How to mute the microphone with a keyboard shortcut?

Without using third party software, how can a microphone mute shortcut be setup to mute a microphone on and off. 

Do you have a Microsoft keyboard or mouse?  Then you could write macros for them.  Ditto for other major manufacturers.  Otherwise, I think you might be restricted to using SendKeys() in a script.  For example, one keyboard shortcut sequence that would do what you want would be to open Mobility Center and click its Mute button  (Win-x b, Alt-M)

 

FYI

Robert Aldwinckle
---

Without using third party software, how can a microphone mute shortcut be setup to mute a microphone on and off. 

Do you have a Microsoft keyboard or mouse?  Then you could write macros for them.  Ditto for other major manufacturers.  Otherwise, I think you might be restricted to using SendKeys() in a script.  For example, one keyboard shortcut sequence that would do what you want would be to open Mobility Center and click its Mute button  (Win-x b, Alt-M)

FYI

Robert Aldwinckle
---

I do have a Microsoft keyboard and mouse. I don't see any options to mute a mic in the controls and I don't see window mobility center within windows 10 ver1703.   How would I write macros for my Microsoft keyboard to mute the mic?

have a Microsoft keyboard  

Then the first thing to check is:  do you have a Mute key on it?   Or failing that, get into Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center and see if you can assign Mute to one of your other keys.  Creating a macro for this would be a last resort and without Mobility Center I'm not sure of a clean way to do it.

Heh.  I don't see a specific Mute command in there and although I can create a Mute and Unmute macro for any of my programmable  keys (Mute is not a programmable key and I don't know why I would do that), it has at least made clear where I need to look to see what it does.  Hint: look up at the top left corner.  But this does show that there is probably a cleaner way of programming a Mute than I was thinking (e.g. using the Sound icon's right-click functions in the Taskbar.)

Also, check to see if you have  Mobility Center  anyway, just not as convenient a way of opening it.  Program name is (apparently):  mblctr.exe

Here's a better tool:  Volume Mixer.  Apparently we can start it with:  sndvol.exe.   Good to know.  Thanks for making me find that!   ; )

 

Good luck

Robert
---

have a Microsoft keyboard  

Then the first thing to check is:  do you have a Mute key on it?   Or failing that, get into Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center and see if you can assign Mute to one of your other keys.  Creating a macro for this would be a last resort and without Mobility Center I'm not sure of a clean way to do it.

Heh.  I don't see a specific Mute command in there and although I can create a Mute and Unmute macro for any of my programmable  keys (Mute is not a programmable key and I don't know why I would do that), it has at least made clear where I need to look to see what it does.  Hint: look up at the top left corner.  But this does show that there is probably a cleaner way of programming a Mute than I was thinking (e.g. using the Sound icon's right-click functions in the Taskbar.)

Also, check to see if you have  Mobility Center  anyway, just not as convenient a way of opening it.  Program name is (apparently):  mblctr.exe

Here's a better tool:  Volume Mixer.  Apparently we can start it with:  sndvol.exe.   Good to know.  Thanks for making me find that!   ; )

Good luck

Robert
---

My keyboard has a mute key but that mutes the sound.  I am trying to mute the microphone.  I don't see a way of mapping or creating a macro.

If I try to launch mblctr.exe , I get a message :

to mute the microphone.  I don't see a way of mapping or creating a macro.

Thanks for clarifying.  I think the way that you were doing it may be the only way.   But maybe there is a way to accelerate it.

Here's what the Properties window's Command line is

"C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe" shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL mmsys.cpl,,recording

So you could assign that to a Key using MMKC.   Use the * Favorites key to get into it.

I don't see a way to get to the Levels tab of a particular Microphone and toggle its Mute button  but that is the kind of thing that you could do with a macro.  It would be most reliable if you had only keystrokes to get there but supposedly mouse movements and button presses can be included too.

Good luck

Robert
---

Thanks for reading my post and trying.  So many people here just give generic answers that have nothing to do with the question. 

Here are two other possible tacks worth investigating

https://smulpuru.wordpress.com/2012/03/08/disablefilter-microphones-in-windows-7-vdi-via-registry/ 

(BING search for
    mute microphone PowerShell
)

https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/heyscriptingguy/2014/05/25/weekend-scripter-use-powershell-to-find-and-disable-webcams/ 

(BING search for
    mute microphone WMI
)

    

That last one has the novel idea of disabling the device which definitely would effectively mute it and be easier to implement.   It uses the devcon  utility to do that which might be going outside the bounds of your "no third-party software" requirement.

Thanks, I don't think there is going to be an answer for this.  I don't want to disable the microphone, just mute it.  Something where if I'm on a call and need to sneeze I can quickly mute, then unmute.  Disabling the mic might have adverse affects.  Something similar to the options of muting the speaker sound with a mute button is the goal, and it doesn't appear that is an option within windows without third party software. 

the Properties window's Command line 

I finally beat some syntax problems that were making this idea hard to use in a script

PS>$E = 'cmd --% /c "C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe" shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL mmsys.cpl,,recording'
PS>Invoke-Expression $E

 

That at least launches the Properties window.  Then navigating to the Microphone Mute button and toggling it could be something like this:   CursorDown, Shift-F10, P, Ctrl-Tab, Ctrl-Tab, Tab, Spacebar

I believe this information should be sufficient to generate a keyboard macro which will do what is wanted.  Alternatively all of this functionality could be added to a script using SendKeys() and then that script could be mapped to an unused Favorites button.

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/17849522/how-to-perform-keystroke-inside-powershell 

(BING search for
    sendkeys  powershell
)

You can also find from the same search some developers gagging at the thought of using Sendkeys().  I say, if it works, it's good enough.   ; )

FYI

Robert
---

I had the same issue.  I found a workable solution.  Part of my job is interacting with live streaming video so I too needed something that was fast that didn't interfere too much with what I was doing.  It is not a keystroke, but it ended up being the best option for me.  Because I have a Dell laptop I have a Dell Audio app that I have pinned to the taskbar. When I click it, it takes me immediately to the microphone sound controls.  So, with two quick mouse clicks I can mute.  It is also a small window so it can easily pop up in front of what you are doing, and disappear again just as fast.  

Good luck!  

H