera on your Mac
  Deny: The site can’t use your camera
  Allow: The site can always use your camera
• Microphone
  Ask: The site must ask if it can use the microphone on your Mac
  Deny: The site can’t use your microphone
  Allow: The site can always use your microphone