How to Record Audio on Your Computer:
The Ultimate Guide

Recording audio on your computer can be tricky if you don't have any experience with audio recording. It's easy to get overwhelmed by the number of options available. There are many different ways to do it, and choosing the right one for you depends on what type of sound recording you need (music, podcasting, etc.).

This blog post will cover the most popular methods for both Mac and Windows 10. You will also get a detailed guide on using Parallels Toolbox, an all-in-one suite of tools that you can use for recording audio, among other things. Read on to learn more.

How to record audio on your computer

There are several methods to record audio on your computer, depending on the OS you are using. We will cover two of the most popular options for this post: using QuickTime Player on Mac and using Voice recorder on Windows 10.

How to record audio on Mac

From recording a discussion to dictating a note, you can use your Mac as an audio recording device. It has an inbuilt microphone that allows you to capture sounds. However, if you are using your Mac with a third-party monitor, you will need an external microphone. Follow these simple steps to record audio on Mac using QuickTime Player.

  1. Open the QuickTime Player from your Mac
  2. After opening the QuickTime Player, click File> New Audio Recording
  3. From the Options pop-up menu, you can choose the following:
    1. Microphone - choose your microphone if you have more than one
    2. Quality - choose the recording quality. You can choose between high and maximum quality. Maximum quality produces large uncompressed files that use large amounts of storage space.
  4. From the control menu, adjust the volume to listen to the audio you are recording.
  5. Click the red circle placed in the middle of the gray circle to start recording. If you want to pause the recording, Option-click the record button. Click it again to resume recording.
  6. Click on the dark gray square to stop recording.
  7. To save the file, click File> Save and choose the name for your audio. You can also select the location where to save it on your Mac.

You can then trim, split, rearrange or share the audio file through email or upload it to your cloud.

How to record audio on Windows 10

If you are using Microsoft Windows 10, your computer comes with Voice Recorder, a free Windows audio recorder to help you record audio on Windows 10. Follow these easy steps:

  1. Start your Windows 10 PC and launch the Microsoft Store application.
  2. On the "Microsoft Store" page, type in "Microsoft Voice Recorder" and hit "Enter" on your keyboard.
  3. Click "Get" to start the free download. After the download is complete, launch the application.
  4. Click on the "Record Button" to start recording audio.
  5. Once you finish recording, click the "Stop" button. A new window will pop up displaying all available audio recordings.
  6. To playback the recorded audio, press the "Play" button. You can also trim, export, or discard your audio file on this screen.

How to record audio using Parallels Toolbox

Parallels Toolbox makes recording audio easy for both Mac and Windows 10 users. It allows you to use your computer's built-in microphone and record audio with a single click. Follow these steps:

  1. Launch the Parallels Toolbox on your Mac or PC
  2. From the pop-up window, click on Audio > Record Audio
  3. Click on the "Settings" icon to select the microphone, set audio quality, and the file size.
  4. Click on the "Record" button to start recording the audio
  5. Click "Stop" and save your audio file. You can edit the file using the "Audio Editor" and share it through email.

Conclusion

There are several ways to record audio on your computer. Windows 10 comes with Voice Recorder, and Mac users can use QuickTime Player. Different software allows you to record audio seamlessly depending on what operating system you are using.

Parallels Toolbox creates virtual sound cards that allow you to record multiple tracks at once using any microphone or line-in source connected directly into your Mac or PC's hardware input jack. Download a free trial of Parallels Toolbox today to get started on recording high-quality audios on your PC or Mac.