Windows 11 · Zoom Workplace on Windows or Mac

Mute or Ask Participants to Unmute in Zoom

Source-checked About 3 minutes

Answer

As host or co-host, open Participants and select Mute beside one person, or Mute All for the room. To let someone speak, select Ask to Unmute. Zoom normally requires that participant to turn their own microphone back on; direct unmute works only when the account has enabled pre-approved consent and the participant has agreed.

Before you continue
  • Host or co-hostParticipants cannot control everyone else's microphones.
  • Mute or Mute AllChoose the narrowest control needed.
  • Ask to UnmuteThe participant usually makes the final choice.
Read Zoom's participant audio guide
Guide steps6 steps
  1. Open Participants
  2. Mute one participant
  3. Mute everyone when needed
  4. Ask one person to unmute
  5. Use direct unmute only with consent
  6. Check the speaking state
  7. If it still does not work

Open Participants

In the meeting controls, select Participants. The panel shows each person's microphone state.

Mute one participant

Point to the participant and select Mute. Use this for one open microphone rather than muting the entire room.

Mute everyone when needed

Select Mute All, review whether participants may unmute themselves, then confirm. Explain the change to the group.

Ask one person to unmute

Select Ask to Unmute beside the participant. They receive a prompt and choose whether to turn on their microphone.

Use direct unmute only with consent

An Unmute control can appear only when the account uses pre-approved consent and that participant has granted it. Do not treat missing consent as an error.

Check the speaking state

Watch the microphone icon and ask the participant to say a short sentence. Remind them to check their physical headset mute switch if Zoom shows no input.

If it does not work

  • If Mute All is missing, confirm that you are the host or co-host and open the full Participants panel.
  • If the participant cannot unmute, check the meeting option that allows participants to unmute themselves.
  • If Zoom shows the microphone as active but nobody hears sound, the participant should select the correct input device and check the operating system's microphone permission.
Sources and verification

Checked against official documentation on . Scope: Zoom Workplace on Windows or Mac.

The written steps follow the current official pages linked below. The saved video is an older walkthrough and may show different labels.

Continue with

Browse more Zoom tutorials