A speaker with a line through it, indicating silence or muting.
The mute icon is represented by a speaker with a diagonal line crossing it, symbolizing that sound is turned off or silenced. This emoji is commonly used in contexts where noise reduction is desired, such as during meetings, while watching videos, or when one wishes to convey a sense of quietness. It can also indicate a request for silence or a state of being in a quiet environment.
Basic Information
Usage Scenario
To indicate that a device's sound is muted.
In discussions about maintaining silence in public spaces.
When sharing a video or audio content that should be played without sound.
To ask for quiet in a chat or group setting.
To express a feeling of wanting to avoid noise.
Sentiment Analysis
Platform Variations
apple
A speaker with a clear diagonal line through it, indicating mute.
android
A speaker icon that appears more stylized with a prominent line crossing through.
samsung
A more simplified speaker icon with a clear 'mute' indication.
microsoft
A blocky speaker with a diagonal line, maintaining clarity in design.
Fun Facts
The mute emoji is popular in online gaming to indicate when a player is muted.
In social media, it can be used humorously to express annoyance at loud noises or chatter.
It is often paired with music emojis to indicate a song is playing without sound.
History
The mute emoji was introduced in Unicode 6.0 in 2010 and has since become a standard representation of silenced audio across various platforms. It is often used in digital communication to convey the need for quietness without needing to use words.
Cultural Meaning
The mute icon is universally recognized as a signal for silence. In many cultures, maintaining quietness is seen as a sign of respect, particularly in settings like libraries, theaters, and places of worship. The emoji can also be a humorous way to imply that someone is being too loud or to request silence in a light-hearted manner.
Usage Stories
In 2020, during virtual meetings due to the pandemic, the mute icon became a staple in online communication, often humorously referenced in memes and discussions about the challenges of remote work, where participants would frequently forget to unmute themselves.