How to mute the microphone of your Android device

Martin Brinkmann
Mar 7, 2014
Updated • Aug 19, 2019
Apps, Google Android
|
23

Android devices do not offer an option to mute the device's microphone with a switch. While you can change the volume of sound, that does not seem to affect the microphone at all.

This can be a problem in some situations. Say, you are making a phone call and want to talk to someone near you for a moment, or you prefer that the mic of your phone is muted to block any possibility of someone recording any sound near you.

I created my first Vine video today to test the service, and noticed that it records audio automatically, and does not offer any option to disable that functionality.

While there is a mute feature in the settings, it is only muting sound that is playing, and not the recording sound.

Mute the Android microphone

I started to go through apps on the Google Play store that promised to turn off the microphone of the phone.

Update: The application Mute Mic is no longer available. I suggest you try alternatives such as Mute or Microphone Block. End

After some testing and apps that crashed on my Moto G phone, I found the app Mute Mic and it worked just fine.

Mute Mic is a simple application that offers a toggle button in its interface that you can use to mute or unmute the microphone of your Android device.

To mute the microphone, simply open the app and tap on the button. It should display muted afterwards indicating that you have just muted the microphone of your device.

mute mic android unmute microphone

To unmute, perform the same steps again. It displays unmuted then to indicate that you can use the microphone again, for instance to record audio or to talk to someone on the phone.

The only downside here is that there is no widget for the operation that you can place in a prominent position to perform it faster. But if you place the icon of the Mute Mic app prominently, you will just have to tap once more for the functionality.

Please note that I have only tested the feature using Vine. I muted the microphone and recorded another video on Vine. I then played it back and there was no sound.

If you use it during phone or video calls, you need to make sure that you don't forget to unmute it whenever you want to speak, and exit it when you do not need it anymore. It is important to hit unmute and then exit when you are finished, as the mic will remain muted otherwise.

Closing Words

The application worked exactly as advertised on my Moto G phone. Several users reported that they had issues with the application and rated it rather low. May be a hit and miss depending on which Android device you are using. It is compatible with all Android systems from version 2.1 upwards and has a size of only 33 Kilobytes.

Summary
software image
Author Rating
1star1star1star1stargray
1.5 based on 7 votes
Software Name
Mute Mic
Operating System
Android
Software Category
Productivity
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Comments

  1. bruh said on August 18, 2023 at 1:25 pm
    Reply

    Uhh, this has already been possible – I am not sure how but remember my brother telling me about it. I’m not a whatsapp user so not sure of the specifics, but something about sending the image as a file and somehow bypassing the default compression settings that are applied to inbound photos.

    He has also used this to share movies to whatsapp groups, and files 1Gb+.

    Like I said, I never used whatsapp, but I know 100% this isn’t a “brand new feature”, my brother literally showed me him doing it, like… 5 months ago?

  2. 💥 said on August 18, 2023 at 3:55 pm
    Reply

    Martin, what happened to those: 12 Comments (https://www.ghacks.net/chatgpt-gets-schooled-by-princeton-university/#comments). Is there a specific justifiable reason why they were deleted?

    Hmm, it looks like the gHacks website database is faulty, and not populating threads with their relevant cosponsoring posts.

  3. 45 RPM said on August 19, 2023 at 6:29 pm
    Reply

    The page on ghacks this is on represents the best of why it has become so worthless, fill of click-bait junk that it’s about to be deleted from my ‘daily reads’.

    It’s really like “Press Release as re-written by some d*ck for clicks…poorly.” And the subjects are laughable. Can’t wait for “How to search for files on Windows”.

    1. owl said on August 20, 2023 at 12:51 am
      Reply

      > The page on ghacks this is on represents the best of why it has become so worthless, fill of click-bait junk…

      Sadly, I have to agree.

      Only Martin and Ashwin are worth subscribing to.
      Especially Emre Çitak and Shaun are the worst ones.

      If ghacks.net intended “Clickbait”, it would mark the end of Ghacks Technology News.
      Ghacks doesn’t need crappy clickbaits. Clearly separate articles from newer authors (perhaps AIs and external sales person or external advertising man) as just “Advertisements”!

      We, the subscribers of Ghacks, urge Martin to make a decision.

  4. chessandonions said on August 20, 2023 at 12:40 am
    Reply

    because nevermore wants to “monetize” on every aspect of human life…

  5. Frank Rizzo said on August 20, 2023 at 11:52 pm
    Reply

    “Threads” is like the Walmart of Social Media.

  6. Ashray said on August 21, 2023 at 4:06 pm
    Reply

    How hard can it be to clone a twitter version of that as well? They’re slow.

  7. Paul(us) said on August 21, 2023 at 5:16 pm
    Reply

    Yes, why not mention how large the HD files can be?
    Why, not mention what version of WhatsApp is needed?
    These omissions make the article feel so bare. If not complete.

    1. Paul(us) said on August 21, 2023 at 5:18 pm
      Reply

      Sorry posted on the wrong page.

  8. Marc said on August 21, 2023 at 6:00 pm
    Reply

    such a long article for such a simple matter. Worthless article ! waste of time

  9. plusminus_ said on August 21, 2023 at 7:54 pm
    Reply

    I already do this by attaching them via the ‘Document’ option.

  10. John G. said on August 21, 2023 at 11:43 pm
    Reply

    I don’t know what’s going on here at Ghacks but it’s obvious that something is broken, comments are being mixed whatever the article, I am unable to find some of my later posts neither. :S

  11. Tom Hawack said on August 23, 2023 at 2:28 pm
    Reply

    Quoting the article,
    “As users gain popularity, the value of their tokens may increase, allowing investors to reap rewards.”

    Besides, beyond the thrill and privacy risks or not, the point is to know how you gain popularity, be it on social sites as everywhere in life. Is it by being authentic, by remaining faithful to ourselves or is it to have this particular skill which is to understand what a majority likes, just like politicians, those who’d deny to the maximum extent compatible with their ideological partnership, in order to grab as many of the voters they can?

    I see the very concept of this Friend.tech as unhealthy, propagating what is already an increasing flaw : the quest for fame. I won’t be the only one to count himself out, definitely.

    1. Tom Hawack said on August 23, 2023 at 2:34 pm
      Reply

      @John G. is right : my comment was posted on [https://www.ghacks.net/2023/08/23/what-is-friend-tech/] and it appears there but as well here at [https://www.ghacks.net/2023/07/08/how-to-follow-everyone-on-threads/]

      This has been lasting for several days. Fix it or at least provide some explanations if you don’t mind.

  12. Tom said on August 24, 2023 at 11:53 am
    Reply

    > Google Chrome is following in Safari’s footsteps by introducing a new feature that allows users to move the Chrome address bar to the bottom of the screen, enhancing user accessibility and interaction.

    Firefox did this long before Safari.

  13. Mavoy said on September 16, 2023 at 2:17 pm
    Reply

    Basically they’ll do anything except fair royalties.

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