How to Mute (or Unmute) on Zoom

Eliminate Zoom meeting chaos on desktop or mobile devices

By
S.E. Slack
S. E. Slack
S.E. Slack
Associate General Manager, Lifewire.com
  • California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo
S.E. Slack has 30+ years' experience writing about technology. She has authored 12 books, thousands of articles, and worked for IBM and Microsoft.
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Updated on February 16, 2021
Reviewed by
Ryan Perian
Ryan Perian headshot
Reviewed by Ryan Perian
  • Western Governors University
Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions.
lifewire's editorial guidelines
Video Calls

What to Know

  • On Windows: Click the Mute button (lower left-hand corner of screen) or press ALT+A on the keyboard.
  • On Mac: Click the Mute button on the screen or press Command+Shift+A.
  • On mobile: Tap the screen, then tap Mute (lower left).

This article explains how to mute and unmute yourself or others during Zoom calls. Instructions cover Windows, Mac, and mobile devices for both attendees and hosts.

How to Mute Yourself on Zoom

The process differs depending upon the device you're using.

How to Silence Yourself on Windows or Mac

This is quick and easy: Move your mouse across the Zoom window to display the menu bar at the bottom. In the bottom left corner, click Mute. The button will change to show a red line across the microphone and say Unmute.

You can also use your keyboard to accomplish the same thing: On Windows, press ALT+A. On Mac, press Command+Shift+A.

When using the keyboard, be sure you are actively in the Zoom window or the keys won't work. To do that, just click on the Zoom window anywhere to activate it.

Zoom window showing Mute button.

When you need to speak, just display the button again and click Unmute so everyone can hear you or press ALT+A (Windows) or Shift+Command+A (Mac) on the keyboard.

How to Mute From a Mobile Device

The Mute button on a Zoom mobile screen.

Staying quiet on a mobile device is easy but you do need to remember to tap the screen to find the command. Once you've done that, the same microphone icon will pop up in the lower left-hand corner of your screen. Just tap Mute to go silent.

To unmute when you need to speak, tap the screen to open the command again and then tap Unmute.

How to Quiet Others During Zoom Calls

If you're the host and need to keep people quiet during a meeting, you can do that through the Participants section of the app. Follow these steps for Windows, Mac, or mobile devices:

  1. Hover your mouse over the Zoom screen.

  2. Click Participants in the menu that appears across the bottom of the screen.

  3. In the right-hand navigation menu that opens, you have two options:

    • Click Mute All at the bottom of the menu to mute everyone on the call.
    • Hover over a guest's name, then click Mute next to their name to silence them. They will see a message on their screen indicating you have muted them.

    On a mobile device, you'll see a pop-up menu when you select a guest. Just click Mute next to their name from that menu to individually silence someone.

    The Participants screen with different Mute options.

How to Unmute Others on Zoom

To unmute others, repeat the steps above to open the Participants menu.

Unmuting may vary slightly depending on how the meeting is set up. If you're experiencing issues when trying to unmute a participant, read the support document from Zoom on the topic.

Your actions will be just the opposite: Anyone you have muted will now show the option to unmute individually or you can select the Unmute All button at the bottom of the Participants screen.

When you do, the participant will see a message on their screen indicating that you have asked them unmute or telling them that they are now unmuted. The message will vary depending upon the type of device in use.

If you have unmuted someone yet they still can't be heard, they will need to respond to the message on their screen to unmute themselves. This happens when a mobile device is being used by the participant.

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