How to record computer audio

The quick answer for each system

Recording a call? Remember that computer audio usually means other people's voices. Recording laws vary and some places require everyone's consent, so ask first.

Record computer audio on Windows

Option 1: Audacity with WASAPI loopback (recommended)

Audacity is free, and its manual calls this the recommended way to record computer playback on Windows. It works even when your sound card has no Stereo Mix.

1. Install and open Audacity.
2. In the Audio Setup toolbar, set the Host to Windows WASAPI.
3. For the recording device, pick the speakers or headphones you listen through, with (loopback) after the name.
4. Press the red Record button and play your audio.
5. Stop, then use File > Export to save as MP3 or WAV.

Two catches: Audacity's loopback skips silent stretches rather than recording silence, and it records everything the computer plays, including notification sounds. Turn on Do Not Disturb first. It also records one device at a time, so your microphone isn't included.

Option 2: OBS Studio (computer audio plus mic)

OBS Studio is free and records the screen and sound. By default it has a Desktop Audio source (your computer's sound) and a Mic/Aux source in the Audio Mixer. Press Start Recording; files go to your Videos folder by default. OBS records video along with the sound; if you only need the audio, most transcription tools accept the video file directly, or you can convert it to MP3 afterwards.

Option 3: Stereo Mix with Sound Recorder

Some sound drivers include a "Stereo Mix" recording device. To check:

1. Press Win+R, type mmsys.cpl and press Enter.
2. Open the Recording tab, right-click an empty area and tick Show Disabled Devices.
3. If Stereo Mix appears, right-click it and choose Enable.
4. Open the Windows Sound Recorder app, choose Stereo Mix as the recording device and record.

If Stereo Mix isn't listed, your driver doesn't offer it. That's common on laptops; use Audacity or OBS instead. Sound Recorder on its own records a microphone, not computer sound.

Record computer audio on a Mac

For years macOS had no built-in way to record what the Mac plays. That changed with macOS 27, at least for screen recordings.

• macOS 27 or later: press Shift+Command+5, open Options and choose Include System Audio, then record. You get a screen recording with sound.
• OBS Studio 30+ on macOS 13 or later: add a macOS Audio Capture source to record all desktop audio or a single app.
• BlackHole (free): a virtual audio driver. Create a Multi-Output Device in Audio MIDI Setup so you still hear sound, then record from BlackHole in QuickTime, Audacity or GarageBand.
• Rogue Amoeba's Audio Hijack or Loopback (paid, free trial): the most polished option, good for recording specific apps.

There's a full walkthrough of each in how to record internal audio on a Mac.

Record computer audio on Linux

Linux makes this easy. PulseAudio and PipeWire give every output device a "Monitor of ..." input that carries whatever it plays.

• Audacity: choose the pulse (or default) recording device, start recording, then open pavucontrol (PulseAudio Volume Control), go to the Recording tab and switch Audacity to "Monitor of" your speakers.
• OBS Studio: add an Audio Output Capture (PulseAudio) source; it works on PipeWire systems too.
• Terminal: find your speakers with pactl get-default-sink, then record their monitor:

  parec -d "$(pactl get-default-sink).monitor" --file-format=wav computer-audio.wav

  Press Ctrl+C to stop.

Recording meetings? Hark does both sides for you

The tools above record sound. If what you actually want is a record of a Zoom, Teams or Google Meet call, you also want your own voice, a transcript and to know who said what. That's what Hark is for.

• Windows and Linux: Hark records the microphone and the computer's audio as separate tracks with no drivers or settings to change, then mixes them. On Linux it uses PulseAudio/PipeWire.
• Mac: Hark records the microphone only today. It can't capture a Mac's computer audio yet, but you can import recordings you made another way.
• Any meeting app: because Hark records the computer rather than joining the call, there's no bot and no host permission involved. Tell people you're recording.
• Transcribed on your computer: a live transcript during the call, then a more accurate one afterwards, with speakers separated by voice. English only.
• Import: drop in an MP3, WAV, M4A, MP4 or other file you recorded with the tools above and Hark transcribes it too.

Recording, transcription and speaker recognition are free forever, with no usage limits. AI meeting notes by Claude are $12/month (with a 2-day preview); they send the transcript text, not audio, to Claude. Download Hark free.

Tips for clean computer-audio recordings

• Silence notifications. Loopback recording captures every ping. Use Focus or Do Not Disturb.
• Keep volumes normal. Turning an app's own volume right down can make it quiet in the recording too.
• Use headphones for calls. If you record the mic too, headphones stop the other side echoing back into your microphone.
• Do a 10-second test. Record, play it back, and check both sides before an important call.
• Save as WAV for transcription, or MP3 to save space. Either works with most transcription tools; see how to transcribe an audio recording to text.