Discord allows you to set custom keybinds to mute your microphone via the user settings. There are two options when it comes to muting your mic. You can toggle mute, or push to mute. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages.
Toggle Mute vs Push to Mute
Toggle Mute allows you to toggle on and off the microphone. This means you press the set keybind once to turn it off. The microphone will stay muted until you toggle it back on.
Toggle mute is preferred for situations when gaming. If there is someone in your room talking then you can mute your mic with one press. This allows you to keep playing with your mic muted without hindering your gameplay.
Once the room is clear, then you can quickly unmute your mic without hassle. A downside is it’s easy to get distracted and forget to unmute your microphone.
Push to Mute requires you to hold down the selected key to stay muted. The moment you release the key, your microphone will be unmuted.
If you choose to use push to mute, then if there is a sound in your room you will need to keep the key pressed. This isn’t recommended when gaming, as it’s one less finger you have for movement.
How to Set Up Toggle Mute & Push to Mute on Discord
1. Open the user settings via the gear icon. This is found next to your name in the bottom left corner of Discord.
2. Choose the “Keybinds” menu from the left panel.
3. Press the “Add a Keybind” button at the top of the window. A new action will be created. By default, it will be unassigned.
4. Click on the action drop menu, and choose either toggle mute or push to mute. You can always create a new keybind later to enable both.
5. Choose to “Record Keybind” by clicking on the empty box on the right.
6. Press the keys or buttons that you want to use for muting. You can also use a key combination or mouse button.
7. Stop the recording once you’re happy with the hotkey.
8. Your push or toggle mute will now be active.
Prevent Microphone Echo in Game
When gaming you often find yourself using the in-game chat to communicate with other players. If you’re in a Discord chat, your friends will hear you twice, in Disord and in game.
This echo can be annoying for most players, especially when in an intense moment. Typically this results in your Discord friends muting you in game. There is an alternative that saves everyone from having to mute each other.
To prevent the echo of your voice in game, you can set up a push to mute keybind in Discord. Your hotkey for push to mute should be set to the same as your in game push to talk button. Doing this will mute your microphone in Discord everytime you talk in game.
Using Macro Keys and Pads to Toggle Mute
Often your Discord keybinds can overlap with hotkeys set in other programs or games. The best way to avoid conflicting keybinds is to use key combinations. Key combinations involve pressing multiple keys to activate an action. For example pressing Ctrl, Alt, Shift, F12 at the same time.
These combinations can be difficult to activate unless you’re using a macro key or pad. Macro pads allow you to assign a key combination to a single button. One of the more popular macro pads is the Elgato Stream Deck.
How to Toggle Deafen on Discord
Discord also allows you to set up a Toggle Deafen keybind. Deafening on Discord mutes your microphone and Discord audio. There may be situations where muting your Discord chat will be necessary, especially when gaming.
Open the user settings with the cog icon. The user settings are located in the bottom left.
Switch to the Keybinds menu.
Add a new keybind.
Set the action to toggle deafen.
Choose to record.
Press the key or key combination you want to use for deafening, then stop recording.
Conclusion
While setting up Discord keybinds isn’t necessary, it is a great quality of life improvement. Being able to quickly mute and deafen Discord is great for gaming and working. Allowing you to remove any distractions at the click of a button.
