How to Mute Everyone on Google Meet

This guide shows you how to mute all participants in a Google Meet call, including how to mute everyone at once and how to prevent people from unmuting themselves. You’ll learn the exact steps for both desktop and mobile, plus how to handle common issues like participants who keep unmuting or hosts who can’t find the mute controls.

What You’ll Need

• A Google Meet call where you are the meeting host or a co-host (only hosts and co-hosts can mute others).
• The Google Meet app (mobile) or a web browser (desktop) — the steps differ slightly.
• For mobile, you may need to update the app to the latest version if you don’t see the mute-all option.

Step-by-Step

On Desktop (Web Browser)

1. Join or start a Google Meet meeting in your browser (meet.google.com).
2. Make sure you are the host or co-host. If you’re not, ask the host to grant you co-host permissions (see Troubleshooting).
3. At the bottom right of the Meet window, click the People icon (it looks like a person with a plus sign or a silhouette). This opens the participants panel.
4. In the participants panel, you’ll see a list of everyone in the call. At the top of the list, there is a row of icons: a microphone, a hand, and sometimes a shield or a gear. Click the microphone icon (it may have a small slash through it). A dropdown menu will appear.
5. From the dropdown, select Mute everyone. This will immediately mute all participants except you (the host).
6. If you want to prevent participants from unmuting themselves, click the same microphone icon again and choose Allow everyone to unmute themselves — but this time, leave it unchecked. When it’s unchecked, participants will see a message that they’ve been muted and cannot unmute unless you allow it.
7. To mute a single person, hover over their name in the participants list and click the microphone icon next to their name. That person will be muted individually.

On Mobile (Android or iOS)

1. Open the Google Meet app and join or start a meeting.
2. Tap the Participants icon at the bottom of the screen (it looks like two people).
3. On the participants screen, you’ll see a Mute all button at the top. Tap it. A confirmation popup will appear.
4. Tap Mute all again to confirm. All participants will be muted.
5. To mute an individual, tap on their name in the list, then tap Mute.
6. Note: On mobile, the “prevent unmuting” option is not always available. If you need that, use the desktop version.

Common Mistakes

• Not being the host: Only the host or co-host can mute everyone. If you’re a participant, the mute-all option won’t appear.
• Looking for a global mute button: Some users expect a single “Mute All” button on the main screen. It’s actually inside the People panel, not on the main toolbar.
• Confusing mute-all with mute-self: The mute button on the main toolbar (bottom center) mutes only you. To mute others, you must use the People panel.
• Clicking the wrong icon: In the People panel, the microphone icon might be subtle. Make sure you click the one at the top of the list, not the one next to a specific person’s name.
• Assuming mute-all also mutes the host: The host is never muted by the mute-all function. If you want to mute the host, you need to do it manually (but you can’t mute yourself as host).

Tips

• Use mute-all at the start of a large meeting: If you’re hosting a webinar or a lecture, mute everyone right after the meeting starts to avoid background noise.
• Combine with “Allow unmute” control: After muting everyone, you can still allow people to unmute themselves by clicking the microphone icon and checking the “Allow everyone to unmute themselves” box. This gives you control but lets participants speak when needed.
• For recurring meetings: There’s no automatic mute-all setting, but you can create a shortcut: keep the People panel open during the meeting so you can mute all with one click.
• Use keyboard shortcuts: On desktop, you can press Ctrl+E (Windows) or Cmd+E (Mac) to mute/unmute yourself, but there’s no shortcut for muting others. However, you can quickly open the People panel with Ctrl+Alt+P (Windows) or Cmd+Option+P (Mac).
• Check participant permissions: If you want to prevent people from unmuting, use the “Allow everyone to unmute themselves” toggle. When it’s off, participants will see a message that they’ve been muted and cannot unmute unless you allow it.

Troubleshooting

Can’t find the mute-all option

If you don’t see the microphone icon in the People panel, you’re probably not the host or co-host. The host can promote you: in the People panel, hover over your name and click the three-dot menu, then select “Make co-host.” If you are the host, make sure you’re using the latest version of Meet (refresh the page or update the app).

Participants can still unmute themselves after mute-all

By default, muting everyone only mutes them for the moment. They can unmute themselves if they want. To prevent this, after clicking “Mute everyone,” click the microphone icon again and uncheck “Allow everyone to unmute themselves.” This will lock their microphones.

Mute-all button is grayed out

This usually happens when you’re not the host or co-host. If you are the host, try refreshing the page or restarting the app. If the issue persists, check your internet connection — a weak connection can cause UI elements to be unresponsive.

Mobile app doesn’t have “Mute all”

Some older versions of the mobile app lack the mute-all button. Update the app to the latest version from the App Store or Google Play. If it’s still missing, use the desktop version for that feature.

Mute-all doesn’t work for a specific participant

If a participant is using a phone line (dial-in), you cannot mute them via the app. You can ask them to mute their phone manually, or if you have the ability, you can hang up on them from the participants list (only if you’re the host).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I mute everyone in a Google Meet call if I’m not the host?

No, only the host or a co-host can mute others. If you’re a participant, you can only mute yourself. Ask the host to mute everyone or to make you a co-host.

Does muting everyone also mute the host?

No, the host is never muted by the mute-all function. The host can only mute themselves manually.

Can I prevent participants from unmuting themselves?

Yes, after muting everyone, click the microphone icon in the People panel and uncheck “Allow everyone to unmute themselves.” This will lock their microphones until you re-enable it.

Is there a way to mute everyone automatically when a meeting starts?

No, Google Meet doesn’t have an automatic mute-all setting. You have to do it manually each time. However, you can create a recurring meeting template and remember to mute at the start.

What happens when I mute everyone? Do they get a notification?

Yes, participants see a message that they’ve been muted by the host. They can still unmute themselves unless you disable the “Allow everyone to unmute” option.

Can I mute individual participants without muting everyone?

Yes, in the People panel, hover over a participant’s name and click the microphone icon next to it. That mutes only that person.

Related

• Phone Specs That Matter for Everyday Use
• Bypass Factory Reset Protection Samsung
• AI Inference Accelerator Selection Guide