Various free and paid software makes that process quite straightforward, but it will often only record what’s coming in through the mic (built-in or external). What if you want to capture the audio that’s coming out of your speakers instead? Here are two relatively simple ways to do just that.
How to record PC audio using Stereo Mix
We’ll be using Windows 10 for the purposes of this tutorial, but for older software and macOS the third-party software mentioned is still available. Stereo Mix is a feature built into Microsoft’s operating system, but it’s disabled by default. To record external audio, you’ll need to turn it on: Once that’s done, you’ll be free to open the audio recording program of your choice to record external sound to. Just make sure you select ‘Stereo Mix’ under the input device, instead of the usual ‘Microphone’ or ‘Line in’ options.
How to record PC audio using Audacity
One such program for recording audio is Audacity, but you can also use this free software to skip the first stage if you don’t have access to Stereo Mix. Here’s how it’s done: There you have it. Two simple methods for recording your PC’s external audio. If you’re looking to record internal audio (i.e. from your microphone), try Windows 10’s built-in ‘Voice Recorder’ app or the aforementioned Audacity, both of which are very easy to use If you’re experiencing issues, try how to fix sound problems in Windows 10. As the resident expert on Windows, Senior Staff Writer Anyron’s main focus is PCs and laptops. Much of the rest of his time is split between smartphones, tablets and audio, with a particular focus on Android devices.
