diff --git a/applet/contents/config/main.xml b/applet/contents/config/main.xml
--- a/applet/contents/config/main.xml
+++ b/applet/contents/config/main.xml
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@
       <label>Whether to show a popup when mute state changes</label>
       <default>true</default>
     </entry>
+    <entry name="microphoneIndicator" type="Bool">
+      <label>Whether to show an indicator when an application is using the microphone</label>
+      <default>true</default>
+    </entry>
     <entry name="micOsd" type="Bool">
       <label>Whether to show a popup when microphone volume changes</label>
       <default>true</default>
diff --git a/applet/contents/ui/ConfigGeneral.qml b/applet/contents/ui/ConfigGeneral.qml
--- a/applet/contents/ui/ConfigGeneral.qml
+++ b/applet/contents/ui/ConfigGeneral.qml
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
     property alias cfg_volumeStep: volumeStep.value
     property alias cfg_volumeFeedback: volumeFeedback.checked
     property alias cfg_volumeOsd: volumeOsd.checked
+    property alias cfg_microphoneIndicator: microphoneIndicator.checked
     property alias cfg_micOsd: micOsd.checked
     property alias cfg_muteOsd: muteOsd.checked
     property alias cfg_outputChangeOsd: outputChangeOsd.checked
@@ -38,6 +39,10 @@
         id: feedback
     }
 
+    MicrophoneIndicator {
+        id: micIndicator
+    }
+
 
     QQC2.SpinBox {
         id: volumeStep
@@ -95,4 +100,18 @@
         id: outputChangeOsd
         text: i18n("Default output device")
     }
+
+
+    Item {
+        Kirigami.FormData.isSection: true
+    }
+
+
+    QQC2.CheckBox {
+        id: microphoneIndicator
+
+        Kirigami.FormData.label: i18n("Show an indicator when an application is using the:")
+        checked: micIndicator.enabled
+        text: i18n("Microphone")
+    }
 }
diff --git a/applet/contents/ui/main.qml b/applet/contents/ui/main.qml
--- a/applet/contents/ui/main.qml
+++ b/applet/contents/ui/main.qml
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 
     property bool volumeFeedback: Plasmoid.configuration.volumeFeedback
     property bool globalMute: Plasmoid.configuration.globalMute
+    property bool microphoneIndicator : Plasmoid.configuration.microphoneIndicator
     property int raiseMaxVolumeValue: 150
     property int maxVolumeValue: Math.round(raiseMaxVolumeValue * PulseAudio.NormalVolume / 100.0)
     property int currentMaxVolumeValue: plasmoid.configuration.raiseMaximumVolume ? maxVolumeValue : PulseAudio.NormalVolume
@@ -389,6 +390,11 @@
         id: feedback
     }
 
+    MicrophoneIndicator {
+        id: micIndicator
+        enabled: main.microphoneIndicator
+    }
+
     PlasmaCore.Svg {
         id: lineSvg
         imagePath: "widgets/line"
@@ -668,8 +674,4 @@
             }
         }
     }
-
-    Component.onCompleted: {
-        MicrophoneIndicator.init();
-    }
 }
diff --git a/src/qml/microphoneindicator.h b/src/qml/microphoneindicator.h
--- a/src/qml/microphoneindicator.h
+++ b/src/qml/microphoneindicator.h
@@ -44,15 +44,21 @@
     Q_OBJECT
 
 public:
-    explicit MicrophoneIndicator(QObject *parent = nullptr);
+    static MicrophoneIndicator *instance();
     ~MicrophoneIndicator() override;
 
-    Q_INVOKABLE void init();
-
 Q_SIGNALS:
     void enabledChanged();
 
 private:
+    friend class MicrophoneIndicatorInterface;
+
+    explicit MicrophoneIndicator(QObject *parent = nullptr);
+    static MicrophoneIndicator *m_pThis;
+
+    bool m_enabled = true;
+    void setStatus(bool status);
+
     void scheduleUpdate();
     void update();
 
@@ -81,6 +87,27 @@
 
     int m_wheelDelta = 0;
 
-    QTimer *m_updateTimer;
+    QTimer *m_updateTimer = nullptr;
+
+};
 
+class MicrophoneIndicatorInterface : public QObject
+{
+    Q_OBJECT
+
+    Q_PROPERTY(bool enabled READ isEnabled WRITE setStatus NOTIFY statusChanged)
+
+public:
+    explicit MicrophoneIndicatorInterface(QObject *parent = nullptr);
+
+    bool isEnabled() const;
+    void setStatus(bool status);
+
+    ~MicrophoneIndicatorInterface() override;
+
+Q_SIGNALS:
+    void statusChanged();
+
+private:
+    MicrophoneIndicator *m_pInstance = nullptr;
 };
diff --git a/src/qml/microphoneindicator.cpp b/src/qml/microphoneindicator.cpp
--- a/src/qml/microphoneindicator.cpp
+++ b/src/qml/microphoneindicator.cpp
@@ -37,32 +37,44 @@
 
 using namespace QPulseAudio;
 
-MicrophoneIndicator::MicrophoneIndicator(QObject *parent)
-    : QObject(parent)
-    , m_sourceModel(new SourceModel(this))
-    , m_sourceOutputModel(new SourceOutputModel(this))
-    , m_updateTimer(new QTimer(this))
+MicrophoneIndicator* MicrophoneIndicator::m_pThis = nullptr;
+
+MicrophoneIndicator::MicrophoneIndicator(QObject *parent) : QObject(parent)
 {
+}
 
-    connect(m_sourceModel, &QAbstractItemModel::rowsInserted, this, &MicrophoneIndicator::scheduleUpdate);
-    connect(m_sourceModel, &QAbstractItemModel::rowsRemoved, this, &MicrophoneIndicator::scheduleUpdate);
-    connect(m_sourceModel, &QAbstractItemModel::dataChanged, this, &MicrophoneIndicator::scheduleUpdate);
+MicrophoneIndicator::~MicrophoneIndicator() = default;
 
-    connect(m_sourceOutputModel, &QAbstractItemModel::rowsInserted, this, &MicrophoneIndicator::scheduleUpdate);
-    connect(m_sourceOutputModel, &QAbstractItemModel::rowsRemoved, this, &MicrophoneIndicator::scheduleUpdate);
+MicrophoneIndicator *MicrophoneIndicator::instance()
+{
+    // Allow only a single instance
+    if (!m_pThis) {
+        m_pThis = new MicrophoneIndicator;
+        m_pThis->m_sourceModel = new SourceModel(m_pThis);
+        m_pThis->m_sourceOutputModel = new SourceOutputModel(m_pThis);
+        m_pThis->m_updateTimer = new QTimer(m_pThis);
 
-    m_updateTimer->setInterval(0);
-    m_updateTimer->setSingleShot(true);
-    connect(m_updateTimer, &QTimer::timeout, this, &MicrophoneIndicator::update);
+        connect(m_pThis->m_sourceModel, &QAbstractItemModel::rowsInserted, m_pThis, &MicrophoneIndicator::scheduleUpdate);
+        connect(m_pThis->m_sourceModel, &QAbstractItemModel::rowsRemoved, m_pThis, &MicrophoneIndicator::scheduleUpdate);
+        connect(m_pThis->m_sourceModel, &QAbstractItemModel::dataChanged, m_pThis, &MicrophoneIndicator::scheduleUpdate);
 
-    scheduleUpdate();
-}
+        connect(m_pThis->m_sourceOutputModel, &QAbstractItemModel::rowsInserted, m_pThis, &MicrophoneIndicator::scheduleUpdate);
+        connect(m_pThis->m_sourceOutputModel, &QAbstractItemModel::rowsRemoved, m_pThis, &MicrophoneIndicator::scheduleUpdate);
 
-MicrophoneIndicator::~MicrophoneIndicator() = default;
+        connect(m_pThis, &MicrophoneIndicator::enabledChanged, m_pThis, &MicrophoneIndicator::scheduleUpdate);
 
-void MicrophoneIndicator::init()
+        m_pThis->m_updateTimer->setInterval(0);
+        m_pThis->m_updateTimer->setSingleShot(true);
+        connect(m_pThis->m_updateTimer, &QTimer::timeout, m_pThis, &MicrophoneIndicator::update);
+    }
+
+    return m_pThis;
+}
+
+void MicrophoneIndicator::setStatus(bool status)
 {
-    // does nothing, just prompts QML engine to create an instance of the singleton
+    m_enabled = status;
+    Q_EMIT enabledChanged();
 }
 
 void MicrophoneIndicator::scheduleUpdate()
@@ -261,8 +273,8 @@
 
 QStringList MicrophoneIndicator::appNames() const
 {
-    // If there are no microphones present, there's nothing to record
-    if (m_sourceModel->rowCount() == 0) {
+    // Return an empty list if disabled by the user or no microphone is connected
+    if (!m_enabled || m_sourceModel->rowCount() == 0) {
         return QStringList();
     }
 
@@ -293,3 +305,21 @@
 
     return names;
 }
+
+
+MicrophoneIndicatorInterface::MicrophoneIndicatorInterface(QObject *parent) : QObject(parent)
+{
+    m_pInstance = MicrophoneIndicator::instance();
+}
+
+bool MicrophoneIndicatorInterface::isEnabled() const
+{
+    return m_pInstance->m_enabled;
+}
+
+void MicrophoneIndicatorInterface::setStatus(bool status)
+{
+    m_pInstance->setStatus(status);
+}
+
+MicrophoneIndicatorInterface::~MicrophoneIndicatorInterface() = default;
diff --git a/src/qml/plugin.cpp b/src/qml/plugin.cpp
--- a/src/qml/plugin.cpp
+++ b/src/qml/plugin.cpp
@@ -63,13 +63,9 @@
     qmlRegisterType<GlobalActionCollection>(uri, 0, 1, "GlobalActionCollection");
     qmlRegisterType<VolumeOSD>(uri, 0, 1, "VolumeOSD");
     qmlRegisterType<VolumeFeedback>(uri, 0, 1, "VolumeFeedback");
+    qmlRegisterType<MicrophoneIndicatorInterface>(uri, 0, 1, "MicrophoneIndicator");
     qmlRegisterSingletonType(uri, 0, 1, "PulseAudio", pulseaudio_singleton);
-    qmlRegisterSingletonType<MicrophoneIndicator>(uri, 0, 1, "MicrophoneIndicator",
-        [](QQmlEngine *engine, QJSEngine *jsEngine) -> QObject* {
-            Q_UNUSED(engine);
-            Q_UNUSED(jsEngine);
-            return new MicrophoneIndicator();
-    });
+
 #if QT_VERSION < QT_VERSION_CHECK(5, 14, 0)
     qmlRegisterType<QPulseAudio::Client>();
     qmlRegisterType<QPulseAudio::Sink>();