How to Mute Zoom Audio on a PC or Mobile Device

With the rise in Zoom’s popularity in recent times, there’s also been a rise in videos showing the often hilarious results of what happens when the app is left unmuted. However, those who have experienced some gags might not find them as funny, especially during a class or a meeting.

There are plenty of scenarios where your audio shouldn’t be available for other people in the conversation. You might wish to mute Zoom for a minute or two, or in other cases, mute the whole conversation – but how do you do this? This article will show you how to mute zoom on different devices and OSs to make sure everyone in the conference hears only what you want them to.

How to Mute Zoom on iPhone

If you want to mute yourself on Zoom using the iPhone app, the process is very straightforward. You’ll need to tap your iPhone’s screen while in the app. This will show you different options at the bottom of the screen.

The Mute option is the first on the left – tap it, and your audio will be muted. When you’re ready to resume the conversation, you’ll see there’s an Unmute icon in the same place. Tap it, and everyone in the group will be able to hear you once again.

How to Mute Zoom on Android

The Zoom app functions pretty much the same, whether you’re using it on an iPhone or an Android device. This means the process is identical to the one described for muting Zoom on iPhone. As an addition, let’s explain how to mute others on Zoom. You can only do this if you are the host of the meeting. There are two methods to do so:

1. Mute Everyone on the Zoom Call

In the menu that appears when you tap your screen during a call, you’ll see the Participants option. Tap on it to enter the list of people included in the call. Below the list of participants, you’ll see the Mute All option at the bottom of the screen. When you tap it, there’ll be a pop-up where you can confirm the action.

Also, in the pop-up, you’ll see the checked option to Allow participants to unmute themselves. If you uncheck this, the other participants won’t have the option to re-enable their audio for the conversation.

2. Mute Individual Participants

If you’d like to mute only certain individuals in the call, you’ll need to enter the Participants page again. Once there, tap on the name of the person you’d like to mute and pick the Mute Audio option.

You can unmute them whenever you want by choosing Unmute Audio from the same menu.

How to Mute Zoom on a Windows Device

For Windows smartphones using Zoom, the process will be the same as for iPhone and Android users. However, if you’re on a Windows PC, there are some different options. Zoom is made with computer users in mind, so the app has a range of keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys set up for those operating systems.

The default shortcut to mute Zoom in Windows is Alt+A. You can customize the shortcuts by going to Settings in your Zoom client. From there, click on Keyboard Shortcuts, and you’ll see the full list with the option to change each individual shortcut.

Other useful keyboard commands for Zoom in Windows include:

1. Starting or stopping video: Alt + V
2. Switching view to the active speaker: Alt + F1
3. Muting and unmuting the audio for everyone except the host: Alt + M
4. Starting or stopping the screen share: Alt + Shift + S

There are plenty of other options available through keyboard shortcuts, and any avid Zoom user can familiarize themselves with the commands. The shortcuts are listed in this Zoom support article.

How to Mute Zoom on Mac

As was the case for a Windows PC, the keyboard shortcuts can be used to mute Zoom on a Mac as well. The same broad palette of commands is available on Mac, with the only difference being the default keys.

To mute Zoom on a Mac, you’ll need to press Command + Control + A. If you’d like to change the combination from the default setting, you can do that following the same method described for Windows devices.

Some of the other keyboard shortcuts for Zoom on Mac are:

1. Start or stop video: Command + Shift + V
2. Switch view to the active speaker: Command + Shift + W
3. Mute and unmute audio for everyone but the call host: Command + Control + M
4. Start or stop screen share: Command + Shift + S

How to Mute Zoom on iPad

The method for muting your Zoom audio on an iPad depends on whether you’re using the device on its own or along with a keyboard.

If there’s no keyboard, you’ll have the same options as for an Android and iPhone. The only difference will be that the first menu that comes up when you tap the screen appears on the top rather than on the bottom of the screen.

If you’re using a keyboard with your iPad, the Mac shortcuts will also be available on your device.

Additional FAQ

Here are some more answers to your questions about Zoom.

How do I mute myself in Zoom?

The methods are very straightforward, and you should have no problems muting your audio in Zoom if you follow the steps described for your preferred OS or platform.

Can I mute a specific participant in Zoom?

Yes, you can. If you’d like to mute only a certain individual in the call, you’ll need to enter the Participants page again. Once there, tap on the name of the person you’d like to mute and pick the Mute Audio option. You can unmute them whenever you want by choosing Unmute Audio from the same menu.

Zoom On

With the specific circumstances the current year has brought, group call apps, such as Zoom, have become invaluable for personal, educational, and business purposes. The convenient functionality of conference calls can bring groups of friends, peers, and associates together in a time when group meetings aren’t exactly straightforward to organize.

Since everyone has the possibility to bring their work and social life right to their home, it’s essential to learn how to handle app calls efficiently. Now that you’ve learned how to mute Zoom, whether you’re on a desktop, tablet, laptop, or smartphone, you can participate in calls with confidence. There’ll be no chance of a mishap, where others can hear anything not related to the call, and you won’t miss anything important going on around you because of the conference chatter. We’ve shown you how to mute audio in Zoom – it’s now up to you to use it wisely.