Mobile Phones > Android How to Turn Off the Microphone on an Android Let's also check out Android's microphone settings By Jennifer Allen Jennifer Allen Twitter Writer Swansea University, Staffordshire University Jennifer Allen has been writing about technology since 2010. Her work has appeared in Mashable, TechRadar, and many more publications. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on July 26, 2021 Reviewed by Michael Barton Heine Jr Reviewed by Michael Barton Heine Jr Michael Heine is a CompTIA-certified writer, editor, and Network Engineer with 25+ years' experience working in the television, defense, ISP, telecommunications, and education industries. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Android Switching from iOS What to Know Disable your microphone by tapping Settings > Privacy > App Permissions > Microphone and toggling all apps to the white switch.Disable Google listening by tapping Settings > Google > Account Services > Search > Voice > Voice Match > toggle to off.Your microphone is on the bottom of your Android phone. This article teaches you how to turn off the microphone on your Android phone and how to change your microphone settings. How Do I Disable My Microphone on My Android Smartphone? If you want to disable your Android phone's microphone altogether, the process is relatively simple but hidden behind a few menus. Here's where to look and how to disable your microphone. Tap Settings. Tap Privacy. Tap App Permissions. Tap Microphone. Toggle all the apps listed to the white switch. If you only want to disable the microphone on some apps, choose to toggle them accordingly. How Do I Stop My Phone From Listening to Conversations? Most Android phones are always listening in some way because they're waiting to hear you activate Google Assistant. If you'd prefer to switch off this capability, here's what to do. This process will switch Google Assistant off across all phones that use the same Google account. Tap Settings. Tap Google. Tap Account Services. Tap Search, Assistant & Voice. Tap Voice. Tap Voice Match. Toggle Hey Google to Off. Your phone will now no longer listen out for Google Assistant prompts. How Do I Change My Microphone Settings on My Android? If you want to change what apps can use your microphone on your Android phone, the process is very similar to disabling it entirely. Here's what to do. Tap Settings. Tap Privacy. Tap App Permissions. Tap Microphone. Look through the apps and choose which ones you wish to disable or enable by toggling the green or white switch. Where Is the Microphone on an Android Phone? The microphone on Android phones is usually at the bottom of your phone. Look at where you plug in your phone to recharge, and you'll see some vents or holes. It's where the microphone resides and where you should speak to be heard by others or to speak to your phone. Don't cover the microphone with your hand or fingers when you're making a call or using the microphone in some other way. Is My Phone Spying on Me? It's a common concern your Android phone might be spying on you. While your phone will listen out for the 'Hey Google' prompt, it's not tracking what you're doing or recording your calls. However, if you're concerned, you can follow the above steps to disable the microphone as much as possible while still receiving and making calls. Do keep a regular eye on what apps have access to your microphone in case of any threats from malware or nefarious sources. You can also check the Google My Activity page to see what is being collected by Google about your browsing habits and the apps you're using. FAQ How do I turn off the microphone on a Bluetooth headset if I'm using Android Oreo? Many third-party apps in the Google Play Store can switch your sound output to your phone's speaker. Consider downloading Headphone Mode Off or Earphone Mode Off. Or search the Google Play Store for alternatives. How do I mute the Android smartphone's microphone? Muting and unmuting your microphone is only possible if you're on an active call. If you're on an active call and want a moment of privacy or need to speak to someone without the other party hearing, mute your Android smartphone's microphone by tapping the Mute option in the call action pane. Tap Unmute to return to the call. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Email Address Sign up There was an error. Please try again. You're in! Thanks for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. Thank you for signing up! Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit