Windows 10’s built-in Voice Recorder app lets users quickly record audio on their computer, be it conversations, podcasts, interviews, class lectures, or something else.
While you can use other voice recording apps with better features and functionalities, the free Voice Recorder app on Windows 10 is convenient and intuitive to use. Plus, it already comes with basic features like marking, trimming, and sharing so that you don’t have to bother installing additional apps on your PC.
If you are looking to record microphone audio from your computer, read on to learn how you can do that with Voice Recorder on Windows 10.
Installing the Voice Recorder app on Windows 10
Voice Recorder comes preloaded on Windows 10, but you may have to get it on your PC manually in case you can’t find the app in the Start menu. Here’s how you can install it from the Microsoft Store:
- First, open a new browser tab on your computer and go to the Windows Voice Recorder download page.
Click the Get button, then select Open Microsoft Store upon getting the browser prompt.
After that, hit Get or Install and wait for the Voice Recorder app to finish installing.
Once done, you can launch Voice Recorder from the Start menu or the search box. It should show up on the top as a “New” app.
How to use Voice Recorder on Windows 10?
Voice Recorder on Windows 10 is pretty easy to use, provided you already have a decent microphone plugged into your PC. It’s also okay if you are using the built-in mic on your laptop or webcam for normal recordings. However, we strongly recommend investing in a better external microphone for recording conversations and podcasts at higher quality.
The detailed step-by-step tutorials below will help you record, edit, play, and share audio clips with Voice Recorder on Windows 10.
Record audio
Assuming you have a microphone set up and ready to record, perform the following steps to start recording on the Voice Recorder app:
- Open the Start menu, then scroll down to Voice Recorder and launch it.
- Hit the Microphone button to start recording. You can also press Ctrl + R on the keyboard to do it.
If you would like to add a marker to the recording, click the Flag icon or press Ctrl + M on the keyboard.
Note: For those who don’t know, adding a marker allows you to quickly jump between the important bits of the recording. You can also use the feature when listening to the recorded audio.
When you wish to pause the recording, click the Pause icon or press Alt + P on the keyboard.
You can click the Stop button or the Backspace key to end the recording session and save it.
You can find your recordings in the Documents > Sound recordings folder stored in M4A file format.
Listen to your recordings
To listen to the audio you recorded with Voice Recorder on Windows 10, follow the below steps.
- First, launch the Voice Recorder app from the Start menu or the search box.
- Next, choose the audio recording you wish to play from the left sidebar.
- You can use the timeline slider to skip to the part you want to listen to.
To pause the playback, simply click the Pause button. You can later continue playing it from the same place by clicking the Play button again.
Rename the recordings
If you want to keep your audio recordings neat and tidy, consider renaming them with the correct description. Here’s how to do it in Windows Voice Recorder:
- Right-click the recording you want to rename in the left sidebar of the Voice Recorder app.
- After that, select Rename in the drop-down box.
Now enter a fitting name for the recording file (e.g., chemistry_lecture_23march2021).
Hit Rename under the text field to save the changes.
Note that your changes to the audio file names will also reflect inside the Documents > Sound recordings folder.
Trim the recordings
In case you wish to cut out unimportant bits of audio from a recording, go through the instructions below.
- Start with selecting the recorded audio you want to trim in the Voice Recorder app.
- Next, click the Trim icon at the lower-right corner of the window.
Drag the pins on the playback slider to select where to start and end the recording.
To save the trimmed audio recording, click the Save (floppy) icon at the bottom.- Select Update original to replace the original recording with the trimmed version. You can also proceed with the Save a copy option to keep both versions.
Once again, you can access the trimmed audio file from the “Sound recordings” folder in Documents.
Share your recordings
To share your recordings with others via email or a Windows app, follow the steps:
- Open Voice Recorder and choose the recording you would like to share.
- Click the Share button at the lower-right section of the app window.
Now select the app you want to use to share the recording file and continue.
You can also share or copy your recordings from the File Explorer > Documents > Sound recordings folder.
Troubleshoot Voice Recorder not recording audio on Windows 10
If you can’t get Windows Voice Recorder to record your audio through the connected microphone, follow the steps below to troubleshoot and resolve the issue.
- Go to Settings from the Start menu, followed by visiting the Update & Security settings page.
- Select Troubleshoot in the sidebar, then click the Additional troubleshooter option on the following page.
- Scroll down to the “Find and fix other problems” section, select Recording audio, and click Run the troubleshooter.
- Now choose the microphone device not recording audio in the troubleshooter window and click Next.
- Go through the on-screen prompts to fix the issue.
Alternatively, go to the Settings > Privacy > Microphone page and make sure that the toggle switch under the “Allow apps to access your microphone” is set to On.
Assuming your microphone isn’t broken, the above troubleshooting steps should resolve the recording problems you encountered earlier on the Windows Voice Recorder app.
Talha Ali is your tech generalist, covering a wide spectrum of topics within the ever-evolving world of technology. With a curiosity for the latest innovations, industry trends, and breakthroughs. Whether it’s hardware, software, emerging technologies, or the intersection of tech with daily life, Talha’s articles provide readers with a well-rounded perspective on the dynamic landscape of the tech industry.
