How to Record Sound Playing on your Computer

Record any sound that can be played over the speakers using the Windows sound recorder utility.

Microsoft Windows has a built-in audio recording utility that allows users to create a file of any system sounds or audio coming from the computer. Web content, system sounds, audio chat sessions and even music can be recorded and played back at a later time. Files are recorded in the Windows Media Audio format and can be played back on most Windows-based computers. Audio can be recorded from external devices such as microphones or MP3 players or other audio equipment when connected to the line level input on the sound card.

Instructions

1. Click "Start" (Windows Orb), "All Programs" and "Accessories" and then click "Sound Recorder."

2. Click the "Start Recording" button.

3. Begin playing the sounds, audio or music that is to be recorded.

4. Click the "Stop Recording" button when done.

5. Navigate to the desired save file location and name the file. Click "Save" to save the audio file.

6. Click "Start Recording" to record another segment or click the "X" to close the program.

Tips & Warnings

• Close any other open programs when recording audio to avoid recording system sounds such as clicks or notification sounds.

• Content that is accessible for recording may be copyright protected, in which case sharing the resulting recorded file may be illegal.

References

• Microsoft Windows: Record Audio with Sound Recorder
• Microsoft Windows: Recording Audio in Sound Recorder: Frequently Asked Questions

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Microsoft Windows: Record Sound