Search

Google Chrome Testing ‘Tab Audio Muting UI’ Feature to Silence Tabs With One Click

Chrome users on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Chrome OS can try out the feature today.

Advertisement
Highlights
  • Google Chrome may let users click an icon on a tab to mute audio playback
  • The feature can be enabled on the latest version of Google Chrome Canary
  • The feature may end up as part of Chrome’s global media controls
Google Chrome Testing ‘Tab Audio Muting UI’ Feature to Silence Tabs With One Click

The flag for the new tab muting UI suggests it could soon be part of the media control centre

Photo Credit: Unsplash/ Nathana Rebouças

Google Chrome is reportedly working on a feature that will allow users to quickly mute a audio-playing tab with a single click. The feature is currently available for users to try out and must be enabled manually. Users can quickly mute and unmute a specific tab without switching to it, which can come in handy when tabs start playing audio unexpectedly. The click-to-mute feature is being tested and may or may not make it to a future version of Chrome, according to Google.

A Chrome flag that enables a feature allowing muting and unmuting of tabs was recently discovered by Reddit user Leopeva, and spotted by Chrome Story. The feature is currently available in the latest nightly (unstable) version of Google Chrome, also known as Google Chrome Canary. Enabling the flag allows users to quickly mute any visible tab playing audio. This can come in handy for tabs with websites that auto-play video ads, or other unwanted media playback.

google chrome mute tab ui chrome story chrome

The click-to-mute feature in action on Google Chrome Canary
Photo Credit: Chrome Story

Currently, Google Chrome shows indicators on tabs to show media status — a speaker icon shows audio is playing, while a recording icon shows a website is using the camera or microphone. Until now, users would have to right-click on a tab playing audio, then select Mute Tab. With the new tab audio muting UI control feature, users can simply click the speaker icon to quickly mute a tab.

Users who want to try out the feature will need to download and install the latest version of Chrome Canary for Windows, macOS, or Linux — they will be able to use their regular Chrome installation in parallel with Chrome Canary. Users will need to enter chrome://flags in the address bar, then search for “Tab audio muting control,” enable the flag and restart Chrome Canary. According to the flag's description, the new tab audio muting controls can be tested on macOS, Windows, Linux, Chrome OS, and Fuchsia OS.

However, the feature which is currently available for testing may not eventually make its way to the browser. According to the Chrome flag entry, Google is comparing the use of tab muting, alongside the global media control section. The company is yet to reveal whether the feature will make its way to the tab bar, or end up in Chrome's global media controls section, which also allows users to control media playback from open tabs.


Looking to buy headphones? Listen to the experts on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
Affiliate links may be automatically generated - see our ethics statement for details.

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.

 
Show Full Article
Please wait...
Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. OnePlus 13s With Snapdragon 8 Elite Chip to Launch in India on This Date
  2. iQOO Neo 10 Pro+ Battery and Charging Details Revealed Ahead of Debut
  3. Samsung Galaxy S25 FE Tipped to Retain Galaxy S24 FE Rear Cameras
  4. Apple AirPods With Built-in Camera Tipped to Launch Next Year
  5. Realme GT 7T Design, Specifications Leaked Ahead of May 27 Launch
  6. Realme P3 5G Series to Get a Limited Period Discount in India
  7. Vivo S30, S30 Pro Mini, Pad 5, TWS Air 3 Launch Date, Key Features Confirmed
  1. Acer AI TransBuds With Ear-Hook Design Unveiled at Computex 2025
  2. Honor 400 Series China Launch Date Revealed; Confirmed to Offer Battery Upgrade Over Predecessors
  3. Acer FreeSense Ring With AI-Powered Health Tracking Features Unveiled in Seven Size Options
  4. Acer Swift Go 14 AI, Swift Go 16 AI Copilot+ PCs Launched at Computex 2025 Alongside Swift Edge 14 AI
  5. Delhi Metro Ticketing Goes Live on Uber App; More Cities, B2B Logistics Up Next
  6. Google Chrome Security Flaws Could Grant Hackers Unauthorised System Access: CERT-In
  7. Realme P3 5G Series to Receive a Limited Period Discount in India: Offers, Availability
  8. Gemini Nano-Enabled API Released to Android Developers Ahead of Google I/O 2025
  9. Vivo S30, S30 Pro Mini Launch Date Set for May 29; Vivo Pad 5, TWS Air 3 to Tag Along
  10. HP OmniBook 5 Series AI PCs With Snapdragon X Series Chipsets Launched: Price, Specifications
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2025. All rights reserved.
Trending Products »
Latest Tech News »