Google Gemini Live is getting a handy 'mute' button
Google's Gemini Live is about to get a much-needed mute button, spotted in the latest app update.
This lets you silence your mic but still hear AI responses—perfect for when things around you get noisy or distracting.
Users and analysts have been requesting better control like this since earlier this year, and Google is now rolling out the feature in response.
How the new mute button works
You'll find the mute icon (a slashed mic) right between screen share and end session controls, plus in the "Live with Gemini" notification for quick access.
Unlike the old pause/hold option that froze everything, mute just stops your voice input—so you can keep getting answers while cooking or commuting without worrying about background noise messing things up.
Mute vs pause: What's actually different?
The pause feature used to stop both listening and output, forcing you to restart your session.
With mute, only your mic is silenced; Gemini keeps talking back as usual.
It's a smoother way to manage interruptions without breaking your flow.
Right now it's being tested on Android—no word yet on when iOS users will get it.