The Extension That Went Quiet

Echo captures browser media through a companion extension. When that connection drops, tracks you play in the browser won't appear in your history. The good news is the fix is almost always one of a handful of simple checks.

How Do I Fix the Echo Extension Not Capturing?

Work through these steps in order. Most people find the answer by step three.

1. Confirm the extension is installed. Open your browser's extension or add-ons manager and look for Echo in the list. If it isn't there, install it from the listing for your browser and restart the browser once it finishes.
2. Check that the extension is enabled. Extensions can be installed but toggled off. In your browser's extension manager, make sure the Echo extension shows as active, not paused or disabled.
3. Check site permissions. Some browsers ask extensions to request permission before running on each site. If Echo hasn't been granted access to the site you're using, it can't see what's playing. Look for the extension icon in your browser's toolbar while a supported site is open, and follow any prompt to allow access on that site.
4. Make sure Echo is running. The extension needs the Echo desktop app open in the menu bar to work. If Echo isn't running, open it, then reload the tab you were using.
5. Reload the tab. If you installed or re-enabled the extension while the tab was already open, the page won't have loaded with the extension active. Reload the tab and play something again.
6. Restart the browser. A full browser restart clears most extension conflicts. Quit the browser entirely (not just close the window), reopen it, and try again.

Which Browsers Does the Extension Support?

The Echo extension is available for Chrome and other Chromium-based browsers. If you're using a browser the extension doesn't support, browser history won't be captured for that browser. See setting up the Echo extension for the full list of supported browsers.

Does This Affect Native App Capture?

No. The extension and native-app capture are independent. If the extension isn't working, Echo will still capture everything playing in native apps like Apple Music, Spotify (desktop), Podcasts, and others without any issues. Only browser-based playback relies on the extension.

What If None of These Steps Work?

If you've been through all the checks and the extension still isn't capturing, it's worth checking whether your browser has any content or script blocking settings that might be interfering. Extensions, ad blockers, or strict tracking-protection modes can sometimes prevent other extensions from communicating with the page. Try temporarily disabling other extensions to see if one of them is the cause.

Also check that Echo has the permissions it needs on macOS. Occasionally a missing system permission can prevent the app from receiving data from the extension even when the extension itself is set up correctly.