Microphone replacement without data loss

This guide is for planned or critical phone swaps where you want minimal transcript gaps. If you only need a fast replacement during a normal session, start with [Replacing a phone mid-session](/guides/setup/replacing-a-phone-mid-session).

Quick path:

1. Prepare the replacement phone before disconnecting the old one.
2. Ask the table to pause for 10-15 seconds while the new phone joins.
3. Confirm fresh transcript lines appear in the correct group.
4. Ask one participant to restate the latest decision in one sentence.
5. Log swap time for post-session verification.

What "minimal data loss" means in practice

In a live workshop, zero loss is rarely realistic. The practical goal is controlled loss: no critical decision or ownership point should disappear in the handoff.

Success means the table keeps momentum and key statements can be re-anchored immediately after the swap.

Controlled handoff in three phases

Phase 1 - Prepare:

• open the same session on the replacement phone
• confirm microphone permissions
• ask the table to finish the current sentence

Phase 2 - Swap:

• disconnect the old phone
• connect the replacement to the same group
• wait for new transcript activity

Phase 3 - Verify:

• restate the latest decision
• confirm text lands in the right table
• continue discussion

If the new phone is still unstable after about one minute, switch to [Reconnecting a disconnected device](/guides/setup/reconnecting-a-disconnected-device).

Common swap failures

The most common issue is dual capture: the old phone is still active while the new phone starts sending. That can create overlapping segments and noisy summaries. If that happens, see [Preventing duplicate summaries](/guides/advanced/preventing-duplicate-summaries).

Another issue is wrong-group assignment. Symptom: one table suddenly receives another table's text. Stop, move the phone to the correct group, and run a short verbal reset.

Post-swap check that saves cleanup time

After the session, review five minutes around swap time and check whether:

• a decision is missing
• ownership is wrong
• the same decision appears twice

This takes little time and reduces manual cleanup before reporting.

Related guides

• [Replacing a phone mid-session](/guides/setup/replacing-a-phone-mid-session)
• [Reconnecting a disconnected device](/guides/setup/reconnecting-a-disconnected-device)
• [Preventing duplicate summaries](/guides/advanced/preventing-duplicate-summaries)
• [How revision-aware summaries work](/guides/advanced/how-revision-aware-summaries-work)
• [Troubleshooting transcription latency](/guides/advanced/troubleshooting-transcription-latency)