Muting

Navigate muting and audio control topics.

Read time 3 minutes

Last updated 8 months ago

The Vivox SDK allows users and moderators to mute other users.

Mute functionality is divided into the following categories:

Local device control: A user's ability to control their own local audio device. Does not involve other users.
- A user can mute their local speaker to not hear other users.
- A user can mute their local microphone to not be heard by other users.
User-to-user muting in one or more channels
- User-to-user muting in a specified channel: When User A mutes User B for a specified channel, User A cannot hear User B in that channel, but can still hear User B in all other channels that they are in together.
- User-to-user muting in all channels: When User A mutes User B, User A cannot hear User B in all current and future channels for that session until User A removes the mute.
- Cross-mute: When User A cross-mutes User B, User A and User B cannot hear each other in all current and future channels until User A removes cross-mute. This is also called bi-directional muting.
User-to-channel muting
- When User A mutes a whole channel, User A cannot hear anyone in that specified channel, but can still hear other channels.
Moderator muting one or more users: A moderator's ability to mute one or more participants.
- When a moderator mutes User A in a specified channel, no participants can hear User A in that channel until a moderator unmutes User A.
- A moderator can mute all participants in a channel at the same time except for the moderator. In this case, participants can only hear the moderator.

The scenarios for user-to-user muting in one or more channels work as a hierarchy, which is detailed in the following table.

A higher muting level overwrites the preceding muting level.
Moderator muting overrides other muting scenarios for its duration, but after moderator muting is lifted, any previously-defined muting between users will persist.

Mute (in a specified channel)
(vx_req_session_set_participant_mute_for_me with account handle)

⇩

Mute (in all channels)
(vx_req_account_control_communications with account handle)

⇩

Cross-mute
(vx_req_account_control_communications with account handle)

Note

Muting is different from blocking (see

vx_req_account_create_block_rule

). Muting allows a user to not receive voice communication from one or more other users. Blocking allows a user to not see another user on the channel participant list. For example, when User A blocks User B, User A cannot see User B on User A’s channel participant list, and cannot subscribe to User B’s presence.

Topic	Description
Mute voice and text messages	How to mute voice and text.
Mute a local speaker device	How to mute or unmute the local speaker.
Mute a local microphone device	How to mute or unmute a local microphone device.
Retrieve the volume and mute status of a local device	How to retrieve volume and mute status.
User-to-user muting	How users can mute other users.
User-to-channel muting	How a user can mute a whole channel.
Moderator mute a user	How a user with privileges can mute other users.

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