This article covers eight methods to help record computer audio for free. Whether you use Windows, Mac, or even a web browser on your PC, check this post to capture sound from streaming videos, music apps, podcasts, audio calls, and more platforms.
You can record computer audio in many ways, including built-in audio capture programs, free open-source audio recording software, and professional sound recorders. Have you found out the best way to record audio in high quality? This article picks up 8 methods and elaborates on them in detail. Let's check for more information.
Ways to capture sound from PC may vary depending on your operating system, the audio type you want to grab, and your recording preferences. Here we offer 8 voice recorders for pc. Let's have a quick navigation, and you may choose the way that suits you most:
1️⃣Windows Sound Recorder. It is a Microsoft built-in audio recorder for Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, and 7 PCs (known as Voice Recorder in Windows 10). It can capture the microphone and speaker sound but cannot record system audio.
2️⃣Xbox Game Bar. Win 11 and 10 computers can use this native utility to ;record system audio and microphone at the same time. But it will capture the screen activity as well. Convert the MP4 video file to an MP3 audio file if needed.
3️⃣Stereo Mix. If the sound card of your Windows laptop or desktop supports Stereo Mix (also known as What-U-Hear), enable and use it as the recording device. But it is just a loopback device, not a voice recorder. You can use free open-source audio recording software (such as Audacity and OBS) and select Stereo Mix as the speaker output device to capture audio from PCs for higher quality.
4️⃣Audacity and OBS. They support Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. They can capture high-quality internal and external voice from high-quality computers for free. However, it can be a little complicated for novices and requires a longer learning curve.
5️⃣QuickTime Player with extra add-on. Mac users can use this built-in recorder to record MP3 audio files on MacBook. But it only captures the external audio. You need to configure another plugin, such as Soundflower and Black Hole, to record internal audio on Mac.
6️⃣Third-party audio recorders. They are easier to operate and let you capture sound from a pc without losing quality and background noise. You can record computer audio for free and save the audio file at a limited length.
7️⃣Web-based online screen recorder. This is a good choice if you want to record music and voice from the computer without installing apps. You can capture the desktop speaker, microphone, and system sound with a browser directly on Windows, Mac, and Linux. But this often offers limited recording abilities only.
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For a novice or professional, using a free third-party computer audio recorder can be the easiest and most efficient way.
EaseUS RecExperts offers a streamlined interface and intuitive design to help users capture sound from the speaker, microphone, system, and apps separately or simultaneously with simple clicks.
🌟Features:
Download EaseUS RecExperts to your Windows or Mac desktop to start recording your computer for free.
Step 1. Run EaseUS RecExperts, and click Record audio on the left panel. Next, choose the audio source you want to record, like System sound or microphone.
Step 2. Click the down-arrow icon next to System Sound or Microphone, choose the Advanced options, and tick the Microphone boost and Microphone noise reduction options. Moreover, you can also adjust the volume.
Step 3. Once done, click REC to start your audio recording.
If you are using a Windows desktop/laptop and feel reluctant to install additional software, use the Windows Sound Recorder to capture audio from the microphone. This Windows audio recorder is available on Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, and 7 computers.
Let's see how to record computer audio with Sound Recorder:
Step 1. Type Sound Recorder (Voice Recorder in Win 10) in the search bar and click Open to launch it.
💡Note: If you cannot find it, go to Microsoft Store to install and open it instead.
Step 2. Click the red recording button or blue microphone button (vary from Windows versions) to start recording sound from the headset, USB, or other mic devices. Windows 11 users can select which device to record from.
Step 3. Click the pause button whenever you want during the process. Click the same red recording button or blue microphone button again to end this session.
Step 4. Go to Show in folder or Open file location in the left panel to check your recording file.
Windows 10 and 11 users have another choice to capture computer sound from its inside or outside: Xbox Game Bar. Although more often used to record gameplay on PC, it can also record PC audio. To do so:
Step 1. Press the Win + G keys to bring up the Xbox game bar recording panel.
💡Note: You may need to learn why Xbox game bar not working.
Step 2. Click Capture on the toolbar. Turn on the Mic if you need to capture sound from the external.
Step 3. Click the recording button (white circle) or press the Windows + Alt + R shortcut to start and stop recording.
Step 4. Go to See my captures to find your recording file.
💡Notes:
Some users may be unfamiliar with Stereo Mix, sometimes shown as What U Hear. It is a feature available in some sound cards and operating systems. It lets you capture and record audio directly from your computer's sound output, effectively letting you record what's playing through your speakers or headphones, including music, system sounds, voice chat, and any other audio your computer produces.
You can use Stereo Mix as your computer's sound output to achieve effects better than a USB microphone or audio line-in. To do so, you need to enable it and use another audio recording program to capture computer audio.
Step 1. Go to Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Sound.
Step 2. Switch the tab to Recording in the Sound window.
Step 3. Right-click on the blank space in this popup; check Show Disabled Devices and Show Disconnected Devices.
Step 4. Right-click on Stereo Mix or What U Hear from the list; click Enable.
💡Note: If there is no Stereo Mix or What U Hear option from the list, it means that your PC sound driver does not support this feature.
Step 5. After enabling it, use another audio recording software like Audacity, and select it as the loopback device.
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Audacity is the world's leading audio editing and recording software. This system audio recorder can easily edit, mix, and enhance multiple audio tracks on Windows, macOS, and GNU/Linux. You can save audio from YouTube, Spotify, TikTok, and more platforms. Add audio effects and save the file in multiple formats if necessary.
Let's see how to record computer audio with Audacity.
Step 1. Download Audacity to your computer, install and run it.
Step 2. Before recording audio from desktop computers, set up the audio host and loopback device parameters.
Go to Audio Setup > Host, and select Windows WASAPI from the list.
Go to Audio Setup > Recording Device, and select the device to listen as the input (You can select Stereo Mix or What U Hear if your computer has this option).
Step 3. Click the red recording button to start and stop grabbing audio from the computer.
Step 4. To save your recording, go to File > Save Project > Save Project As… to export the audio file to your local computer.
QuickTime Player is able to record computer audio from a microphone only on macOS. Go to Launchpad > QuickTime Player > File > New Audio Recording, and select the output device to start recording.
If you want to capture the system and app audio, use another sound plugin as the output device. Here, we take Soundflower as an example. To do so:
Step 1. Download Soundflower to your Mac and install it.
Step 2. On your MacBook, go to System Preferences > Sound > Output > select Soundflower (2ch) as your Mac's sound output device.
Step 3. On QuickTime Player, go to File > New Audio Recording.
Step 4. Click the down-arrow icon next to the record button and choose Soundflower (2ch) as the source.
Step 5. Now, you can start and stop the recording task. Then, save the MP3 file to your Mac device.
If you prefer recording sound from computer without any software or extra add-on, use an online screen recording tool instead. You can perform some basic audio recording tasks.
EaseUS Online Screen Recorder is free and accessible on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, and Opera browsers to record audio from a computer online.
There are many ways to record computer audio efficiently. Every method has its advantages and limitations. You can pick one according to your basic requirements.
Remember to use a professional external microphone, create a relatively quiet environment, and choose an appropriate PC audio recorder to get the best practice for capturing high-quality PC sound.
EaseUS RecExperts is recommended for users who want to capture internal and external sound without background noise.
Check more questions on how to record audio on a computer.
OBS is a good choice for recording Mac audio. However, since Mac prevents users from recording the internal sound, you need to use a third-party plugin like iShowU Audio Capture to capture system audio on MacBook.
Windows 10 has a built-in computer audio recorder called Voice Recorder (Sound Recorder in Win 11, 8, and 7). It lets you capture the microphone sound directly. But you cannot grab the system sound. The Xbox Game Bar can record internal and external sounds on a Windows 10 computer.
Audacity is professional and free open-source audio recording and editing software. It lets you record both system and mic sound on your desktop PC. Whether you want to record audio from YouTube, Spotify, Peacock, and other platforms, Audacity can help.
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