Bugs with Muting and Mute Mic Sync on Cisco Webex Meetings Version 40.8.6.2

[cao-2000]

With the latest version of Cisco Webex Meetings Version 40.8.6.2, there are some problems with Muting & Mute/Mic Sync.

With previous versions of WebEx, you could have a system wide mute application (aka Push to Talk app like Shush, MicDrop, MicMute, etc.), which allowed you to keep the WebEx app unmuted, while using a global hotkey to mute and unmute your microphone. This has several advantages, but a few key ones are:

1. You can be in any app, and still be able to mute and unmute your microphone, not just in WebEx with it in the foreground and focus (how the push spacebar needs work with WebEx). This is very important when many of us are multitasking, and then are asked a question. Much better to hold a key down, rather than fumble for WebEx, bring it to foreground, and then click unmute (which sometimes is hiding and also slow).

2. This works with WebEx, but also in other apps, so you just have one hotkey to remember.

3. Also, you can arbitrarily toggle the behavior so it becomes "Push to Silence" rather than "Push to Talk".

Here is the bug with the new version of WebEx:

If the system mic is muted, and you try to unmute WebEx, it just keeps re-muting itself, whether or not you have "Sync mute button status on microphone device" enabled or disabled.

In my opinion, if you unmute WebEx, it should stay unmuted, regardless of what I am doing with my system mic or mic levels. Currently this is broken.

You can see it demonstrated in this video screen recording:

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0JGdFryYXjqwX

[Hector-76]

My issue is that when I press the mute button on my headset it will mute webex but it will not unmute when I press the headset button to unmute. I now have to unmute manually using the mouse and clicking unmute in the webex meeting windows. We are currently using Version: 43.8.0.26955. It is much faster and convenient to use the hardware button and hope cisco can get this fix soon.

[CName]

Similar problem with version 43.3.3.7.  I was in a WebEx meeting hit my mute on my Cisco 561 wireless headset and could never unmute in the meeting.  The WebEx itself said unmuted but the headset refused to unmute.  It just kept remuting itself instantly.  The same headset works fine in a teams meeting. Or for individual calls so this is definitely a problem with WebEx.  I tried to unplug the headset in the meeting and replugged it in several times but it refused to unmute while in the meeting.

[mannycor]

As of Today I am having a muting problem as well. I start a webex meeting from one PC this I use to share content from and then use another PC to connect to that same meeting using Webex (teams) for audio,video and recording functions on. before yesterday I could mute the Meetings Pc and the other would be fine. but now when I mute one the other mutes automatically. Using meetings version 41.1.3.11 and Webex version 41.1.0.17621. This started happening this morning 1/22/2021.

[Jun Yi]

@cao-2000  did you manage to find a solution for this? I am having the same issue as well.

[cao-2000]

Unfortunately until Cisco changes the behavior, there is no fix for the app.

In the meantime, I am using the web based version of Webex which works correctly, though it is a little less convenient.

I dedicate one browser to run only the Webex webapp (like Chrome), and then use another browser to do my work and share from (like Firefox).

[AlanFox65607]

I have a related Webex muting problem. I have a Logitech Zone Wireless headset that connects to my cellphone through Bluetooth and to my Dell laptop through Logitech's dongle. The headset switches between a dongle connection and a cellphone phone connection depending on whether the Bluetooth device is active. I had Webex set to use my laptop speakers and microphone. When a call comes in on my cellphone and I lower the mic boom on my headset, not only can my caller hear me, but Webex unmutes my laptop microphone so that I'm speaking both through the Zone mic on the cellphone and through the Dell laptop mic on the Webex meeting. The unmute button feature of the Logitech is not exclusively associated with the headset, but rather mutes and unmutes both microphones. Because I had the volume on my Webex meeting turned down to take the call and I had minimized the Webex window, I did not hear the calls to mute my mic or see the chat messages to do the same. I would point out that checking/unchecking the box "Sync mute button status on microphone device" did not change the behavior of the mute function on the headset. I could mute/unmute both mics simultaneous by flipping up/down my Zone mic boom.

[cao-2000]

Your scenario seems even more complicated than mine.

But the answer should be the same: Cisco should give us an option to disconnect any Mute/Unmute relationships between Webex and the Operating System and/or Local Devices.

I already had a very lengthy support ticket open with them, and urged them to do this.

Upon closing it, they essentially they said they would not be changing the behavior I reported at this time, nor adding the checkbox option I suggested.

I am so fed up with Webex for countless reasons, and this is just one more to add to the list.

[AlanFox65607]

I should add that I'm using Cisco Webex Meetings Version 40.9.8.3.