> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.mavioapp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Bot Not Joining

> Troubleshoot and fix issues when the Mavio meeting bot fails to join your call.

If the Mavio meeting bot is not joining your meetings, work through this guide to diagnose and resolve the issue. The most common causes are permission restrictions, meeting configuration, and calendar sync problems.

## Quick diagnosis

Start by checking the meeting status in your Mavio dashboard:

1. Go to **Meetings** in the sidebar.
2. Find the meeting in question.
3. Check its status:

| Status        | Meaning                             | Next step                                   |
| ------------- | ----------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| **Scheduled** | Bot has not attempted to join yet   | Wait until the meeting start time           |
| **Joining**   | Bot is currently attempting to join | Wait 30-60 seconds                          |
| **Recording** | Bot joined successfully             | No issue — bot is active                    |
| **Failed**    | Bot could not join                  | Hover to see the failure reason — see below |
| **Not found** | Meeting does not appear             | Calendar sync issue — see below             |

## Common failure reasons

### "Bot not admitted"

The bot joined the meeting's waiting room or lobby but no one admitted it within 5 minutes.

**Fix:**

* Look for **Mavio Notetaker** in the waiting room and click **Admit**
* Ask the meeting host to admit the bot
* Configure your meeting platform to auto-admit the bot:
  * **Zoom:** Meeting settings > Waiting Room > Allow authenticated users to bypass
  * **Google Meet:** Google Workspace admin > Meet settings > Allow external participants
  * **Teams:** Meeting options > Who can bypass the lobby > Everyone

<Tip>
  Tell your team to expect "Mavio Notetaker" in the waiting room. Once they admit it the first time, they will recognize it in future meetings.
</Tip>

### "External participants blocked"

Your organization's meeting platform admin has blocked external participants from joining.

**Fix:**

* Contact your IT admin and request one of the following:
  * Allow external guests in meeting settings
  * Allowlist the domain `bot.mavioapp.com`
  * Add the Mavio bot email to your trusted contacts
* As a workaround, use the [browser extension](/documentation/apps/browser-extension) or [system audio capture](/documentation/recording/system-audio-capture) instead

### "Meeting link invalid"

The meeting link in your calendar event is malformed, expired, or missing.

**Fix:**

* Open the calendar event and verify the meeting link is present and correct
* For Zoom, ensure the link is a full URL (not just a meeting ID)
* For Google Meet, the link should look like `meet.google.com/xxx-xxxx-xxx`
* For Teams, the link should start with `https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/`

### "Meeting ended before bot joined"

The meeting ended or was cancelled before the bot could join.

**Fix:**

* If the meeting was very short (under 2 minutes), the bot may not have had time to join
* Ensure the meeting start time in your calendar matches the actual start time
* For ad-hoc meetings, use **Record now** in the dashboard as soon as the meeting starts

### "Bot already in meeting"

Another Mavio bot instance is already recording this meeting (often from a teammate's account).

**Fix:**

* Only one Mavio bot can join a meeting at a time. Coordinate with your team to designate one person's bot, or use team settings to share recordings automatically
* On Team and Enterprise plans, the workspace owner's bot takes priority

## Calendar sync is not detecting the meeting

If the meeting does not appear in Mavio at all:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Check calendar connection">
    **Settings > Integrations > Google Calendar** should show **Connected**. If disconnected, reconnect.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify the calendar is selected">
    Click **Manage calendars** and ensure the calendar containing the meeting is toggled on.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm the meeting has a link">
    Mavio only detects meetings with a supported meeting link (Zoom, Google Meet, or Teams) in the event details. Events without links are ignored.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Force sync">
    Click **Sync now** to pull the latest calendar data.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Auto-join is off for this meeting

The bot may not join because auto-join is disabled:

1. Check **Settings > Recording > Auto-join meetings** — is it toggled on?
2. Check your auto-join filters. The meeting may be excluded by:
   * **Minimum attendees** filter (meeting has fewer participants than required)
   * **Keyword filter** (meeting title does not match required keywords)
   * **Keyword exclusion** (meeting title contains an excluded keyword)
3. Check the per-meeting toggle on the meeting card in the dashboard. It may have been manually turned off.

## Platform-specific troubleshooting

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Zoom">
    * **Waiting room:** Host must admit the bot. Alternatively, configure Zoom to bypass the waiting room for authenticated users.
    * **Meeting password:** The bot reads the password from the calendar link. If the password was changed after the link was created, the bot cannot join. Share the updated link.
    * **Host-only join:** If "Only authenticated users can join" is enabled, the bot may be blocked. Disable this or allowlist the Mavio bot.
    * **Webinar vs. meeting:** The bot joins meetings, not webinars. Ensure your event is a standard Zoom meeting.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Google Meet">
    * **Workspace admin restrictions:** Google Workspace admins can block external participants. Contact your admin to enable external access.
    * **Personal Gmail meetings:** The bot must be manually admitted by a participant. There is no way to auto-admit on personal accounts.
    * **Quick meetings:** Instant meetings (not from calendar) require manual recording via **Record now**.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Microsoft Teams">
    * **Lobby restrictions:** Meeting organizers can configure lobby settings. Ask the organizer to set "Who can bypass the lobby" to **Everyone** or to admit the bot manually.
    * **External access disabled:** Teams admins can block all external users. Request that your admin allow external access or add `mavioapp.com` to the allow list.
    * **Channel meetings vs. scheduled meetings:** The bot supports both, but channel meetings require the meeting link to be in the calendar event.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Alternative recording methods

If the bot consistently cannot join your meetings due to organizational restrictions, consider these alternatives:

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Browser Extension" icon="puzzle-piece" href="/documentation/apps/browser-extension">
    Record from your browser tab — no bot needed, invisible to other participants.
  </Card>

  <Card title="System Audio Capture" icon="volume-high" href="/documentation/recording/system-audio-capture">
    Capture all system audio via the desktop app.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Mobile Recording" icon="mobile" href="/documentation/recording/mobile-recording">
    Record in-person meetings with your phone.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Warning>
  If your organization blocks the bot due to security policy, using alternative recording methods may still be subject to your organization's recording policies. Check with your IT and legal teams before recording.
</Warning>