TorkilsMicMuter

Muting the microphone can be easily done by using its integrated mute button or the headset controller. Yet, what can you do when these buttons are damaged or nonexistent at all? Well, you can focus your attention on software solutions that let you use your keyboard or the system tray menu to turn your microphone on and off. TorkilsMicMuter is one example of a tool that offers a new set of controls for users who either lack a method of muting their mic or want to have faster alternatives.

After the installation is completed, an icon will pop up in the systray. On top of that, six other images will be generated on your desktop, two of which are small icons that depict both microphone states, on or off. However, you can send those images straight to the Recycle Bin, as they have no use from a functional standpoint.

The app allows you to mute your mic by either opening its context menu and clicking on the Toggle Mute option or by setting up hotkeys. There are no default hotkeys set up, so you must visit the Configure Shortcut Keys menu in order to do that. Once inside that menu, you can set up two different shortcuts, but with the same role. The nice part about these shortcuts is that you can use the entire keyboard for them, so you can choose whichever buttons are more comfortable.

As soon as you mute the microphone, the app would let that be known by generating icons that depict the current state. In the same context menu described earlier, you can choose the positions of these icons. As an example, you opt for a single icon to pop up in one of the screen corners or all of them, depending on how obvious you want to make it.

TorkilsMicMuter might not be an essential application for everybody, but for individuals with hardware issues, it can definitely be helpful. It can serve a purpose for those who need faster and customized access to the mute button.