No Privacy option on KDE to block programs from accessing Mic

Brainstorm
,
1

Please add a setting to allow users to block apps and programs from accessing microphone. Like windows does.

Reason: I have been having a ton of issues across different linux distros using KDE that made them completely useless for me because everytime I try to launch a game that has microphone access it causes my earbuds to switch to hands free mode. Which is a very low quality mode. Despite me having the mic muted. If the program detects there is a mic on the system that it can access then it forces my earbuds into hands free mode. This happens on every steam game and on Sober for Roblox. I have tried running commands into terminal and changing system files to block this from happening but there is simply no way to block programs,apps and games from accessing my mic and causing my earbuds to go in hands free mode. I do not have this issue on windows because there is a privacy option in the settings to block programs and apps from accessing my mic. Therefor preventing my earbuds from going into hands free mode.

2

Forgot to specify the problem is very aggressive when it comes to switching my earbuds into hands free mode. Every time I try to change it back it just chances my earbuds back into hands free immediately and causes me not to be able to hear anything unless i put my earbuds back into its case and then open it back up causing my earbuds to reboot. Even doing that is shoots my earbuds right back into hands free mode and sometimes the codecs will not show up except for the hands free codecs. This issue happens on the Samsung Galaxy buds 3 pro. I feel the best solution is for you guys add a way to block all programs from accessing the mic. Aka what windows has.

3

Hi @Branden_Sisler

linux does have tools to block the mic, but that’s not what you want. You just want it to not switch to the headset profile when an input stream is detected. This is a preference you can set in wireplumber’s configuration file.

If you create a file with these contents:

wireplumber.settings = {
## Whether to use headset profile in the presence of an input stream.
bluetooth.autoswitch-to-headset-profile = false
}

And save it with this name/directory (you may need to create these directories)
~/.config/wireplumber/wireplumber.conf.d/no-mic.conf

Then restart wireplumber with
systemctl --user restart wireplumber

That ought to take care of it.

This way is better than blocking the mic because now your mic is still available IF you want it. You just need to change profile manually.

Some people like this because it enables them to listen to music in high quality, then automatically switch to enable the mic when they want to make a call. You can change it how you like :slight_smile:

5 Likes
4

:white_check_mark: Thanks this was the solution. It worked!!