Recording audio is a fairly standard capability on almost any electronic device we have these days, and Windows PCs are no different. Many of us use our computers in such a way that it's easy to forget it comes with features we've never even touched, but if you'd like to record your thoughts (or even music) on Windows, there are easy ways to do it.

If you're not sure where to start, though, we're here to help. Here's how you can record audio on your Windows PC.

Using the Windows Sound Recorder

Windows 11 comes with an app called Sound Recorder, which is a great, no-frills way to record audio using your PC. Sound Recorder is a relatively basic app, but it's far better than the old Voice Recorder on Windows 10. Here's how it works:

1. Open the Start menu and search for Sound Recorder. It should be the first option.

   If the Sound Recorder app isn't on your PC, you can install it from here.

2. Select a microphone from the menu on the bottom left of the app. If you only have one microphone, you likely don't need to touch this.
3. (Optional) To change quality and format settings, click the ... (ellipsis) icon near the top-right corner and choose Settings.
4. (Optional) Here, you can use the Recording format and Audio quality menus to choose your desired settings. When you're done, click the arrow in the top left to go back to the recording screen.
5. Click the Record button at the bottom of the app to start recording.
6. While recording, you can use the Pause button to temporarily stop recording. There's also a Mark button that lets you mark important moments in the recording, if you need them.
7. Click the Stop button to finish the recording.

Recordings are saved automatically, and you can listen to them right away to make sure it sounds alright.

Using Audacity

The basic Windows Sound Recorder does the job well enough, but if you want more advanced sound recording capabilities, then you might want to use a program like Audacity. Audacity is a very popular audio recording and mixing tool, though we won't dive too deep into it here. Here's how it works:

1. Go to the Audacity website and download the app. You may want to use the Download without MuseHub button if you want a more straightforward experience.
2. Run the downloaded file to install Audacity on your PC, then launch the app.
3. To set up your recording device, click Audio setup, then hover over Recording devices and select the microphone you want to use.
4. To change between mono and stereo audio, click Audio setup, then hover over Recording channels and choose the option you prefer.
5. Click the Record button (the red circle) to start recording. You have similar options to pause or stop recording.
6. To save your audio file, click File and then choose Export Audio....
7. Save the file in the location of your choosing.

After recording, Audacity offers numerous options for editing your audio track or mix it with other tracks, even including some AI-powered filters for devices with NPUs. You can also save files as projects to keep working on them later. Audacity is also available for Mac.

How to record your computer audio

What if you're not looking to record your microphone, but rather the audio coming out of your computer. Well, thankfully, Audacity is a great tool, and it lets you do that too. Here's how:

1. Download and install Audacity as described above.
2. Click Audio setup in the toolbar, then choose Host and click Windows WASAPI.
3. Click Audio setup again, and choose Playback device, then select the main speakers on your PC (in many cases, you may only see one option).
4. Once more, choose Audio setup, then choose Recording device, and choose the same speakers you chose before. There will be a (loopback) indicator at the end.
5. Audacity is now set to record audio from your PC. Click the Record button to start recording, and use the Stop button to stop it.
6. Choose File > Export Audio... to save the audio file. Audacity doesn't save recordings automatically.

If you're looking to record audio from your PC as part of a video, check out our guide on how to record your screen in Windows 11. There are plenty of tools that let you do that easily, even included in Windows itself.

You're ready to go

With this knowledge, you're ready to record and share your thoughts or anything you want using your Windows PC. It's pretty easy to get started, and the hardest part is arguably making sure you have the right equipment to record high-quality audio. But for most people, it's not like you need very high-end microphones to get the job done.