Windows 10: Mute the microphone system-wide with a global hotkey on Windows

MicSwitch is a free program for Microsoft Windows devices to mute the microphone on the device it is run on using a global hotkey.

Instead of having to rely on the functionality provided by voice chat and audio chat applications, which often works only in the program that provides the shortcut, it ensures that the microphone is mute when the key is activated.

The developers main intention with MicSwitch was to create a system-wide solution that is superior to the options provided by programs such as Discord, Skype, or Ventrilo.

MicSwitch allows you to mute/unmute your system microphone using a predefined system-wide hotkey which will affect any program that uses microphone (no more heavy breathing during Skype conferences, hooray!)
​

MicSwitch supports additional features such as an overlay, audio notifications and more.

Microsoft introduced video conferencing hotkeys in its PowerToys application recently as well which does include a toggle for the microphone that works globally.

The program needs to be installed on the target system before it can be used and requires the Microsoft .NET Framework 4.6.1. It starts automatically after installation and will run a check for updates. Note that it is not configured to run at system start by default, but you can toggle the "run at start" setting to make sure it is.

As far as options are concerned, you can change settings for each microphone individually. MicSwitch supports multi-microphone setups, which may be useful for streamers predominantly.



There is no default hotkey set on first run, you need to set one or two hotkeys that work as global shortcuts to toggle the microphone state. It supports two audio modes, push to talk and toggle, which can be configured in the preferences window as well.

Another option that is provided in the preferences window is the ability to change the audio notifications that play when you mute or unmute the microphone.

A quick test done on a Surface Go device confirmed the functionality of MicSwitch. The muting worked when using the hotkey regardless of forefront application.

MicSwitch displays a small always-on-top indicator on the screen at all times that reveals the state of the microphone. There is no option to disable it but it can be moved and its opacity can be changed.

Closing Words


MicSwitch is a useful program for Microsoft Windows systems as it adds a reliable global shortcut to mute and unmute the microphone. Some users may dislike the always visible microphone indicator that cannot be hidden; an option to hide it would improve the application further.

Now You: Do you mute / unmute your microphone regularly?

Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Mute the microphone system-wide with a global hotkey on Windows appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

read more...

 

Easy enable/disable microphone?

Hmmm... wonder if windows has a keyboard shortcut to do that, will research and get back.

There are quite a few keyboards out there that have volume control and mute right at your fingertips.

Edit: check this out "NirCmd" - look at the link for available arguments, there should be one for mic volume

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/wind...-hotkey-to-mute-the-system-volume-in-windows/

Edit2: it's "changesysvolume" - use "microphone" as the second argument - look it up on the NirCmd refernce page.

Edit3: Lookie here, 1st answer has a .bat way to do it. Super key to pause, mute mic, and mute speakers in windows

 

How to receive the list of all global hotkeys in Windows 10?

Similar question on Software Recommendation. Whether there are programs which show all to global hotkeys in system? I establish hotkeys for the programs installed by me, but these hotkeys don't work. I want to look, what programs or system use these hotkeys and, perhaps, to change them.

For example, I use plugin Keymaps for Sublime Text 3. It shows, what hotkeys are established in Sublime Text 3.

Default hotkeys:




Plugins:




User's hotkeys:




Whether it is also possible to look in Windows 10, what global hotkeys are already used and than? Thanks.

 

microphone mutes itself

When i go into properties the mike is muted. When I unmute it works for less than a minute then mutes again. The only suggestion I have found is set as default device which does not solve problem. I have also read it is a virus but I cannot solve with malware or virus scans. It first became a problem just a few weeks ago while skyping. Never had a problem with mike until then.

Troubleshooter finds the microphone muted and fixes, Within a minute the microphone mutes itself again.