See when your mic is in use, right on your Stream Deck
To see on your Stream Deck whether an app is using your microphone, add On Air: Mic In Use for Windows: its key turns red and says IN USE or ON AIR with the app's name while a mic is in use. It goes back to OFF when the app stops, so you know at a glance when you are live and which app is recording.
Stream Deck plugin · Works on Windows 10 or later with the Stream Deck app 6.9 or later.
What you can do
Know when a mic is live: Mic In Use shows red IN USE and the name of the app while an app records from a microphone.
Get an on-air lamp: On Air shows a big red ON AIR lamp with the app while an app records, and OFF AIR otherwise.
See several apps at once: one name and +1.
Every mic is watched: headset, webcam mic and USB mic.
Skip apps you trust: On Air can ignore apps you name, such as a voice assistant.
Fast: the keys update every second.
Jump to privacy settings: a press opens the Windows microphone privacy settings.
Private by design: it only asks Windows (Core Audio) which apps have a recording stream running, with no account and no telemetry.
English and Japanese.
How it works
Install the plugin from the Elgato Marketplace. In the Stream Deck app, drag Mic In Use or On Air onto a key.
For On Air, list any apps to ignore in the key's settings.
Start a call or a recording: the key turns red with the app's name, and goes back to OFF when the app stops.
Every app that records sound opens an audio session on a recording device; once a second the plugin asks Windows which of those streams are running, the same information the Windows volume mixer uses.
How do I see if my microphone is on with a Stream Deck?
Add a Mic In Use key. It turns red and shows IN USE with the app's name while any app records from a microphone, and gray OFF otherwise.
Does the plugin listen to my microphone?
No. It never opens a recording device; it only asks Windows which apps have a recording stream running.
Can it mute my microphone?
It shows the state. A press opens the Windows microphone privacy page, where you can turn microphone access off yourself.
Why is the On Air key always red?
An app records all the time, such as a voice assistant, a voice chat app or a noise filter. The Status line in the key's settings names it; write that name in Ignore apps.
Does it show when I mute my headset?
A mute switch on the microphone or headset itself is invisible to Windows, and many meeting apps keep recording while muted, so the key stays IN USE while the app's stream is running.
Limits
Windows only (Windows 10 or later). Not for Mac.
Read only: it does not mute, turn off or block anything, and it changes no setting.
It does not watch the camera.
A mute switch on the microphone or headset itself is invisible to Windows: the key stays IN USE.
An app that is muted but keeps recording still counts as IN USE.
Not a security tool: it shows only what Windows reports.
