Enable or Disable Microphone in Windows  

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    Enable or Disable Microphone in Windows

    Enable or Disable Microphone in Windows

    How to Enable or Disable the Microphone in Windows
    Published by Category: Hardware & Drivers
    24 Jun 2020
    Designer Media Ltd

    How to Enable or Disable the Microphone in Windows


    When you are not using the microphone (mic) on your PC, you may want to disable it for privacy and security reasons, as it can get hacked and the hackers would be able to hear everything you say.

    This tutorial will show you different ways on how to enable or disable the microphone on your Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 10 PC.


    Contents

    • Option One: To Enable or Disable Microphone in Settings (Device properties)
    • Option Two: To Enable or Disable Microphone in Settings (Manage sound devices)
    • Option Three: To Enable or Disable Microphone in Device Manager
    • Option Four: To Enable or Disable Microphone in Recording Devices
    • Option Five: To Enable or Disable Microphone in Registry Editor
    • Option Six: Allow or Deny Microphone Access for this Device






    OPTION ONE

    To Enable or Disable Microphone in Settings (Device properties)


    This option is only available in Windows 10.


    1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the System icon.

    2 Click/tap on Sound on the left side, select your microphone under Input on the right side, and click/tap on the Device properties link. (see screenshot below)

    Enable or Disable Microphone in Windows-microphone_settings-1.jpg

    3 Check (disable) or uncheck (default - enable) the Disable box for what you want. (see screenshot below)

    Enable or Disable Microphone in Windows-microphone_settings-2.png

    4 You can now close Settings if you like.






    OPTION TWO

    To Enable or Disable Microphone in Settings (Manage sound devices)


    This option is only available in Windows 10.


    1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the System icon.

    2 Click/tap on Sound on the left side, and click/tap on the Manage sound devices link under Input on the right side. (see screenshot below)

    Enable or Disable Microphone in Windows-manage_sound_devices-1.jpg

    3 Click/tap on your microphone device under Input devices, and click/tap on the Enable (default) or Disable button. (see screenshots below)

    Enable or Disable Microphone in Windows-manage_sound_devices-2.jpg Enable or Disable Microphone in Windows-manage_sound_devices-3.jpg

    4 You can now close Settings if you like.






    OPTION THREE

    To Enable or Disable Microphone in Device Manager


    You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do this option.


    1 Open Device Manager.

    2 Do step 3 (enable) or step 4 (disable) below for what you want to do.


     3. To Enable Microphone

    A) Expand open Audio inputs and outputs. (see screenshot below)

    B) Right click or press and hold on your microphone device, click/tap on Enable device, and go to step 5.

    Enable or Disable Microphone in Windows-device_manager_microphone-2.jpg


     4. To Disable Microphone

    A) Expand open Audio inputs and outputs. (see screenshot below)

    B) Right click or press and hold on your microphone device, and click/tap on Disable device.

    Enable or Disable Microphone in Windows-device_manager_microphone-1.jpg

    C) Click/tap on Yes to confirm, and go to step 5.

    Enable or Disable Microphone in Windows-device_manager_microphone-1b.jpg

    5 When finished, you can close Device Manager if you like.






    OPTION FOUR

    To Enable or Disable Microphone in Recording Devices


    1 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Sound icon.

    If you like, you can open Run (Win+R), enter the control mmsys.cpl,,1 command into Run, and click/tap on OK to directly open Recording devices.


    3 Do step 3 (enable) or step 4 (disable) below for what you want to do.


     3. To Enable Microphone

    A) In the Recording tab, right click or press and hold on an empty area in the box of recording devices, and make sure you have Show Disabled Devices checked.

    Enable or Disable Microphone in Windows-recording_devices-4.png

    B) Right click or press and hold on your microphone device, click/tap on Enable, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

    Enable or Disable Microphone in Windows-recording_devices-3.png


     4. To Disable Microphone

    A) In the Recording tab, right click or press and hold on your microphone device, click/tap on Disable, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

    Enable or Disable Microphone in Windows-recording_devices-2.png






    OPTION FIVE

    To Enable or Disable Microphone in Registry Editor


    You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do this option.


    1 Press the Win + R keys to open Run, type regedit into Run, and click/tap on OK to open Registry Editor.

    2 Navigate to the key below in the left pane of Registry Editor. (see screenshot below step 3)

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\MMDevices\Audio\Capture

    3 Expand open the Capture key in the left pane, and open the Properties subkey of each long number GUID (ex: "{371f9413-b87e-4e6d-b12f-c28596a675de}") until you find your microphone device (ex: "Microphone Array/Creative VF0800") shown in the right pane. (see screenshot below)

    Enable or Disable Microphone in Windows-recording_devices_regedit-2.png

    4 In the right pane of the GUID key (ex: "{371f9413-b87e-4e6d-b12f-c28596a675de}") for your microphone device, double click/tap on the DeviceState DWORD to modify it. (see screenshot below)

    Enable or Disable Microphone in Windows-recording_devices_regedit-1.jpg

    5 Enter the Value data from the table below for what you want to do, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

    Enable or Disable Microphone in Windows-recording_devices_regedit-3.png

    Value data Description
    1 Enable
    10000001 Disable

    6 When finished, you can now close Registry Editor if you like.






    OPTION SIX

    Allow or Deny Microphone Access for this Device


    This option is only available starting with Windows 10 build 17063.

    You must be signed in as an administrator to use this option.


    1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the Privacy icon.

    2 Click/tap on Microphone on the left side, click/tap on the Change button on the right side, and turn On (default) or Off Microphone access for this device for what you want. (see screenshots below)

    Enable or Disable Microphone in Windows-microphone_access_for_device-1.jpg Enable or Disable Microphone in Windows-microphone_access_for_device-2.jpg


    That's it,
    Shawn






  1. Posts : 68,660
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       #1

    Tutorial updated to add Option Two.
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 7,606
    Windows 10 Home 20H2
       #2

    Create_a_shortcut_to_Microphone_on-off_toggle.bat Enable or Disable Microphone in Windows-mic.jpg

    @Brink, the above batch script will create a desktop shortcut that functions as a microphone on-off switch, which will toggle between "on" and "off" by modifying the following "microphone" key in Registry:
    Code:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CapabilityAccessManager\ConsentStore\microphone

    Do you think the script can be added into this tutorial?
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 68,660
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Matthew Wai said:
    Create_a_shortcut_to_Microphone_on-off_toggle.bat Enable or Disable Microphone in Windows-mic.jpg

    @Brink, the above batch script will create a desktop shortcut that functions as a microphone on-off switch, which will toggle between "on" and "off" by modifying the following "microphone" key in Registry:
    Code:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CapabilityAccessManager\ConsentStore\microphone

    Do you think the script can be added into this tutorial?
    Thank you Matthew.

    You might also include an undo option for the CMD file, VBS file, and task it creates used by the shortcut.
    Last edited by Brink; 21 Sep 2021 at 13:26.
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 7,606
    Windows 10 Home 20H2
       #4

    Brink said:
    Thank you Matthew.

    You might also include an undo option for the CMD file, VBS file, and task it creates used by the shortcut.
    Such an option has been added into this version: Create_or_remove_a_Microphone_on-off_toggle.bat
    If you press [R], the shortcut, the task, and the folder containing the said files will be removed altogether.

    Enable or Disable Microphone in Windows-options.jpg
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 28
    windows 10
       #5

    Script does not seem to work all I get is this>>> windows has protected your pc , dont run this
    PC



    Microsoft Defender SmartScreen prevented an unrecognized app from starting. Running this app might put your PC at risk.
    More info
    App: Create_a_shortcut_to_Microphone_on-off_toggle (1).bat
    Publisher: Unknown publisher


    Don’t runs protected your PC
    Microsoft Defender SmartScreen prevented an unrecognized app from starting. Running this app might put your PC at risk.
    More info
    App: Create_a_shortcut_to_Microphone_on-off_toggle (1).bat
    Publisher: Unknown publisher


    Run anyway Don’t run
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 7,606
    Windows 10 Home 20H2
       #6

    tomsw10 said:
    Script does not seem to work all I get is this>>> windows has protected your pc , dont run this
    Click on "More info". Then click on "Run anyway".

    Microsoft Defender SmartScreen indiscriminately protects your PC from all online scripts.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 28
    windows 10
       #7

    Now it seems to be on my desktop but when I try to run it a security screen comes up and said it stopped it from running?
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 7,606
    Windows 10 Home 20H2
       #8

    Please post a screenshot of the security screen.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 28
    windows 10
       #9

    Enable or Disable Microphone in Windows-image.png
      My Computer


 

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