Having trouble with photos, video, or voice-to-text in HomeGauge’s Desktop Report Writer? Here's a breakdown of the most common issues—plus how to fix them.
Can't Find the Filmstrip
Problem: The filmstrip (photo preview bar) is missing.
Fix:
Go to the top menu.
Click View > Default Pane Layout
Photos Won't Drag and Drop Into Forms
Cause: Your display settings may be incompatible with Desktop Report Writer.
Find the HomeGauge 5 icon on your desktop
Right-click it and select Properties
Click the Compatibility tab
Click Change high DPI settings
Check the box for Override high DPI scaling behavior.
In the dropdown, choose System
Click OK, then Apply
Photos Appear Black When Dragged from Filmstrip
Possible Causes & Solutions:
1. Live Photos (iOS)
Apple’s Live Photo mode creates a video clip with each photo, which can confuse the software.
Fix:
Check the photo folder for .MOV or video files.
Remove video clips, leaving only .JPG or .PNG images.
Re-open HomeGauge and drag the photos again.
Here is an article on how to disable Live Photo mode on your iOS device: Live Photos with your iOS camera - Apple Support
2. HEIC Format (iOS)
Fix for current images:
Convert images to .JPG using:
MS Paint: Open a single image, click File > Save As > JPEG picture
Use an online batch converter to convert multiple files
Fix for future images:
On your iOS device, go to Settings > Camera > Formats, and choose Most Compatible to save future photos as JPG.
3. Photos on an SD Card
HomeGauge may have trouble accessing photos directly from SD cards or cameras.
Fix:
Copy the photos to your computer’s hard drive. Then restart HomeGauge and point the filmstrip to the new location.
Can't See Pictures in a Selected Folder
Click the notepad icon in the Picture Pane to open the Picture Folder Options.
In the Show Only Pictures In Folder From dropdown, choose Show All
Click OK
Old Report Photos Showing in a New Report
Cause: Duplicate file names from your camera are reusing old photos.
Fix Option 1:
First, copy all camera photos to your computer. This renames them.
Point the filmstrip to the new folder.
Fix Option 2:
After adding your photos, go to Report > Show Photo Locker.
Press Ctrl + A to select all photos.
Right-click > Rename, then assign a unique name.
Close the locker and go to Print Preview.
Strip Existing Audio Not Working
Cause: No selection was made on the video timeline.
Fix:
Click Edit Photo to open the video editor.
Use Set Start and Set End to create a selection on the timeline.
Check Strip Existing Audio, then click OK.
If trimming isn’t needed, just click Set Start, check the box, and click OK.
Videos Show a Red X or Don't Play
Recommended Fix:
Update to the latest version of HomeGauge 5. You can do that by following the instructions in this article, Desktop Report Writer: Software Updates.
Alternate Fix:
If you're using HomeGauge 5.1, install QuickTime to enable video playback.