How to Mute Zoom Audio Without Muting Computer [Updated 2023]

Muting your audio on Zoom is a great way to avoid background noise and interruptions, but it can be frustrating if it also mutes your computer’s audio. In this blog post, we will walk you through the different methods for muting your audio on Zoom without affecting the audio on your computer.

Whether you need to take a quick break or simply want to avoid distractions, this guide will provide you with the knowledge and tools to do so quickly and easily.

From using the built-in mute button to keyboard shortcuts, we will explore all the options available to you. So, keep reading to learn how to mute your audio on Zoom without muting your computer.

7 Ways To Mute Zoom Audio Without Muting Computer

Zoom has become increasingly popular in recent years. One of the main complaints about Zoom is that the audio can be pretty loud and disruptive. With the latest update to Zoom for PC/Mac, you can mute the audio from one person in a video conference without muting the other person’s audio.

Here are some ways to mute Zoom audio without muting your computer!

Option 1: Mute Zoom (Computer) Using System Audio Controls

  • The simplest way to mute the audio from Zoom is to use your computer’s system controls.
  • Right-click on the speaker icon in the bottom right corner of your screen next to your clock and select “Open Volume Mixer.”
Muting Zoom Audio Without Muting Computer
  • This will display a small window containing individual sound controls for different programs.
Ways To Mute Zoom Audio Without Muting Computer
  • Click on Zoom and then use the slider to mute or unmute the sound.

Option 2: Use VLC Media Player to Mute Zoom Audio Without Muting Computer

Programs like Zoom contain audio controls, so it can be cumbersome to go through your computer’s system tray every time you want to mute the audio. A better option might be to use a separate program, like VLC Media Player, which can automatically mute Zoom audio without muting your computer. Here are step-by-step instructions for using a VLC media player to do this:

  • Open VLC Media Player and go to Tools > Preferences.
  • Click on the “Hot Keys” tab, which should be selected by default, and click on “Audio Mute.”
  • Select the keyboard shortcut you would like to use for muting your computer’s audio (i.e., Ctrl+Alt+M).
  • Click “Save” and then restart VLC Media Player, so the changes take effect.
  • In the future, to mute your computer’s audio, just press the keyboard shortcut you chose in step 3 above! If you prefer not to use a keyboard shortcut, there is also a menu option under Tools > Preferences that will mute the audio.

Option 3: Use Zoom’s Built-In Audio Controls to Mute Zoom Audio Without Muting Computer

Many people don’t realize that Zoom has its built-in audio controls for muting computer audio without having to go through your system tray or use a separate program like VLC Media Player. To access these, click on Settings > Audio. From here, you can use the slider to mute or unmute the sound coming from your computer speakers.

Option 4: Mute Zoom (Computer) Using Windows One-Click Audio Controls

This option is similar to Option 2, but instead of using VLC Media Player, it uses a special feature of Windows called “Quick Tasks.” Follow the steps below to mute Zoom audio without muting your computer:

  • Right-click the speaker icon in the bottom right corner of your screen next to your clock and select “Playback devices.”
  • Select “Speakers” from the list of available playback devices and then click on “Properties.”
  • Under the “Enhancements” tab, select the checkbox next to “Loudness Equalization.” This will turn on a special feature of Windows called Loudness Equalization, which automatically mutes all audio coming from your computer speakers.
  • Click “OK” and then restart Zoom, so these changes take effect.
  • In the future, to mute your computer’s audio, double click on the speaker icon in the bottom right corner of your screen next to your clock and select “Loudness Equalization” from the list!

Option 5: Use Physical Device Controls To Mute Zoom Audio Without Muting Computer

Many computers have built-in physical audio controls that can mute Zoom audio without muting your computer. The following steps show how to access these on the Mac version of Zoom:

  • Click on Settings > Audio and then click on “Zoom Room” near the bottom of the list.
  • In the drop-down menu, select “External Devices.”
  • To mute your Zoom audio, press the “Mute” button on your external device. If you need to unmute it, press the button again, or on some devices, you can use the volume controls built into your computer’s keyboard.
  • On Macs with no physical volume controls, you can adjust the audio volume in Zoom by going to Settings > Audio and then sliding the “Zoom Room” slider.

Option 6: Use a USB Host Controller To Mute Zoom Audio Without Muting Computer

Some computers have external USB controllers that also provide physical device controls, which can mute Zoom audio without muting your computer. If your computer has a USB port, follow the steps below to find out if it provides device controls:

  • Plug your external USB controller into one of the USB ports on your computer and then restart Zoom.
  • Click on Settings > Audio and select “External Device” from the drop-down menu.
  • If you have physical device controls built into your USB controller, they appear here. You can use these to mute or unmute Zoom audio without having to go through your system tray!

Option 7: Use Hardware Presets To Mute Zoom Audio Without Muting Computer

If your computer does not have volume hardware controls or they are broken/not working, you can still mute Zoom audio without muting your computer by using hardware presets. To do this:

  • Click on Settings > Audio and then click on “External Device.”
  • Click the “+” sign to add a new preset and select “Mute input device” from the drop-down menu.
  • This will turn on the default hardware settings for your external device, which will mute it and any other devices that use its controls like Zoom! If you need to unmute it, select another option from the drop-down menu or remove the preset entirely.

Final Words

As you can see, there are several different ways Zoom audio can be muted without muting your computer or audio playback device. We hope that you enjoyed this article and found it helpful! If you have any questions or comments about how to mute Zoom audio without muting your computer, please post them in the comments below.

Read More:

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *