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[Discussion] General UX Improvements #3023

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opened 2026-02-20 22:16:49 -05:00 by deekerman · 8 comments

deekerman commented

2026-02-20 22:16:49 -05:00

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Originally created by @maxer137 on GitHub (Jul 3, 2025).

Context

I've been using Mumble for a few years now and am fairly comfortable with both the client and the server. However, I've noticed some minor quirks when introducing Mumble to friends or first-time users.

This issue is a collection of various elements in the Mumble client that have caused confusion or friction for new users. The idea is that for any issue that seems something that should be added, to escalate it to an issue such that contributors can work on them.

Icon Bar

The icon bar is often one of the first things new users notice. Here are a few observations

"What's This?" Missing

~~The Record, Change Comment, and Search buttons do not currently have a "What's this?" help dialog. The others do.~~

No Disconnect button

~~There is no Disconnect button in the icon bar. Currently, users must go to Menu Bar -> Server -> Disconnect.~~
~~Since Connect and Server Info already have prominent buttons, adding a Disconnect button next to it might improve accessibility.~~

Change Comment

The Comment feature lets users set a personalized comment visible when others hover over their name in the user list or search.

New users are not introduced to what a “comment” is or where it is visible.
It's unclear whether comments are server-specific, client-side only, or persistent across servers.

Access Tokens

Access tokens can be added or removed via their dedicated window.

While the feature includes a "What's this?" dialog, it does not clearly explain how or when these tokens are used.

Certificate Management

Managing certificates could be made easier.

Currently, to move your identity to another device, you must manually export/import the certificate.
While not difficult for tech-savvy users, this process could be overwhelming for less experienced users (e.g. grandparents or casual users).
As a long-term suggestion, a "Link device" or "Transfer account" feature, where users can pair two devices to share the certificate, might a cool feature to have. But would require some more thinking.

What Are "Friends"?

There is a setting: “Only accept whispers from friends”.
However, there is no visible UI on how to set a user as a friend.
Should this be accessible in context menus?

Other minor points

These may not be critical, but could be useful for discussion or consideration:

Add Server address Format

It might be cleaner to allow server input as : (e.g. example.com:64738) instead of separate Address and Port fields. If no port is specified, the client could default to port 64738.

Server Information Visibility

~~The Server Information panel contains mostly technical details.~~
~~Perhaps it could be moved into a sub-menu or advanced settings area, as it may be unnecessary for the average user.~~

Talking UI When Muted/Deafened

When deafened, the Talking UI channel area appears empty.
I am not sure if this is intentional or a UI quirk.

Under Configuration -> Messages, the Soundfile column is blank if no file is selected.
There’s no “Choose File” button to add a new sound, which makes it unclear what happens when pressing on the column.

Overlay Installation Text (macOS)

On macOS, the overlay installation prompt text goes outside the bounds of the textbox and is therefore unreadable.

Can't Search in Plugin Table

A minor point, but the Plugin Table would benefit from a basic search/filter field.

Reset Chat Log Limit

Under Config -> Messages -> Chat Log -> Maximum chat length, there's no clear way to reset the setting to “Unlimited” other than resetting the entire page.

Additional

If there are any other features, quirks, or other components that can be added to the discussion, I would love to hear more user experiences.
If the maintainers feel like any of the discussions are good or important enough to escalate into an individual issue, I'll create a new issue such that PR's can be attached.

Originally created by @maxer137 on GitHub (Jul 3, 2025). # Context I've been using Mumble for a few years now and am fairly comfortable with both the client and the server. However, I've noticed some minor quirks when introducing Mumble to friends or first-time users. This issue is a collection of various elements in the Mumble client that have caused confusion or friction for new users. The idea is that for any issue that seems something that should be added, to escalate it to an issue such that contributors can work on them. # Icon Bar The icon bar is often one of the first things new users notice. Here are a few observations ## ~~"What's This?" Missing~~ ~~The Record, Change Comment, and Search buttons do not currently have a "What's this?" help dialog. The others do.~~ ## ~~No Disconnect button~~ ~~There is no Disconnect button in the icon bar. Currently, users must go to Menu Bar -> Server -> Disconnect.~~ ~~Since Connect and Server Info already have prominent buttons, adding a Disconnect button next to it might improve accessibility.~~ # Change Comment The Comment feature lets users set a personalized comment visible when others hover over their name in the user list or search. - New users are not introduced to what a “comment” is or where it is visible. - It's unclear whether comments are server-specific, client-side only, or persistent across servers. # Access Tokens Access tokens can be added or removed via their dedicated window. - While the feature includes a "What's this?" dialog, it does not clearly explain how or when these tokens are used. # Certificate Management Managing certificates could be made easier. - Currently, to move your identity to another device, you must manually export/import the certificate. - While not difficult for tech-savvy users, this process could be overwhelming for less experienced users (e.g. grandparents or casual users). As a long-term suggestion, a "Link device" or "Transfer account" feature, where users can pair two devices to share the certificate, might a cool feature to have. But would require some more thinking. # What Are "Friends"? There is a setting: “Only accept whispers from friends”. However, there is no visible UI on how to set a user as a friend. Should this be accessible in context menus? # Other minor points These may not be critical, but could be useful for discussion or consideration: ## Add Server address Format It might be cleaner to allow server input as <host>:<port> (e.g. example.com:64738) instead of separate Address and Port fields. If no port is specified, the client could default to port 64738. ## ~~Server Information Visibility~~ ~~The Server Information panel contains mostly technical details.~~ ~~Perhaps it could be moved into a sub-menu or advanced settings area, as it may be unnecessary for the average user.~~ ## Talking UI When Muted/Deafened When deafened, the Talking UI channel area appears empty. I am not sure if this is intentional or a UI quirk. ## Messages -> Soundfile Menu Under Configuration -> Messages, the Soundfile column is blank if no file is selected. There’s no “Choose File” button to add a new sound, which makes it unclear what happens when pressing on the column. ## Overlay Installation Text (macOS) On macOS, the overlay installation prompt text goes outside the bounds of the textbox and is therefore unreadable. ## Can't Search in Plugin Table A minor point, but the Plugin Table would benefit from a basic search/filter field. ## Reset Chat Log Limit Under Config -> Messages -> Chat Log -> Maximum chat length, there's no clear way to reset the setting to “Unlimited” other than resetting the entire page. --- ## Additional If there are any other features, quirks, or other components that can be added to the discussion, I would love to hear more user experiences. If the maintainers feel like any of the discussions are good or important enough to escalate into an individual issue, I'll create a new issue such that PR's can be attached.

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2026-02-20 22:16:49 -05:00

deekerman commented

2026-02-20 22:16:50 -05:00

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@Hartmnt commented on GitHub (Jul 11, 2025):

Hi, since this is supposed to be a discussion thread, I have also something to add. A couple of years ago, the KDE project has introduced something called "15-minute bugs" which are UX problems and regular bugs that users with default configuration experience with the first 15 minutes of using the software.

Those bugs are now treated with special care in KDE and have a higher priority when fixing them. I think this is a great idea and the Mumble project could start prioritizing these kind of problems, too.

https://pointieststick.com/2022/01/18/the-15-minute-bug-initiative/

@Hartmnt commented on GitHub (Jul 11, 2025): Hi, since this is supposed to be a discussion thread, I have also something to add. A couple of years ago, the KDE project has introduced something called "15-minute bugs" which are UX problems and regular bugs that users with default configuration experience with the first 15 minutes of using the software. Those bugs are now treated with special care in KDE and have a higher priority when fixing them. I think this is a great idea and the Mumble project could start prioritizing these kind of problems, too. https://pointieststick.com/2022/01/18/the-15-minute-bug-initiative/

deekerman commented

2026-02-20 22:16:50 -05:00

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@Krzmbrzl commented on GitHub (Jul 11, 2025):

I don't think we have the manpower to start prioritizing bug fixes beyond what every individual will deem more or less important. I do think that the 15-minute bug-initiative is neat but I don't really see a benefit in such a small team such as ours. However, I don't have anything against introducing a label for these sorts of issues 🤷

As for the points raised by OP, at first glance most of them seem easy to fix but I will have to read more carefully once I have more time 👀

@Krzmbrzl commented on GitHub (Jul 11, 2025): I don't think we have the manpower to start prioritizing bug fixes beyond what every individual will deem more or less important. I do think that the 15-minute bug-initiative is neat but I don't really see a benefit in such a small team such as ours. However, I don't have anything against introducing a label for these sorts of issues 🤷 As for the points raised by OP, at first glance most of them seem easy to fix but I will have to read more carefully once I have more time 👀

deekerman commented

2026-02-20 22:16:51 -05:00

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@maxer137 commented on GitHub (Jul 18, 2025):

For What Are "Friends"?:
"Friends" are people who have a nickname set, according to the ServerHandler.cpp.

I think there are a few ways we can make it clearer. But I would like to maybe get some more feedback.
The first idea is to rename the setting from "Only accept whispers from friends." to "Only accept from users with a nickname.".
The second idea is to have an extra boolean that sets users as "friends". With some way to see and manage friends in the UI.

Maybe someone else has additional ideas for how to show it to users?
#2090 might be relevant

@maxer137 commented on GitHub (Jul 18, 2025): For `What Are "Friends"?`: "Friends" are people who have a nickname set, according to the `ServerHandler.cpp`. I think there are a few ways we can make it clearer. But I would like to maybe get some more feedback. The first idea is to rename the setting from "Only accept whispers from friends." to "Only accept from users with a nickname.". The second idea is to have an extra boolean that sets users as "friends". With some way to see and manage friends in the UI. Maybe someone else has additional ideas for how to show it to users? #2090 might be relevant

deekerman commented

2026-02-20 22:16:51 -05:00

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@Hartmnt commented on GitHub (Jul 23, 2025):

For What Are "Friends"?:
"Friends" are people who have a nickname set, according to the ServerHandler.cpp.

No, you can click "Add friend" in the context menu of a user. Setting a custom nickname is just a "feature" of a friend.

@Hartmnt commented on GitHub (Jul 23, 2025): > For `What Are "Friends"?`: > "Friends" are people who have a nickname set, according to the `ServerHandler.cpp`. No, you can click "Add friend" in the context menu of a user. Setting a custom nickname is just a "feature" of a friend.

deekerman commented

2026-02-20 22:16:51 -05:00

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@maxer137 commented on GitHub (Jul 24, 2025):

No, you can click "Add friend" in the context menu of a user. Setting a custom nickname is just a "feature" of a friend.

The user I tested on didn't have this option.

So I guess the issue should be rephrased. It's unclear when someone can be a friend and when they can't be.

@maxer137 commented on GitHub (Jul 24, 2025): > No, you can click "Add friend" in the context menu of a user. Setting a custom nickname is just a "feature" of a friend. The user I tested on didn't have this option. <img width="305" height="364" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/fc078deb-a554-403b-81f6-27cae1cd43c7" /> <img width="305" height="364" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/350e31e6-7285-43ea-a24d-47a399fff7e9" /> So I guess the issue should be rephrased. It's unclear when someone can be a friend and when they can't be.

deekerman commented

2026-02-20 22:16:51 -05:00

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@Hartmnt commented on GitHub (Sep 15, 2025):

Icon Bar

Missing What's This? clearly a bug, should be fixed
Missing disconnect button: Agreed, but then we need an icon for that 😄
Generally, I would like to be able to make the icons in the toolbar configurable. This is covered by #3388

@Hartmnt commented on GitHub (Sep 15, 2025): Icon Bar * Missing What's This? clearly a bug, should be fixed * Missing disconnect button: Agreed, but then we need an icon for that 😄 * Generally, I would like to be able to make the icons in the toolbar configurable. This is covered by #3388

deekerman commented

2026-02-20 22:16:51 -05:00

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@Hartmnt commented on GitHub (Sep 17, 2025):

Thanks to your screenshots I realized macOS is missing some theme fixes #6925

@Hartmnt commented on GitHub (Sep 17, 2025): Thanks to your screenshots I realized macOS is missing some theme fixes #6925

deekerman commented

2026-02-20 22:16:51 -05:00

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@Hartmnt commented on GitHub (Sep 26, 2025):