Askable Sessions is Askable's built-in, browser-based video call tool for moderated interviews. No downloads, automatic meeting links, recordings and transcripts in your account. Here is how to use it from setup to download.
Add Askable Sessions to a study
When you create an interview (video call) study, choose Askable Sessions as your video call tool during setup. That's it; Sessions is attached to your study, and 5 credits per participant are added to the study cost. Submit the study for review as usual.
If you would rather run sessions on Zoom, Teams or Meet, see How to use a third party video call tool on Askable.
Before your session
You don't need to send links. Participants are emailed their session link 15 minutes before the start time, and can also join from their Askable account or mobile app.
Find your own meeting link in the study calendar, or via the dropdown next to the participant's name in the participant list.
Join the lobby 5 to 10 minutes early to check your camera, microphone and audio settings.
Check browser permissions for camera and microphone in advance: Askable Sessions Troubleshooting.
Start the session when ready. Participants wait in the lobby until you let them in.
Admit observers as they arrive. You will be notified when observers ask to join, and you can allow or deny each one. Observers are hidden from the call but their names appear in the attendee list. See Askable Sessions FAQs for the full role breakdown.
Mobile only studies
If your study is set to mobile only, participants download the Askable app (App Store or Google Play) and join from My opportunities. As the facilitator, you still join from your desktop browser.
During the session
Recording is not automatic. When you are ready to start capturing, click Record Call in the top left of the call interface. A timer confirms the session is recording. Once started, recording cannot be stopped for the rest of the session. If nobody starts the recording, there is nothing to play back later, so make it part of your session ritual.
You can also control what is captured (camera, microphone, screen) from your study's ⋯ menu under Recording settings.
Blur your background for extra privacy: with your camera on, open the ⋯ menu in the bottom navigation and select Blur background. Toggle it off the same way.
Adjust audio and video from the ⋯ menu during the call, or in the lobby before you join.
Change the session layout to focus on what matters (speaker, screen share, grid). Auto layout is the default.
After the session
Make sure everyone has left the call. Recordings only start processing once all attendees have exited, and processing time depends on session length.
In the participant list, click View session next to the participant to open playback with the recording, transcript and notes.
To download, open the menu in the top right of playback and select Download video. The video opens in a new tab where you can save the MP4 locally.
The recording layout is dynamic: if someone shares their screen partway through, the recording switches to that layout at the same point.
If the recording doesn't appear, see Askable Sessions Troubleshooting.
Try a demo session
Want to look around before your first real session? While logged in to your client account, go to sessions.askable.com and start an impromptu call.