Fix Pluely v1 Transcription Lag or Overlapping Text

Realtime transcription is inherently a moving target — words appear as interim guesses and get corrected as more audio arrives. Some lag and self-correction is normal. But if you're seeing persistent delay, lines overlapping between speakers, or text that keeps overriding itself well after it should have settled, there are a few concrete things to check.

Understand interim vs. final text

Pluely's live transcription streams words in two phases: an interim guess that appears almost instantly, and a final version that locks in a moment later once the audio for that phrase is fully processed. If you're only reading interim text, it can look like it's "rewriting itself" — this is expected. The issue is worth troubleshooting only if:

• Lines take many seconds to ever finalize.
• Text from one speaker regularly overwrites or interleaves incorrectly with the other speaker's text.
• The whole overlay visibly falls further and further behind live audio over time.

1. Update to the latest Pluely v1

Two-speaker separation and interim/final handling in Listen mode have been specifically improved in recent Pluely v1 releases — overlapping and overriding text between you and the other speaker was a known rough edge that newer builds address directly. Before anything else, confirm you're current:

1. Open Pluely's update check (in Settings or the app's about section).
2. Install any available update and relaunch.
3. Start a fresh Listen session and re-test.

Go to Installation if you need to grab the latest build manually.

2. Check your internet connection

Live transcription streams audio to Pluely's managed transcription in real time, so a slow or unstable connection directly causes lag and choppy, overlapping output.

• Test your connection speed and stability separately from Pluely.
• Avoid heavy simultaneous uploads/downloads (large file syncs, other video calls) while running Listen mode.
• If you're on Wi-Fi, try moving closer to your router or switching to a wired connection for important sessions.
• Corporate VPNs and aggressive firewalls can add latency or interfere with the streaming connection — test on a different network if you suspect this.

3. Don't run multiple Listen sessions at once

Starting more than one Listen session simultaneously (for example, in two windows, or restarting a session without fully stopping the previous one) can cause competing audio streams that produce exactly the overlapping/overriding symptoms described here.

1. Always press Stop and confirm the session has ended before starting a new one.
2. If the overlay seems stuck mid-session, restart Pluely entirely rather than layering a new session on top.
3. Avoid switching input devices mid-session, since that can also cause a stream to restart unexpectedly.

4. Reduce background load on your machine

Heavy CPU or memory pressure from other apps can delay local audio buffering before it's even sent for transcription, adding to perceived lag. Close unnecessary apps during important Listen sessions, especially other audio/video processing tools.

5. Restart the session if it drifts

If a long-running session gradually falls behind, stop and restart Listen mode rather than waiting for it to catch up — a fresh session re-syncs the audio pipeline cleanly.

Still stuck?

If lag or overlap persists on the latest version with a solid connection and no competing sessions, check Listen mode for expected behavior, review the FAQ, or reach out from the Pluely website with details on your OS, network, and how long into a session the issue appears.