FaceTime and TapNoise.

What happens

• Quiet during calls: while FaceTime uses the microphone, key sounds and agent sounds stop.
• With the default knock, a double knock mutes or unmutes your microphone while a call is using it. Otherwise it plays or pauses music.
• The mute works on your Mac’s microphone. TapNoise doesn’t touch the camera.
• A chime confirms each change, and Tappy shows when your mic is muted.

Set it up

1. Open Settings › General. Under Playback, make sure Quiet during calls is on. It is on by default.
2. Open Settings › MacBook, and turn on Knock to control your Mac in Knock commands. Knock commands are off by default.
3. Keep Knock twice on Play / pause, or mute mic in calls. You can pick another action from the list instead.
4. If Allow TapNoise to send keys appears, click Open Settings and allow TapNoise under Accessibility in System Settings. Play, pause and lock need it. Mute doesn’t.
5. Join a FaceTime call. Knock twice on the MacBook, near the trackpad, to mute. Knock twice again to unmute.

Good to know

• TapNoise can’t tell one app from another. It goes quiet for any app that uses your microphone.
• TapNoise doesn’t read the call window or the app’s own mute button, so the app’s button may not match the knock. Check the call window.
• Some microphones can’t be muted by software. Then TapNoise turns the input level down to zero, and back up when you unmute.
• Knocks need a MacBook with a motion sensor: MacBook Pro with M1 Pro or later, or MacBook Air with M2 or later. Knock commands need a TapNoise license.

Questions