The Ultimate Hack to Slay "Can You Hear Me?" Woes on Video Calls 

We've all been there - desperately pleading with the virtual meeting gods to let the other side hear us. But fear not, AI has a neat solution for that awkward "can you hear me?" moment. 

Thanks to automated subtitles, you can test your audio before any high-stakes meeting, be it a job interview or a "skip level" chat with your boss's boss's boss (ah, the joys of corporate hierarchy!). With remote work being the norm, these virtual meet-ups are inevitable.

Here's how to put those subtitles to work: Log in a few minutes early, locate the three magical dots, and turn on subtitles (or "Ondertiteling aan" for our Dutch friends). Then, turn on your mic and utter the sacred phrase: "Can you hear me? This is an amazing test to check whether audio is working." 

If those very words appear, congratulations! Your audio is A-OK. Celebrate with a screenshot, perhaps throwing in a fun fact about the date or an icebreaker joke (keep it family-friendly, folks). 

Now, you can choose to keep the subtitles on or off. Some might find them distracting when speaking, while others appreciate the support with accents or fast talkers. And let's not forget our non-native speaker pals who can follow along more easily.


Once you've captured your audio victory, share that screenshot in the chat. Not only have you flexed your tech skills, but you've also kicked off some friendly banter with those fun facts and icebreakers (no awkward silences here!).

The first person to successfully generate the "Can you hear me?" test using automated subtitles should also take a screenshot of the dial-in phone number. Share this in the chat, just in case anyone's still struggling with their audio. That way, no one has to awkwardly request the number, and if everyone's audio fails, it might indicate a system-wide issue.


So there you have it, a surefire way to banish those "can you hear me?" woes, courtesy of AI and a touch of humor. Now, let's make those virtual meetings a little less virtual and a lot more engaging!


If we all start doing these pre-call audio tests, it'll nudge virtual meeting platforms to proactively solve audio problems and improve accessibility. Recruiters, take note! Sharing this strategy ensures a comfortable hiring experience for candidates.

Soon, we'll scale this hack to all virtual video systems, spreading the word far and wide. Because at the end of the day, no one wants to feel helpless or stressed. With a little humor and ingenuity, we can make the world a better, less awkward place for virtual meetings. We have started out now with google meets, but we will soon also provide the versions for other video call systems.