# MuteDeck Software Help Center

Welcome to the MuteDeck Help Center! Here, you'll find a collection of articles and resources designed to help you get the most out of MuteDeck. Our Help Center contains a wealth of information to help you troubleshoot issues, learn new features, and get the most out of MuteDeck.

Use the search bar at the top right corner, or explore the topics below.

General

Learn how MuteDeck works, and other general details about the software.

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Troubleshooting

What to do and what to check when MuteDeck does not recognize your calls.

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Plugins

Getting started with the Stream Deck, Loupedeck, TouchPortal, and Google Meet plugins.

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Licensing

Learn how to find and reactivate your license, add a VAT number to your invoice, and how to purchase in bulk.

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# How does MuteDeck work?

The MuteDeck software checks your computer to see if Zoom or other meeting apps are running. If it's running, it scans the user interface to see what buttons are present. I.e., it looks for the Mute button and if it's there, it means you're unmuted. If the Unmute button is there, it means you're on mute.

When MuteDeck detects an active call, it mirrors the buttons with the active status of that feature. When you press unmute on Zoom or Webex, it detects this and changes the button inside MuteDeck. When you press mute on MuteDeck, it sends a simulated click to Zoom or Webex and detects whether the mute was successful.

# Microphone Control as a Fallback

If a Zoom or other call is not found, MuteDeck falls back on the microphone you're using. This means you still have mute control with any conference call software, which is pretty awesome!

If you're curious about how that looks, here's an example from Microsoft Teams, from before MuteDeck had Teams support:

MS Teams muted message

# What happens when MuteDeck doesn't recognise the call app?

When MuteDeck does not recognize the call application, mostly because we don't support it yet, it falls back on the microphone input you're using. Mute visibility and control still works.

Here's an example: No call detected

When using the mute button in an app that we don't yet support, you will still go on mute. Most apps can recognise that and will display a message. Here's an example with Microsoft Teams, where the microphone is muted:

MS Teams muted message

# Setting up Microsoft Teams Classic

Connect MuteDeck directly to the Microsoft Teams Third-Party API for faster updates and control. Here's how you set up Teams to let MuteDeck control it:

  1. Open the MuteDeck settings, turn on Enable Microsoft Teams Classic under Application Sync and click the Set up Microsoft Teams button
  2. Open Teams for desktop
  3. Open Settings:
    1. Click the three dots:
    2. ...
    3. in the top right of Teams, then select Settings
    4. settings
  4. In the new window, click the Privacy menu item on the left
  5. Select Manage API under the Third-party app API section on the bottom
  6. Turn on the toggle next to Enable API
  7. If the API token is empty, select Generate to generate a new one

Enable API under Privacy settings

  1. Once you've enabled it, MuteDeck will automatically discover the token and test the connection. Go back to MuteDeck to see the result.

Source: support.microsoft.com (opens new window)

# Setting up Microsoft Teams New (v2)

At the end of November, Microsoft started rolling out the Third-party app API for the New Teams. Setup is slightly different from Teams Classic, here's how:

  1. Open the MuteDeck settings, turn on Enable Microsoft Teams v2 under Application Sync and click the Pair Microsoft Teams v2 button
  2. Open Teams for desktop
  3. Open Settings:
    1. Click the three dots:
    2. ...
    3. in the top right of Teams, then select Settings
    4. settings
  4. In the new window, click the Privacy menu item on the left
  5. Select Manage API under the Third-party app API section on the bottom
  6. Turn on the toggle next to Enable API
  7. Start a new meeting by going to Calendar, and clicking Meet Now
  8. Click the Start Pairing button in the MuteDeck window
  9. Accept the connection coming from MuteDeck in Microsoft Teams
  10. Done!

Here's a 2-minute video walkthrough, if you prefer:

TIP

Note: Microsoft Teams isn't great with multiple third-party applications. If you're using issues and there is more than one app paired, try removing the other(s) before MuteDeck works.

# Keyboard Shortcuts with Hotkeys

Hotkeys make it even easier to manage your meetings by setting up keyboard shortcuts for actions, like muting your microphone or turning off your camera, without needing a Stream Deck, Loupedeck, or any other external device.

With Hotkeys, you can also make any device that's capable of sending a keyboard shortcut, to control your meetings as well. Customizable keyboard macro keys, for example.

# Setting up a Hotkey

To set up Hotkeys, follow these steps:

  1. Open the MuteDeck app
  2. Click the settings icon to open the settings window
  3. In the Hotkeys section, click the input box of the action you want to create a hotkey for and type the keyboard shortcut you want
  4. See your keyboard shortcut appear in the input box
  5. Try it out!

Here's a 2-minute walkthrough video:

# Removing a Hotkey

To remove a hotkey, follow these steps:

  1. Open the MuteDeck app
  2. Click the settings icon to open the settings window
  3. In the Hotkeys section, click the trashcan icon of the action you want to clear the hotkey for
  4. Done!

# Anonymous Usage Stats Explained

During the continuous development of MuteDeck, we often review existing features and design for new features and options. By enabling the Send Anonymous Usage Stats option, you can help us understand how MuteDeck is used and lets us know which features matter most to you.

Disabled by default, MuteDeck will ask whether it can enable the collection of usage stats and send it to us when it first starts.

No data is collected or reported that can connect your identity to it. To be as transparent about what we collect, here's what is collected and sent to mutedeck.com:

# System

  • Computer ID: Random generated string when your computer is installed. Here's an example: 8B510C4A-BB24-5450-B1B0-BECC5F092DE6
  • CPU Architecture: Whether MuteDeck is running on 32bit, 64bit, or another architecture.
  • Kernel Type & Version: Shorthands for the type of system, like 'winnt' for Windows and 'darwin' for MacOS.
  • Product Name & Version: Longer name for the type of system, like 'Windows 11 Version 2009' or 'macOS Monterey (12.6).'
  • MuteDeck Version: The version of MuteDeck that's running.
  • MuteDeck Licensed: Whether MuteDeck is licensed (but not the license itself.)

# Events

Events is a list of button presses that lets us know which buttons are being used the most. Per event, this is what is collected and sent to mutedeck.com:

  • Event Date
  • Event Type: This can be “mute”, “video”, “share”, “record”, or “leave.”
  • Context: In which context the event type is run. This can be “system,” “zoom,” “webex,” or software that will be supported in the future.
  • Via API: Tells us whether the event was triggered via MuteDeck's API, which means it's run via Stream Deck, Loupedeck, or another form of remote API. This can be “yes” or “no.”

# Why does it take a second to update?

MuteDeck is on a continuous loop to detect and find the status of Zoom. To balance the resources the software needs (CPU usage) and performance, we've put this loop on a 0.5-second delay. So, every second the call status gets updated, which can seem like a delay when you're paying attention to the buttons. We've found that this design is the sweet spot and is the best balance.

This may change in the future, but we want to be absolutely sure that the software does not interfere with your computer's resources and has a very small footprint.

Starting version 1.0, you can configure the time between updates. All the way down to 0,5 second. Combined with the instant updates to the Stream Deck plugin, makes it feel like it's real time. 😊

# Uninstalling MuteDeck

To uninstall MuteDeck, you will need to use the maintenance tool. Follow the steps below based on your operating system:

# Windows

  1. Navigate to the MuteDeck installation directory. Typically, this can be found at C:\Program Files\MuteDeck.
  2. Locate the MuteDeckMaintenanceTool.exe file in the MuteDeck installation directory.
  3. Double-click on MuteDeckMaintenanceTool.exe to run it.
  4. The maintenance tool window will open. Select the Uninstall option.
  5. Follow the on-screen prompts to confirm the uninstallation of MuteDeck.

# macOS

  1. Navigate to the MuteDeck installation directory. Typically, this can be found at /Applications/MuteDeck.
  2. Locate the MuteDeckMaintenanceTool.app file in the MuteDeck installation directory.
  3. Double-click on MuteDeckMaintenanceTool.app to run it.
  4. The maintenance tool window will open. Select the Uninstall option.
  5. Follow the on-screen prompts to confirm the uninstallation of MuteDeck.

That's it! You have successfully uninstalled MuteDeck from your system.

Troubleshooting →