WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, allowing users to easily connect with friends and family through messages, voice notes, video calls, and more. One handy feature is the ability to mute your microphone during a WhatsApp call so the other person can’t hear you. This can be useful if you need to temporarily block background noise or have a quick side conversation without the other person listening in.
Why Would You Want to Mute a WhatsApp Call?
There are a few common reasons you may want to mute your mic during a WhatsApp call:
- To block background noise – If you’re in a noisy environment like a café or train, muting your mic allows you to avoid distracting the other caller with ambient sounds.
- To have a private conversation – If you need to quickly talk to someone else near you without the WhatsApp caller hearing, muting lets you do this.
- To avoid interruptions – If the other person needs to concentrate without noise distractions, muting yourself allows them to focus.
- To pause the conversation – If you need a moment to gather your thoughts or take a break, muting your mic pauses the call without hanging up.
How to Mute Your Microphone on WhatsApp
Muting your mic on a WhatsApp call is easy and just takes a few taps. Here are the steps:
- Start a WhatsApp voice or video call as normal.
- Once the call connects and begins, tap the microphone icon at the bottom left.
- The mic icon will change from white to red with a line through it, indicating you are muted.
- To unmute, simply tap the red muted mic icon again. It will change back to a white unmuted mic.
On Android devices, the mute icon is on the top bar rather than the bottom. But just tap it to mute/unmute the same way.
Other WhatsApp Call Options
In addition to muting your mic, WhatsApp provides other call controls:
- Speaker – Tap the speaker icon to switch between the phone speaker and earpiece.
- Add Call – Tap this to merge calls and add a third person to the conversation.
- Keypad – Opens a dial pad to enter DTMF tones or add another call.
- Bluetooth – If connected to a Bluetooth device, switch audio to Bluetooth here.
These additional options let you control the call experience and add participants. Mute simply lets you silence your microphone quickly and easily.
Troubleshooting WhatsApp Call Muting
If you are unable to mute your WhatsApp call, try these tips:
- Make sure WhatsApp has microphone access enabled in your phone’s Settings app.
- Check that your phone is not on Do Not Disturb or a silent profile which could block the mic.
- Force close and restart the WhatsApp app if the mute icon is unresponsive.
- Update WhatsApp to the latest version available in your phone’s app store.
- Try switching between speaker, earpiece and Bluetooth to check if a different audio source works.
- As a last resort, reboot your phone to troubleshoot any potential software glitches.
Following these steps should help get muting functional again in most cases. If not, reach out to WhatsApp support for further assistance.
Muting While on a WhatsApp Group Call
The mute function works the same way when you are on a group voice or video call with multiple WhatsApp participants. Simply tap the mute icon to silence your mic to everyone in the group call at once. The option to unmute will be there when you want to speak again.
One difference with group calls is that next to the mute icon, you’ll also see a list of participants. You can tap this to selectively mute specific people on the call rather than yourself.
So muting on a one-on-one or group WhatsApp call is easy and accessible right from the app interface. Next time background noise is an issue or you need a private off-call conversation, just remember to tap that mic button.
Muting Notifications While on Calls
In addition to muting your microphone during calls, you can also mute WhatsApp notifications to avoid disruptions:
- On Android: Pull down the notification shade > Long-press on the WhatsApp notification > Select mute notifications
- On iPhone: Settings > Notifications > WhatsApp > Toggle off Allow Notifications
This will prevent any WhatsApp message pings or alerts from interrupting your active calls. Just remember to turn notifications back on afterwards.
Using Do Not Disturb Mode
Another option is to enable Do Not Disturb mode on your phone while on WhatsApp calls:
- On Android: Pull down Quick Settings > Tap Do Not Disturb toggle
- On iPhone: Swipe up to Control Center > Tap Moon icon
This will mute all notifications, calls, and alerts until you disable it again. Useful for avoiding all distractions during long chats.
Conclusion
Muting your microphone during WhatsApp calls is a simple process – just tap the mic icon during any call to toggle it on or off. This prevents the other user from hearing any background noise or conversations on your end. For group calls, you can mute the entire call or choose specific people to mute.
Disabling notifications and enabling Do Not Disturb mode also helps avoid disruptions during important WhatsApp calls. Use these muting features to seamlessly communicate without distractions on WhatsApp’s calling platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the other person tell if you mute them on WhatsApp?
No, if you mute someone else on a WhatsApp group call, it is anonymous and they will not be notified or aware they have been muted.
Why can’t I find the mute button on my WhatsApp call?
If the mute icon is missing, first check WhatsApp has microphone access enabled in your phone’s app permissions settings. Also try force closing the app and checking for any updates to the latest version.
Will muting on WhatsApp also mute my phone’s ringer?
No, the WhatsApp call muting functions only mute the microphone in that app during calls and video chats. Your phone’s ringer volume and notifications will remain unaffected.
Can I automatically mute WhatsApp calls at certain times?
There is no native option within WhatsApp to automatically mute calls. However, you can enable Do Not Disturb schedules or Apps Do Not Disturb on Android/Focus Mode on iPhone to mute WhatsApp (and other apps) during designated times or events.
Is there a way to mute WhatsApp calls faster?
Yes, on supported Android phones you can remap the power button double press or hold action to instantly mute the microphone using the phone’s settings. This allows muting in one quick gesture without tapping the screen.
Other WhatsApp Tips and Tricks
Pin important chats
Pin up to 3 contacts or groups to the top of your WhatsApp chats list so you can always quickly access them.
Use chat shortcuts
Type @ to mention someone, / to search, and * for italics or _ for bold when typing messages.
Reply privately in groups
Long-press a group message and tap Reply privately to respond to just the sender and not the group.
Share your live location
Tap Attach > Location and choose Share live location to share your real-time GPS location with a contact.
Enable dark mode
Go into WhatsApp Settings > Chats to enable a darker theme that’s easier on your eyes.
Recover deleted messages
You have a short window to recover deleted messages on WhatsApp by tapping and holding the bubble.
Conclusion
Muting your microphone during WhatsApp calls helps minimize background noise and distractions for yourself and the other caller. Simply tap the mic icon during any call to quickly turn it on or off. For advanced muting control, dive into your phone’s Do Not Disturb settings to silence notifications during important chats.
With these handy tricks, your WhatsApp calling experience can remain smooth and uninterrupted. Muting is an essential tool for both one-on-one conversations and group calls on the popular messaging platform.