Quick Answer
Check two audio paths: physical typing picked up by your microphone, and computer audio sent directly through screen sharing. A quieter keyboard, better microphone placement and noise suppression can help with the first path. Zoom’s Share Sound and Teams’ Include sound control the second. Headphones alone do not prevent shared computer audio from reaching participants.
This guide is written by Levin, Klakk’s developer, with AI assistance. The meeting controls below follow current Zoom and Microsoft documentation; they are not a report of live-call testing on every version or device.
Klakk adds recorded typing sounds through your audio output. It leaves physical keyboard noise and key feel unchanged. Use it only if you want added sound for yourself, and pause it when sharing computer audio that should contain no typing sounds.
Why Keyboard Noise Gets Into Calls
Keyboard noise becomes a call problem when three things happen at once:
- Your keyboard makes real room noise.
- Your microphone is close enough to capture it.
- Your meeting app sends that noise to everyone else.
Laptop microphones can pick up nearby typing. Zoom’s laptop audio guidance recommends reviewing noise suppression when background sounds reach the call.
Microsoft also documents noise suppression in Teams. These microphone filters do not replace checking whether you are sharing computer audio.
Those tools help, but they are not a free pass to use the loudest keyboard on every call. The best setup combines quieter input, better mic placement, app settings, and good call habits.
Start With The Real Noise
If your keyboard is physically loud, software noise suppression has to work harder. Start with the sound at the source.
| Problem | Better fix |
|---|---|
| Clicky mechanical switches | Use a quieter keyboard during calls |
| Hard typing | Relax your typing force |
| Desk resonance | Add a desk mat |
| Hollow keyboard case | Use a dampened keyboard or laptop keyboard |
| Mic near keyboard | Move the mic closer to your mouth and away from the desk |
Compare the keyboards you actually use with the same microphone placement. A laptop keyboard is not a guarantee of quiet audio; typing force, the desk and the microphone still matter.
Use Headphones For Your Own Typing Sound
This is where Klakk fits. Klakk is not a microphone cleanup tool. It does not remove sound from Zoom or Teams. It gives you mechanical-style typing feedback through your Mac audio output.
For added typing audio during a call:
- Keep your physical keyboard quiet.
- Use headphones for Klakk.
- Keep Klakk volume low enough that it does not leak from open-back headphones.
- Leave computer-audio sharing off unless you intend to share what is playing.
- Mute when you are not speaking.
- Pause Klakk if you are presenting, recording, or unsure about audio routing.
Speakers or leaking headphones can send added sound into the microphone. Computer-audio sharing can send playback directly into the call even when you are wearing headphones. In Klakk’s Audio settings, Output Device selects playback output; it does not control what Zoom, Teams or a recording app captures.
Zoom Settings To Check
In Zoom, check three areas before blaming the keyboard.
1. Microphone Input
Use a headset microphone or external mic if possible. A microphone near your mouth usually captures your voice more strongly than desk noise. A laptop mic near the keyboard has a harder job.
2. Background Noise Suppression
In the Zoom desktop meeting controls, open the arrow beside Audio and check Microphone modes. Current Zoom audio instructions describe Noise removal as the default mode. Original sound for musicians disables noise suppression when enabled, so review that mode if keyboard clicks are unexpectedly audible.
Available controls depend on your client, account and settings. Test your voice and typing together; a filter is not a guarantee that every click will disappear.
3. Mute Discipline
The simplest fix is still useful: mute when you are taking notes and not speaking. If you need to type while talking, slow down and reduce typing force.
If you are choosing automatic microphone control, compare typing-triggered microphone mute, noise filtering and playback pause. Muting the microphone during typing also interrupts voice through that input; pausing Klakk changes only its added playback.
Teams Settings To Check
In the Teams desktop app, start with Settings and more → Settings → Devices. Microsoft’s noise-suppression instructions show a Noise suppression toggle there, or under More actions → Audio settings in a meeting.
The separate audio-settings guide also describes Background noise only and Voice isolation where available. Account policy and your app can affect the controls shown. The Auto, Low and High instructions on the noise-suppression page are specifically under iOS; do not assume the same menu exists on your Mac.
For keyboard noise, test rather than guessing:
- Join a test call or ask a teammate.
- Type while speaking.
- Type while muted.
- Compare the available noise-suppression setting on and off.
- Ask whether your voice quality suffers.
Keep the setting that reduces the unwanted noise while preserving understandable speech.
Check Screen Sharing Audio Separately
Before sharing a screen, decide whether participants should hear any computer playback.
- Zoom: leave Share Sound unchecked for a silent screen share. Audio can also be enabled from the sharing toolbar, and the Computer Audio sharing option can send sound without showing a screen. See Zoom’s computer-audio sharing instructions.
- Teams: check the Include sound toggle when choosing what to share. Leave it off if the shared content should be silent. Microsoft explains this control in Share sound while screensharing.
Headphones change where you hear playback. They do not prove that playback is excluded from the meeting or recording. If you need to share a video’s audio, pause Klakk first and test the actual sharing setup. Also check any virtual microphone or audio-routing software you use.
A Call-Friendly Mac Setup
Here is a practical setup for remote workers who like keyboard feedback:
| Goal | Setup |
|---|---|
| Coworkers hear less keyboard noise | MacBook keyboard or quiet keyboard, desk mat, softer typing |
| You still hear satisfying feedback | Klakk through headphones |
| Your voice stays clear | Headset mic near your mouth |
| You can go silent fast | Menu bar pause and meeting app mute |
| You avoid mistakes | Test audio before important calls |
This setup is stronger than trying to make a loud physical keyboard disappear through noise suppression alone.
For more setup ideas, see noise-cancelling headphones vs mechanical keyboard noise and the best mechanical keyboard setup for renters and shared rooms.
What Not To Do
Do not use speakers for keyboard sound during calls. Your microphone may capture the app sound and send it to everyone else.
Do not assume noise suppression catches every click. Fast typing, sharp switches, desk vibration, and microphone placement can still leak.
Do not type hard because the meeting app has a noise filter. Filters are a backup, not etiquette.
Do not buy a louder keyboard for calls if your real need is only “I want to enjoy the sound.” Use private audio instead.
When To Pause Klakk
Pause Klakk when:
- You join a call without headphones.
- You are screen recording and do not want keyboard sounds in the video.
- You are presenting to a group.
- You are sharing system audio.
- Your headphones leak sound in a quiet room.
- You are troubleshooting microphone routing.
The point of private keyboard sound is control. You should be able to enjoy it when it helps and remove it when the context changes.
Related Guides
- Noise-cancelling headphones vs mechanical keyboard noise
- Best mechanical keyboard setup for renters
- Keyboard sound app for Mac
- Mechanical keyboard sounds without waking roommates
FAQ
Can Zoom hear Klakk keyboard sounds?
If Klakk plays through speakers, the microphone may capture it. Headphones can reduce that acoustic path, but Share Sound, Computer Audio sharing or audio-routing software may send playback directly. Check both paths and pause Klakk when you need the shared audio to exclude typing sounds.
Does Klakk remove keyboard noise from my microphone?
No. Klakk is a keyboard sound app, not a microphone noise removal tool. Use meeting app noise suppression, mic placement, headset microphones, and quieter typing to reduce real call noise.
Should I use a mechanical keyboard on video calls?
It depends on the keyboard, mic, and room. Clicky switches are risky on calls. A quiet keyboard plus private Klakk feedback is often more considerate.
What is the best keyboard for Zoom calls?
The best call keyboard is physically quiet, comfortable, and easy to type on without hitting hard. A MacBook keyboard or quiet low-profile keyboard often works better than a loud clicky board.
Can I still enjoy mechanical keyboard sound while working remotely?
Yes. Use headphones at a comfortable volume, check that computer audio is not being shared, and test what the other end hears. Pause the app when sharing or recording audio that should exclude typing sounds.
Try Klakk For Private Call-Friendly Typing
If you want added sound while using your current keyboard, preview Klakk in the browser before installing. The website Mac edition is 1.4.1, build 23, for macOS 14+ on Apple silicon and Intel. It has 14 sound packs and a three-day trial starting at first launch, then a US$4.49 one-time Mac license plus applicable tax. The App Store and Windows editions have separate licenses.
Choose your download and follow the first-sound setup guide. Website Mac uses Input Monitoring for local keyboard events and also communicates for usage and licensing; see the privacy policy. None of these features removes physical noise from your microphone.