How to Mute Students in Google Meet

This guide shows you how to mute individual students or the entire class during a Google Meet session. You’ll need to be the meeting host or a co-host, and the steps work on both desktop and mobile. Muting is essential for reducing background noise and keeping the lesson focused.

What You’ll Need

• A Google account (personal or Workspace) with permission to create or join a Meet as host.
• The Google Meet link or code for the session.
• Host or co-host privileges in the meeting (the meeting creator is always a host).

Step-by-Step

1. Start or join the meeting – Open Google Meet in your browser (meet.google.com) or the mobile app, and start the meeting or join using the link. Ensure you are the host (if you created it, you’re the host).
2. Open the participants panel – At the bottom-right corner of the screen, click the People icon (it looks like a person with a plus sign). On mobile, tap the same icon at the bottom.
3. Locate the student you want to mute – The panel shows a list of everyone in the meeting. Find the student’s name. If the list is long, you can scroll or use the search bar (desktop only).
4. Mute an individual student – Hover over the student’s name (desktop) or tap the three-dot menu next to their name (mobile). Click or tap the Mute icon (a microphone with a slash). The student is muted immediately, and they cannot unmute themselves unless you allow it (see Tips).
5. Mute all students at once – In the participants panel, click the Mute all button (desktop) or tap the three-dot menu at the top and select Mute all (mobile). This mutes everyone except you (the host).
6. Unmute when needed – To unmute a student, repeat step 4 and click the unmute icon (microphone without slash). To unmute everyone, click Unmute all in the same menu.

Common Mistakes

• Not being the host – Only hosts and co-hosts can mute others. If you’re not the host, you’ll see a message saying you don’t have permission.
• Muting the wrong person – In a large class, it’s easy to click the wrong name. Double-check the name before clicking mute.
• Forgetting to unmute before a student speaks – If you mute all, remember to unmute the student when they need to answer. Otherwise, they’ll be stuck silent.
• Using the wrong icon – The mute icon is a microphone with a slash, not the camera icon. Clicking the camera icon will turn off their video, not audio.

Tips

• Use the “Mute all” feature at the start of a lecture – This prevents background noise from the start. Students can raise their hand (click the hand icon) to request to speak.
• Allow students to unmute themselves – By default, students can unmute themselves after you mute them. If you want to prevent this, go to the Security icon (shield) in the top-right, and uncheck “Allow participants to unmute themselves.” This is useful during tests or presentations.
• Use co-hosts for large classes – If you have a co-teacher, assign them as co-host (in the People panel, click the three-dot menu next to their name and select “Make co-host”). They can also mute students.
• Keyboard shortcut (desktop) – Press Ctrl+Alt+M (Windows) or Cmd+Option+M (Mac) to quickly mute all participants. This works in the Google Meet tab.
• Check audio settings – If a student is still making noise after muting, they might have multiple devices (e.g., a second mic). Ask them to turn off other devices.

Troubleshooting

• I can’t see the mute button – Make sure you are the host. If you’re not, ask the host to make you a co-host. Also, refresh the page if the UI is glitchy.
• Muting doesn’t work – Sometimes a glitch prevents muting. Try leaving the meeting and rejoining as host. If the problem persists, restart your browser or app.
• Student can still unmute themselves – As mentioned, by default they can. Use the Security menu to disable self-unmuting. If you already disabled it and they still unmute, they might be using a different device or a workaround; ask them to rejoin the meeting.
• Mute all button is grayed out – This happens if you’re not the host or if you’re in a breakout room (if using Google Workspace for Education). Ensure you’re in the main room.
• Can’t find the People panel – On mobile, the People icon is at the bottom. If you don’t see it, tap the screen to show the controls.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can students unmute themselves after I mute them?

Yes, by default they can. To prevent this, go to the Security icon (shield) and uncheck “Allow participants to unmute themselves.”

Can I mute a student without them knowing?

No, the student will see a notification that they’ve been muted. It’s a transparent action.

Does muting affect the student’s video?

No, muting only affects audio. The student’s video continues to work normally.

Can I mute students on the mobile app?

Yes, the same steps apply: tap the People icon, then tap the three-dot menu next to a student’s name and select Mute. You can also mute all from the menu at the top.

Why can’t I mute a student who is presenting their screen?

You can still mute them, but they might be using a different audio source. Ask them to stop sharing their screen and then mute them.

What happens if a student is muted but I can still hear them?

This can happen if they have multiple devices (e.g., a phone and a laptop) both connected to the meeting. Ask them to disconnect one device.

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