Muteo is a small menu bar app for the Mac (Apple silicon, macOS 14 or later) and free in the Mac App Store. When headphones, AirPods or Bluetooth or USB audio are disconnected and the Mac falls back to its built-in speakers, Muteo mutes the speakers or limits the volume. So nothing suddenly plays loudly from your Mac after you unplug your headphones.
- Triggers, each of which can be switched on or off: headphones, Bluetooth or USB audio disconnected; manually switching to the speakers; sleep and wake; screen lock; startup, restart and shutdown
- Action: mute, or limit the volume to a set level (20 % by default, in steps of 5 %)
- Exceptions: devices for which nothing should happen
- Menu bar menu: switch Muteo on or off, see the current output, mute the speakers right away, open Settings
- Optionally a “Muted” notification and start at login
- German and English (follows the system language), follows the light and dark appearance
- No account, no network access, no telemetry, no ads
Muteo only mutes the output (speakers). It does not use the microphone, and it has no keyboard shortcut of its own.
Questions, a bug or a wish for Muteo? Write to me:
Email: info@gtools.me
Helpful for a quick answer: your Mac model, the macOS version, the Muteo version (shown at the top of the menu bar menu), which device was disconnected and a short description of what happened and what you expected.
Where do I find the settings?
Click the Muteo icon in the menu bar and choose “Settings …” (⌘,). There you set the triggers, the action, exceptions, the notification and start at login.
Muteo does not react when I unplug my headphones
Check in the menu that “Active” is switched on, and in Settings that the trigger “Headphones, Bluetooth or USB audio disconnected” is on and the device is not listed under “Exceptions”. If a device is still listed after it was disconnected, macOS treats this like a manual switch; for that there is the option “Also when manually switching to the speakers”.
How do I start Muteo at login?
If “Start at login” is switched on and macOS still needs your approval, Muteo shows a note with an “Open” button. There you allow Muteo in System Settings under Login Items.
Muteo collects no data, needs no account and runs entirely on your Mac. The Mac App Store version has no network access. Details are in the privacy policy (section “App Muteo”; the policy is available in German only).