how to mute on Zoom
One year into the pandemic and working from home doesn’t seem to be getting any easier. Long days of Zoom meetings continue and not a day goes by without someone forgetting to mute and thus embarrassing themself.
While you can’t undo those moments, you can prevent the next humiliation before it starts.
The Many Ways to Mute Zoom
Zoom is a very useful app with quite a few features. Let’s have a look at the many ways you can manage your mute status.
The Zoom Menu
The Zoom menu bar is at the bottom of the Zoom window. If you don’t see it, just hover your mouse around the bottom of your Zoom window to access it. There are a handful of buttons on the bar, each doing something unique. The button with the microphone mutes and unmutes your audio.
Hotkeys in Zoom
Zoom hotkeys enable you to manage meetings and configure Zoom settings by holding a few keys on your keyboard. Hotkey functions are available on both Windows and Mac PC, and once you get the hang of them, it’ll save you a lot of time.
Zoom Hotkeys for Mac
Cmd+Shift+A mutes/unmutes your audio.
The spacebar activates the ‘push to talk’ function.
Cmd+Shift+V starts or stops the video.
Zoom Hotkeys for Windows
Alt+A mutes/unmutes your audio.
Alt+L switches to portrait/landscape view.
Alt+V starts or stops the video.
You can find the full list of Zoom shortcuts and hotkeys on the Zoom website.
Zoom Menu Icon in Menu/System Tray
Newer versions of Zoom include an icon that appears in your Mac Menu Bar (the top right) or Windows System Tray (bottom left). Click on the icon to access a handful of features including the ability to mute and unmute. If you’re the host, you can also mute all and ask attendees to unmute.
Suddenly Muted? Here’s Why
A Zoom meeting host can mute you or any other participant at any point during the call – they do not need your permission.
If you’re the host, you can mute any participants during a meeting. Here is how:
Click the PARTICIPANTS button on the menu bar of the Zoom app.
Hover your cursor over the participant you want to mute to access the following options:
Ask to Unmute: This option enables you to send a prompt to the participant asking them to unmute their microphone.
Mute: Click to mute the participant.
Are You Wondering if You Can Be Unmuted by The Host?
If you’re muted on Zoom, you don’t have to worry about being unmuted as the host cannot unmute you without your consent.
Don’t be The One Who Forgets to Unmute!
Muting and unmuting Zoom quickly can be challenging. For instance, say you’re multitasking, working on another app, and someone calls your name. You suddenly realize you need to get back on Zoom and unmute yourself. Even the most adept users will need a few seconds to get their hands on their trackpad or mouse and hover around before they finally locate the Zoom mute button.
There’s got to be a better way!
The mütesync Physical Mute Button
If you’re tired of hearing “you’re on mute!” or “sorry, I was on mute!” every day, we got you! We created a physical mute button that works with Zoom, Google Meet, Whereby, Teams, Discord, and other video conferencing tools. It’s a physical mute button that lights up red when your mic is live so you, and those around you, know when you’re not muted.
The physical Zoom mute button works with the mütesync app and syncs with most other video conferencing apps. Even if the host mutes you or you mute yourself in Zoom, the physical mute button lights up to show your current muted or unmuted status.
Save yourself from the avoidable embarrassment of being reminded that you are on mute. Buy the mütesync physical mute button here!
