diff --git a/docs/architecture/player-controls-contract.md b/docs/architecture/player-controls-contract.md
index 97ca74257..61e220f3b 100644
--- a/docs/architecture/player-controls-contract.md
+++ b/docs/architecture/player-controls-contract.md
@@ -362,7 +362,10 @@ Shared legacy rules: seek is gated on authoritative `isLive` plus a finite,
 positive duration (ArtPlayer gates on `art.duration`, the same value its seek
 setter clamps against, so an unknown duration never jumps to zero); volume
 steps by ±5% and syncs muted state the way `applyVideoVolume` does (raising
-out of mute unmutes, reaching zero mutes); `isAvailable` is the host's
+out of mute unmutes, reaching zero mutes); M mirrors `ControlsVolume`'s mute
+memory through `LegacyMuteMemory` — muting remembers the audible volume, and
+unmuting while the volume sits at zero restores it (same 0.5 fallback), so M
+can never leave the player silently "unmuted"; `isAvailable` is the host's
 `interactionEnabled`, so a visible playback diagnostic disables the keys; and
 Escape defaults to a no-op without consuming the key, because the vendor
 chrome owns its own overlays. Instances attach in the component's legacy
diff --git a/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/art-player/art-player-legacy-shortcuts.spec.ts b/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/art-player/art-player-legacy-shortcuts.spec.ts
index ba29716a8..daf3a91ad 100644
--- a/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/art-player/art-player-legacy-shortcuts.spec.ts
+++ b/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/art-player/art-player-legacy-shortcuts.spec.ts
@@ -85,8 +85,34 @@ describe('attachArtPlayerLegacyShortcuts', () => {
     it('toggles mute with M', () => {
         dispatchKey('m');
         expect(art.muted).toBe(true);
+        expect(art.volume).toBe(0.5);
         dispatchKey('m');
         expect(art.muted).toBe(false);
+        expect(art.volume).toBe(0.5);
+    });
+
+    it('restores an audible volume when unmuting from zero', () => {
+        art.volume = 0.03;
+        dispatchKey('ArrowDown');
+        expect(art.volume).toBe(0);
+        expect(art.muted).toBe(true);
+
+        dispatchKey('m');
+        expect(art.muted).toBe(false);
+        expect(art.volume).toBe(0.5);
+    });
+
+    it('restores the remembered volume when unmuting after mute zeroed out', () => {
+        art.volume = 0.7;
+        dispatchKey('m');
+        expect(art.muted).toBe(true);
+
+        dispatchKey('ArrowDown');
+        expect(art.volume).toBe(0);
+
+        dispatchKey('m');
+        expect(art.muted).toBe(false);
+        expect(art.volume).toBe(0.7);
     });
 
     it('toggles the vendor fullscreen with F', () => {
diff --git a/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/art-player/art-player-legacy-shortcuts.ts b/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/art-player/art-player-legacy-shortcuts.ts
index 73e0e182e..7487c12e6 100644
--- a/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/art-player/art-player-legacy-shortcuts.ts
+++ b/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/art-player/art-player-legacy-shortcuts.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import type Artplayer from 'artplayer';
-import { LegacyPlayerShortcuts } from '../player-controls';
+import { LegacyMuteMemory, LegacyPlayerShortcuts } from '../player-controls';
 
 export interface ArtPlayerLegacyShortcutOptions {
     player: () => Artplayer | null;
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ export function attachArtPlayerLegacyShortcuts(
     options: ArtPlayerLegacyShortcutOptions
 ): LegacyPlayerShortcuts {
     const shortcuts = new LegacyPlayerShortcuts();
+    const muteMemory = new LegacyMuteMemory();
     shortcuts.attach({
         isAvailable: options.isAvailable,
         hostElement: options.hostElement,
@@ -71,8 +72,15 @@ export function attachArtPlayerLegacyShortcuts(
         },
         toggleMute: () => {
             const player = options.player();
-            if (player) {
-                player.muted = !player.muted;
+            if (!player) {
+                return;
+            }
+            if (player.muted) {
+                player.volume = muteMemory.unmuteVolume(player.volume);
+                player.muted = false;
+            } else {
+                muteMemory.rememberIfAudible(player.volume);
+                player.muted = true;
             }
         },
     });
diff --git a/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/html-video-player/html-video-legacy-shortcuts.spec.ts b/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/html-video-player/html-video-legacy-shortcuts.spec.ts
index 4734754ca..52109d76b 100644
--- a/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/html-video-player/html-video-legacy-shortcuts.spec.ts
+++ b/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/html-video-player/html-video-legacy-shortcuts.spec.ts
@@ -85,8 +85,34 @@ describe('attachHtmlVideoLegacyShortcuts', () => {
     it('toggles mute with M', () => {
         dispatchKey('m');
         expect(video.muted).toBe(true);
+        expect(video.volume).toBe(0.5);
         dispatchKey('m');
         expect(video.muted).toBe(false);
+        expect(video.volume).toBe(0.5);
+    });
+
+    it('restores an audible volume when unmuting from zero', () => {
+        video.volume = 0.03;
+        dispatchKey('ArrowDown');
+        expect(video.volume).toBe(0);
+        expect(video.muted).toBe(true);
+
+        dispatchKey('m');
+        expect(video.muted).toBe(false);
+        expect(video.volume).toBe(0.5);
+    });
+
+    it('restores the remembered volume when unmuting after mute zeroed out', () => {
+        video.volume = 0.7;
+        dispatchKey('m');
+        expect(video.muted).toBe(true);
+
+        dispatchKey('ArrowDown');
+        expect(video.volume).toBe(0);
+
+        dispatchKey('m');
+        expect(video.muted).toBe(false);
+        expect(video.volume).toBe(0.7);
     });
 
     it('fullscreens the video element itself with F', () => {
diff --git a/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/html-video-player/html-video-legacy-shortcuts.ts b/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/html-video-player/html-video-legacy-shortcuts.ts
index db3fa9998..f4b48bb8b 100644
--- a/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/html-video-player/html-video-legacy-shortcuts.ts
+++ b/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/html-video-player/html-video-legacy-shortcuts.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { LegacyPlayerShortcuts } from '../player-controls';
+import { LegacyMuteMemory, LegacyPlayerShortcuts } from '../player-controls';
 import {
     applyVideoCurrentTime,
     applyVideoVolume,
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ export function attachHtmlVideoLegacyShortcuts(
     options: HtmlVideoLegacyShortcutOptions
 ): LegacyPlayerShortcuts {
     const shortcuts = new LegacyPlayerShortcuts();
+    const muteMemory = new LegacyMuteMemory();
     shortcuts.attach({
         isAvailable: options.isAvailable,
         hostElement: options.hostElement,
@@ -55,7 +56,12 @@ export function attachHtmlVideoLegacyShortcuts(
         },
         toggleMute: () => {
             const video = options.video();
-            video.muted = !video.muted;
+            if (video.muted) {
+                applyVideoVolume(video, muteMemory.unmuteVolume(video.volume));
+            } else {
+                muteMemory.rememberIfAudible(video.volume);
+                video.muted = true;
+            }
         },
     });
     return shortcuts;
diff --git a/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/player-controls/legacy-player-shortcuts.ts b/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/player-controls/legacy-player-shortcuts.ts
index f0dfec078..f9554c04a 100644
--- a/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/player-controls/legacy-player-shortcuts.ts
+++ b/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/player-controls/legacy-player-shortcuts.ts
@@ -59,3 +59,26 @@ export class LegacyPlayerShortcuts {
         this.shortcuts.detach();
     }
 }
+
+/**
+ * Mute memory for the legacy engine adapters, mirroring the shared controls'
+ * `ControlsVolume`: muting remembers the audible volume, and unmuting while
+ * the volume sits at zero restores it (same 0.5 fallback), so M can never
+ * leave the player silently "unmuted".
+ */
+export class LegacyMuteMemory {
+    private lastAudibleVolume: number | null = null;
+
+    rememberIfAudible(volume: number): void {
+        if (Number.isFinite(volume) && volume > 0) {
+            this.lastAudibleVolume = volume;
+        }
+    }
+
+    unmuteVolume(currentVolume: number): number {
+        if (Number.isFinite(currentVolume) && currentVolume > 0) {
+            return currentVolume;
+        }
+        return this.lastAudibleVolume ?? 0.5;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/vjs-player/vjs-legacy-shortcuts.spec.ts b/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/vjs-player/vjs-legacy-shortcuts.spec.ts
index c1629f2b6..05c13b738 100644
--- a/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/vjs-player/vjs-legacy-shortcuts.spec.ts
+++ b/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/vjs-player/vjs-legacy-shortcuts.spec.ts
@@ -124,8 +124,34 @@ describe('attachVjsLegacyShortcuts', () => {
     it('toggles mute with M', () => {
         dispatchKey('m');
         expect(mock.mutedValue).toBe(true);
+        expect(mock.volumeValue).toBe(0.5);
         dispatchKey('m');
         expect(mock.mutedValue).toBe(false);
+        expect(mock.volumeValue).toBe(0.5);
+    });
+
+    it('restores an audible volume when unmuting from zero', () => {
+        mock.volumeValue = 0.03;
+        dispatchKey('ArrowDown');
+        expect(mock.volumeValue).toBe(0);
+        expect(mock.mutedValue).toBe(true);
+
+        dispatchKey('m');
+        expect(mock.mutedValue).toBe(false);
+        expect(mock.volumeValue).toBe(0.5);
+    });
+
+    it('restores the remembered volume when unmuting after mute zeroed out', () => {
+        mock.volumeValue = 0.7;
+        dispatchKey('m');
+        expect(mock.mutedValue).toBe(true);
+
+        dispatchKey('ArrowDown');
+        expect(mock.volumeValue).toBe(0);
+
+        dispatchKey('m');
+        expect(mock.mutedValue).toBe(false);
+        expect(mock.volumeValue).toBe(0.7);
     });
 
     it('toggles the vendor fullscreen with F', () => {
diff --git a/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/vjs-player/vjs-legacy-shortcuts.ts b/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/vjs-player/vjs-legacy-shortcuts.ts
index 8c6dbdd01..0ea5b2839 100644
--- a/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/vjs-player/vjs-legacy-shortcuts.ts
+++ b/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/vjs-player/vjs-legacy-shortcuts.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { LegacyPlayerShortcuts } from '../player-controls';
+import { LegacyMuteMemory, LegacyPlayerShortcuts } from '../player-controls';
 import type { VideoJsPlayer } from './vjs-player.types';
 
 export interface VjsLegacyShortcutOptions {
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ export function attachVjsLegacyShortcuts(
     options: VjsLegacyShortcutOptions
 ): LegacyPlayerShortcuts {
     const shortcuts = new LegacyPlayerShortcuts();
+    const muteMemory = new LegacyMuteMemory();
     shortcuts.attach({
         isAvailable: options.isAvailable,
         hostElement: options.hostElement,
@@ -74,7 +75,16 @@ export function attachVjsLegacyShortcuts(
         },
         toggleMute: () => {
             const player = options.player();
-            player?.muted(!player.muted());
+            if (!player) {
+                return;
+            }
+            if (player.muted()) {
+                player.volume(muteMemory.unmuteVolume(player.volume() ?? 0));
+                player.muted(false);
+            } else {
+                muteMemory.rememberIfAudible(player.volume() ?? 0);
+                player.muted(true);
+            }
         },
     });
     return shortcuts;