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Search your PC for ‘recorder’ to use the built-in audio recorder, or download Audacity
What to Know
- Search Windows for recorder to open the built-in sound recording utility.
- Or, install the free program Audacity to record audio.
- Press the record button in either program to start a new recording.
In this article, we’ll show you how to record audio on a Windows computer. Two methods are covered, depending on the features you want.
How to Use the Built-in Sound Recorder on Windows
The first method uses Windows’ built-in program, called Sound Recorder in Windows 11 and Voice Recorder in other versions. You can access this tool from the Start menu.
How to Screen Record With Audio in Windows 11
- Open the Start menu and search for recorder. Choose Sound Recorder if you’re on Windows 11, or Voice Recorder if that’s what you see.
- Press the red record button or blue microphone, depending on your Windows version. If you’re on Windows 11, you can also choose which device to record from by using the menu on the bottom left.
- ‘Headset’ and the red record button highlighted in Sound Recorder for Windows 11.
Press the same button again to stop the recording. There’s also a pause button if you need to temporarily stop the recording without completely ending it. - Your audio recordings appear on the sidebar on the left. All sound recordings are stored in the folder below as an M4A file. To get to the file, right-click the saved recording from within the program and choose Show in folder or Open file location.
C:\Users\[username]\Documents\Sound Recordings
The ‘Show in folder’ option highlighted in Sound Recorder for Windows 11.
Open the app’s settings to change the output format. Options include MP3, WAV, WMA, and others.
Use Audacity to Record Sound on Windows
If you need a different method, you can use an audio recording program such as Audacity. Apps like this one are useful because they provide heaps of additional features not found in the Windows sound recorder, such as background noise removal and the ability to record audio coming from your computer.
Record From the Mic
Follow these steps to use Audacity to record audio coming into the computer from your microphone.
- Download Audacity and install it to your computer.
- Open the program and go to Audio Setup > Recording Device, then select the correct device you want to use to record sound. It might already be chosen.
- Click the red record button and begin recording sound.
Record System Sounds
You can also use Audacity to record audio coming from your computer instead of from your mic.
Open the Audio Setup menu item, then choose Host > Windows WASAPI.
Return to the Audio Setup menu, but now choose Recording Device and select your speakers or headphones. Pick the one that says loopback at the end.
Select the record button to start recording audio from your computer.
FAQ
How do I record my computer screen with audio?
Any program that can capture your screen, such as VLC or QuickTime, can also record sound from your built-in microphone; just look for audio settings while you’re setting up the recording. To record the audio from the computer, however, you’ll need to look for another app. Before you download anything to your computer, make sure it’s coming from a reputable source.
How do I record computer audio on a Mac?
MacOS has several ways to record audio that come included. The simplest one is QuickTime; open the app, and then go to File > New Audio Recording, or press Command + Shift + N on your keyboard. Audacity also has a Mac version, so you can use the above instructions there, too.
