Playback v1.8.0.105 Released April 7, 2026

Current and legacy documentation (user guides, etc) can always be found here.

If you would like to report a bug not listed here, or submit a feature request, please let us know here.

This document is organized in 5 sections:

• Technical Alerts & Best Practices - Crucial information and recommendations on how to configure and use the app to optimize its performance and your experience using it.
• System Requirements
• New Features - A list and explanations of Playback improvements included in this release.
• Bug Fixes - A list of resolved bugs with their reference numbers.
• Known Issues - A collection of known issues that we are tracking and working to resolve. This may not be a complete list, but rather curated with the most common issues experienced. If a workaround is available, it will be listed.

Technical Alerts & Best Practices

Browser & Network Considerations

⇒ Web Browser (Guest Joining):
For best results, use a supported Chromium-based browser, such as Google Chrome. Safari is not recommended for Guests at this time.

⇒ Streaming over WiFi:
Streaming over WiFi may result in degraded performance due to network variability. A hardwired Ethernet connection is strongly recommended.

VPN / Corporate Network Notice

⇒ Users on a VPN, proxy, or corporate firewall may experience issues with:

• Password resets
• New account activation

This is due to network restrictions, not the platform. Complete these actions outside the VPN if possible (e.g., use a mobile device on cellular or disconnect temporarily). More info: Remoto Playback Networking Guide.

Application Behavior & UI Constraints

⇒ Stream Settings While Streaming:
Stream Settings cannot be modified while a stream is active. To make changes, stop the stream, update settings, save, and then restart the stream.

⇒ Playback Application Left Open:
If Playback is left open for an extended period (for example, overnight or over a weekend), the app may become unresponsive. If this occurs, quit and reopen the application.

⇒ “Signed in from another device” Message:
After an unexpected app crash, you may see a message stating that you are signed in from another device. This is expected behavior. Click Yes to proceed and continue signing in.

⇒ Minimum Application Window Size:
Playback Desktop has a minimum supported window size of 1600×900 and is not responsive to a smaller size. If the app does not fit on your screen, adjust your display resolution in macOS System Settings.

Audio Monitoring & Playback

⇒ Bluetooth Headphones:
Using Bluetooth headphones introduces inherent audio latency. This can be adjusted during a live stream using the A/V Sync controls.

Capture & Hardware Configuration

⇒ Capture Method Frame Rate Behavior on macOS:
On macOS, Screen Capture and Application Capture are subject to OS-level frame rate control. The effective frame rate may be variable, regardless of the frame rate selected in Playback settings.

For critical workflows, use Blackmagic or an NDI plug-in with constant bitrate support, as these methods bypass OS-level constraints by directly ingesting the source signal.

For non-critical workflows, where a small tolerance (approximately 5 percent) is acceptable, Screen Capture and Application Capture are suitable options.

System Requirements

Playback Desktop (MacOS only)

Browser Requirements for Joining a Session Using a Web Browser:

• Chrome
• Microsoft Edge
• Safari (beta) It is not recommended to use Safari at this time.

We recommend using the latest browser versions available for optimal performance.

New Features

Detachable Video Gallery

Playback Desktop (macOS) now supports a detachable video chat gallery, allowing users to undock the gallery and position it anywhere on their screen or move it to a separate display. The floating gallery includes two viewing modes: Speaker View, which prioritizes up to three active speakers or displays pinned participants selected by the host, and Gallery View, which shows all participants in a traditional grid layout. The gallery can be easily re-docked at any time using the control in the top right corner or by returning to the Video Chat tab and selecting “Bring back here,” giving users greater flexibility in how they manage their workspace during sessions.

On-Screen Annotation (Expanded Support)

Playback 1.7 introduced on-screen annotation, allowing participants to draw and highlight directly over the live video stream during a session on macOS. In Playback 1.8, this functionality expands to browser and iOS, enabling more participants to both view and create annotations in real time.

Designed for speed and clarity, this first release prioritizes:

• Low latency synchronization, so annotations appear instantly for all participants
• Clean, intuitive controls that do not disrupt playback
• Clear visual communication without relying on verbal explanation alone

On-screen annotation is especially useful when precise visual context matters, such as editorial reviews, mix notes, VFX feedback, or spotting sessions. This phase focuses on real-time collaboration, with more advanced tooling and persistence planned for later releases.

Video Conferencing Improvements: Speaker Pinning

Hosts can now pin up to three participants for priority viewing during a session. Pinned participants are surfaced at the top of the video gallery for all users and are ordered based on when they are pinned. Only the host can manage pinned participants, ensuring a consistent and controlled viewing experience across the session.

Browser-Based Session Dashboard

Participants can now log into Playback for Web and access a lightweight session dashboard, providing a centralized view of their upcoming sessions. This allows users to join sessions directly from the browser without needing to return to their original invitation. From the dashboard, users can also choose to open their installed desktop app to join, offering greater flexibility in how they enter sessions. While scheduled sessions are visible, the primary focus of this dashboard is quick access and streamlined session joining.

Bug Fixes & General Enhancements

Included in 1.8.0

Blackmagic presets show “Not Configured” in Stream Settings summary: When recalling a preset that uses Blackmagic, the Stream Settings summary may display “Not Configured” instead of “Autodetect.” This is a labeling issue only. Blackmagic autodetect is working as intended, and the stream is correctly configured despite the summary text. (REMT-6991)

Known Issues

Critical

Passwordless session email links sign out logged-in users: When a user is already signed in to the Playback Desktop app and clicks an email link to join a Passwordless session, the app silently signs the user out and does not join the session. No error or message is shown. Workaround: Fully quit the app or sign out before clicking the session invite link. (REMT-7860)

Non-Critical

Audio device list does not update dynamically on macOS: On Playback Desktop for macOS, connecting or disconnecting audio devices while the app is open does not refresh the available device list. New devices are not shown in Preferences or Studio view until Preferences is closed and reopened, or the application is fully restarted. Leaving and rejoining a session does not refresh the device list. This affects both Organizers and Guests. Workaround: Close and reopen Preferences to refresh the device list, or quit and relaunch the application. (REMT-8400)

Visible video artifacts for Guests when streaming 4K in sessions with viewer type “Desktop & Web”: In sessions created with Desktop & Web viewer type using a 4K/UHD streaming canvas, Guests see visible video artifacts during playback (blockiness, tearing). This does not occur when streaming at 2K, and does not occur at 4K when using viewer type Desktop Only. Issue appears specific to 4K in Desktop and Web session, and may be bitrate-sensitive. Workaround: Lowering the canvas to 2K resolves the issue for now. (REMT-8448)

Participant List shows incorrect Stream Audio status for Guests: When a Guest disables Stream Audio, the Organizer’s Participants tab may still show Stream Audio as enabled for that Guest. This is a display issue only and does not reflect the Guest’s actual setting. Workaround: None at this time. (REMT-8052)