Presenter '13: Audio Is Missing or Lost

If your audio is missing, it means one or more of the following scenarios is true.

Your Software Is Out-of-Date

Make sure your Articulate software is up to date to take advantage of all the new features and fixes. Download the latest version here.

Installing the latest update won't restore missing audio, but it'll keep you from encountering known issues in the future.

You're Working on a Network Drive or a USB Drive

Be sure your presentation is located on your local hard drive (this is typically your C: drive). Working on a network drive or a USB (external) drive can cause erratic behavior due to latency, including the loss of audio resources. See Tips for Managing Project Files.

The Articulate Add-in Is Disabled in PowerPoint

If the Articulate add-in is disabled in PowerPoint, recorded or imported audio may not get saved. See this article to re-enable the add-in.

There's an -old.ppta File in the Same Folder Where Your Presentation Is Stored

What is the -old.ppta file, and how did it get there?

As a safeguard, Articulate Presenter will add -old to the end of the ppta file name if it becomes locked by another user or computer service, or if it becomes temporarily inaccessible for any reason. Some scenarios where this can occur—though not all possibilities—are described below. (The -old.ppta file should contain your missing audio; see the next section for recovery instructions.)

1. The ppta file is locked by another service: If another computer service (for example, a backup service) accesses the ppta file while you're working with it, Presenter may not be able to update the file with new information. In this scenario, Presenter renames the ppta file to <presentation>-old.ppta, and a new (empty) ppta file is generated.
2. You create a copy of an existing presentation: When you use the Save As command in PowerPoint to create a copy of a presentation, Presenter also copies the corresponding ppta file. This can cause a conflict if there is already a ppta file with the same name. Rather than overwriting the existing ppta file, Presenter renames the file to <presentation>-old.ppta.
3. You have a *.ppt and a *.pptx file in the same folder with the same name: If you have a *.ppt and a *.pptx file in the same folder with the same name, the Articulate ppta file for both presentations will have the same name. If you switch back and forth between the two presentations, Presenter will change the name of the ppta file to <presentation>-old.ppta and create a new (empty) ppta file.
4. You move the PowerPoint presentation to a folder where there is already a ppta file with the same name: If Presenter detects that you've moved a PowerPoint presentation, it'll copy the corresponding ppta file to the new location to keep your resources intact. If there's already a ppta file in the new location with the same name, Presenter will change the name of the file to <presentation>-old.ppta and create a new (empty) ppta file.

How do I restore audio from an -old.ppta file?

If you see an -old.ppta file, you can easily reconnect it with your PowerPoint file to restore your missing audio. Here’s how:

1. Close PowerPoint.
2. Rename or delete the new (empty) ppta file to break its link with the PowerPoint file.
3. Then, make sure the PowerPoint file and the original ppta file (i.e., the -old.ppta file) are located in the same folder.
4. Remove “-old” from the ppta file name, so it has the same name as the PowerPoint file.

As long as the PowerPoint file and the original ppta file are in the same folder and have the same name, they'll re-link and your audio will be restored.

You've Moved or Renamed Your PowerPoint File

Moving or renaming the PowerPoint file could break the link between the PowerPoint file and its corresponding ppta file, which will make it appear that your audio is missing. To restore your missing audio:

1. Close PowerPoint.
2. Go to the folder where your presentation is stored and locate the new (empty) ppta file, which has the same name as the PowerPoint file.
3. Rename or delete the new ppta file to break its link with the PowerPoint file.
4. Place the original ppta file in the same folder as the PowerPoint file, and make sure it has the same name as the PowerPoint file. (If you moved the PowerPoint file, you may need to check the original folder where it was stored to locate the original ppta file.)

As long as the PowerPoint file and the original ppta file are in the same folder and have the same name, they'll re-link and your audio will be restored.

If you need to move your project files, create an Articulate Package that contains a copy of all the project's resources, then transfer it to the new location and extract it.

Your PowerPoint File Is Stored in a Folder with the Same Name

We recommended that you don't save a PowerPoint file in a folder with the exact same name as the PowerPoint file.

Saving a PowerPoint file in a folder with the same name as the PowerPoint file doesn't cause loss of audio resources. However, if you also publish to the folder one level above the folder where your PowerPoint file is stored, you'll overwrite your ppta file and lose your Articulate resources (including audio).

Your Project Files Are Hidden

If your project files are hidden, they won't work properly. When files are hidden, their icons usually look faded or grayed out. Here's how to unhide your files:

1. Close PowerPoint.
2. Right-click the files and select Properties.
3. Uncheck the Hidden box.
4. Click OK.

If there's an -old.ppta file as a result of your files being hidden, follow the steps in the section above, "How do I restore audio from an -old.ppta file?".