Audio Recording Software Review - How to Record Audio on Windows and Mac

How to record audio from a microphone on your computer? Sometimes, you may want to provide your voice for a clip of video and upload it to the video websites. Of course, you also need the program to record go to meetings, Skype calls and more.

There are a plethora of audio recording software options to pick from when it comes to selecting audio recorders on Windows and Mac. What should be the best one to capture the audio with the best quality? Just to make it easy for you to choose the most suitable one, this article lists six best audio recording tools available.

Top 1: AnyMP4 Screen Recorder: Best Overall
Top 2: Audacity: Best Free & Open-Source Tool
Top 3: Traverso: Best for Advanced Editing
Top 4: Windows Voice Recorder: Best for Windows Users
Top 5: QuickTime: Best Built-in Recorder for Mac
Top 6: Garageband: Best for Beginners
FAQs about Audio Recording Software

	AnyMP4 Screen Recorder	Audacity	Traverso	Windows Voice Recorder	QuickTime	Garageband
Price	Free and Paid	Free	Free	Free	Free	Free
Max Bitrate	Up to 320 kbps	Up to 320 kbps	Up to 320 kbps	Up to 128 kbps	Up to 256 kbps	Up to 320 kbps
Noise Reduction	✅	Via Plug-ins (Limited)	Limited	❌	❌	Limited
Multi-Track	❌	✅	✅	❌	❌	✅
Editing Tools	✅	✅	✅	❌	✅	✅
Additional Features	Multi-source recording, screen recording, game recording, etc.	Multi-track recording, audio editing, plug-in support, etc.	Non-destructive editing, real-time audio processing, multi-track recording, etc.	Simple recording, trim audio, mark important moments, etc.	Records system and microphone audio, basic editing, and export to iTunes	Multi-track recording, built-in editing, and custom effects
Overall Ratings	4.5	4	4	3.5	3.5	4

Top 1: AnyMP4 Screen Recorder: Best Overall

Compatible Platforms: Windows and Mac

AnyMP4 Screen Recorder is a professional audio recording software that captures audio files from both system sound and microphone. Unlike basic recorders, it supports multi-source recording, allowing you to capture audio simultaneously from various sources. Beyond recording, it offers built-in editing tools, so you can trim and enhance your audio files. It also includes noise reduction features, which help produce clear and professional-quality recordings. Moreover, it supports hotkeys for start, stop, pause, and resume.

FEATURES:

Record sound from microphone, system sound and connected devices.
Adjust the volume, choose the source and tweak the output parameters.
Hotkeys to start/stop, pause, resume, and manage the recording process.
Pre-listen to the recorded audio files before exporting them to a computer.

PROS

It provides seven professional recording modes.
It is equipped with built-in tools to enhance recordings.
It supports hotkeys to control audio and video playback.

CONS

It is a subscription-based software; but a free trial is offered.

Free Download For Windows

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Free Download For macOS

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How to Use the Audio Recording Software to Record Audio on PC

1. Install the audio recorder on your computer

Download and install the audio recorder software. Launch the program on your computer, where you can find Video Recorder, Audio Recorder, and Snapshot options, choose the Audio Recorder one.

2. Record system audio from computer

When you need to record the music, or training files from the website, you can turn on the System Sound only. Adjust the volume to get the best recording quality of the output.

3. Capture audio from microphone and more

In order to record some other professional device, you can connect the microphone or other device to the computer. The audio recording software is able to detect the device and record audio files with a high quality.

Tips

In order to access more custom options, click the Gear button to open the Preferences dialog, which you can set up the hotkeys to manage the whole process with ease.

4. Export audio recording to hard drive

Once you get the desired files on your computer, you can click the Stop button. You can pre-listen to the recording and export it to your hard drive if you are satisfied.

Top 2: Audacity: Best Free & Open-Source Tool

Compatible Platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux

Audacity is among the best audio recording software available. It supports recording voice on Mac, Windows and Linux. It is able to manage multiple recording and playback devices, import multiple audio formats, generate different audio tracks and even explore more with plug-ins.

FEATURES:

Real-time monitoring of audio input.
Multi-track audio recording and editing.
Extensible via plug-ins for added functionality.
Supports various audio formats, including MP3, WAV, OGG, etc.

PROS

It is completely free and open-source.
It is highly customizable and feature-rich.
It has large community support for tutorials and plug-ins.

CONS

It has no video recording capabilities.
Its interface may seem complex for non-professionals.

1. Start a New Recording

Download and install the audio recording software on your computer. Launch the program and go to Transport, select Record, and click Record, you can also click the red button on the Transport toolbar.

2. Adjust Microphone and System Sound Levels

Adjust the Volume for Microphone and System Sound. The former will record your voice and the latter will grab the sound on your Mac. Start the music and hit the red Record button to start recording sound on Mac.

3. Export Recorded Audio File

Once you have recorded the audio files, you can click the File button and choose the Export option. It enables you to save the audio recording files as MP3, WAV, OGG and more.

Top 3: Traverso: Best for Advanced Editing

Compatible Platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux

Traverso is a professional voice recorder for PC/Mac/Linux. Besides the basic features to record, compose and edit audio files, you can use non-destructive editing, real-time (lock-less) audio processing and ability to edit files (audio) without changing the original quality.

FEATURES:

Multi-track recording and composition.
Real-time (lock-less) audio processing.
Export audio to various formats, like WAV and OGG.
Non-destructive editing to preserve original audio quality.

PROS

It is a free, open-source application.
It handles audio processing efficiently.
It uses robust, real-time, non-linear audio processing.

CONS

It currently supports fewer formats.
Its interface may appear less modern or intuitive.

1. Create a New Recording Project

Once you have installed the audio recording software, you can open Traverso on your computer. Click the Project and choose the New option to create an empty project.

2. Set Track and Begin Recording

Play the music in browser or player. Right-click on one track, select Record from the context menu, select the track, click the A button and hit the Rec button.

3. Export Audio File

When the whole process completes, you can export the files as plain WAVE files or directly into a compressed audio file format or further edit the audio files, such as OGG/WAV pack.

Top 4: Windows Voice Recorder: Best for Windows Users

Compatible Platforms: Windows

Windows Voice Recorder is the native software developed by Microsoft to record audio on PC. Just as the other audio recorders, you can record, trim, flag important moments, and share audio effortlessly. It supports recording both system sound and microphone.

FEATURES:

Start and stop recording with a single click.
Select from various connected microphone inputs.
Record internal system sounds like music or app audio.
Recordings are automatically saved to the Documents folder.

PROS

It is very straightforward to use.
It comes pre-installed on Windows OS.
It is ideal to use in short memos, lectures, or interviews.

CONS

It lacks advanced tools like audio effects.
Its trimming is very basic; it can't do much more.

1. Install Windows Voice Recorder From Microsoft Store

If it is the first time you use Windows Voice Recorder, you can search for the program from Microsoft Store. After that click the Get button to download the audio recording software.

2. Allow Microphone Access and Start Recording

For the first time to use, confirm the permission to access your microphone. Then play the audio source and click the Record button to start the audio recording.

3. Pause, Mark Key Moments, and Save Recording

Click the Pause button to pause the recording at any point. Add some mark key with the Flag button. When the audio is done, click the Stop button to save the recorded audio.

Top 5: QuickTime: Best Built-in Recorder for Mac

Compatible Platforms: Mac

QuickTime is the best audio recorder for Mac operating systems. It records games, online music, voice, and even the connected iOS devices with ease. You can adjust the audio quality, export to iTunes, and further edit the audio recording.

FEATURES:

Adjustable input levels during recording.
Choose from available mics; built-in or external.
Select High or Maximum for better fidelity, though larger files.
Trim recordings, split into clips, rearrange, or add other audio.

PROS

It is already installed on macOS.
It offers a meter to monitor audio levels during recording.
It allows simple cutting of unwanted start/end parts of recordings.

CONS

It doesn't offer options to choose audio quality or output format during recording.
It only records mic input; capturing app/system sounds requires third-party tools.

1. Start a New Audio Recording

Open the QuickTime Player on your Mac. Click and expand the File menu and select the New Audio Recording option to open the free audio recording software.

2. Choose Audio Input and Set Quality

Press the Downward button and set the audio source and quality. It enables you to record System Sound and Built-in Microphone. If you were using the old version, download a plugin to capture audio files.

3. Start Recording and Save Audio

Start playing the sound and click the red REC button to initiate the recording process. When it is done, click the Stop button to save the recording as an m4a file.

Top 6: Garageband: Best for Beginners

Compatible Platforms: Mac

Garageband is among the top recording tools for Mac systems. It is able to record sound from a system, microphone or external source. Edit audio files and recordings of multiple tracks simply. Offer various custom options, such as fade in and out. (How to Convert MP3 to 320kbps here)

FEATURES:

Record multiple instruments or vocals simultaneously.
Access hundreds of Apple Loops to build tracks quickly.
Adjust microphone input levels and use external mics for better quality.
Built-in instruments or third-party Audio Unit instruments for diverse sounds.

PROS

It comes free with Apple devices.
It has an easy-to-learn interface, perfect for beginners.
It supports multiple audio/MIDI tracks, virtual instruments, and loops.

CONS

It lags or struggles with very large projects.
It is limited to Apple's Audio Units and Inter-App Audio.

1. Create a New Project and Add a Recording Track

Create a new project in the free audio recording software by hitting File and selectingNew. You can go to Track and click New Track to make a new track for the empty project.

2. Position the Playhead and Adjust Recording Settings

Then select the header and move the playhead to the starting point on the track. Next, set the metronome and other parameters to get the best output audio recording.

3. Record and Save Audio

Play your audio source and click the Record button in the control bar as soon as possible. In order to save the recording, click the Stop button and expo

FAQs about Audio Recording Software

Can I export to MP3?

Yes, most audio recorders support exporting recordings to MP3 format. For example, AnyMP4 Screen Recorder allows you to record audio and directly export it as MP3 or in other formats.

Does it support multi-track?

Multi-track recording allows you to record multiple audio sources on separate tracks simultaneously. Unfortunately, not all recorders support this feature.

How to choose the right recorder?

Choosing the right audio recorder depends on your platform, recording needs, and skill level. For beginners or casual users, Windows Voice Recorder or QuickTime require no extra setup. However, if you need advanced audio recording, AnyMP4 Screen Recorder is more suitable.

Conclusion

This tutorial has shared top 6 audio recorders for Windows and Mac OS X/11/12. You can get the audio recording software to capture the desired audio files. If you’re looking for an all-in-one software to record video and audio, or even take snapshots, AnyMP4 Screen Recorder should be the recommended one you have to take into consideration.