Plug and Check

Sound tools

Voice Recorder: Record Audio in Your Browser

Record your voice with any microphone, pause and resume, play it back, and download it in your browser's format or as WAV. Nothing is uploaded.

Runs in your browser. Your recordings never leave this device. No upload, no sign-up.

Recording time 0:00.0/ 10:00

Input level

Press Record and allow the microphone when your browser asks.

Takes

Takes are kept in this tab's memory only. Reloading or closing the page deletes them, so download the ones you want to keep.

No takes yet. Each recording you stop appears here.

    Your report

    Run the test above. Your results will appear here as plain text you can paste into a support chat, a return request or a forum post.

    How to record your voice

    1. Choose your microphone, or leave it on Default microphone. Turn Voice processing off to record music or to hear your microphone as it really is.
    2. Press Record and allow the microphone when your browser asks. The clock runs and the waveform moves when sound comes in.
    3. Press Pause to take a break and Resume to carry on in the same take. A take can last up to 10 minutes.
    4. Press Stop. The take appears under Takes with a player, its length, its size and a check of its level.
    5. Download the take in your browser's own format or as WAV. Takes disappear when you reload or close the page.

    Recording formats: WebM, Ogg, MP4 and WAV

    Browsers differ in the formats they can record. This page asks for WebM with the Opus codec first, then MP4 with AAC, which it saves as an .m4a file, then Ogg, and records in the first one your browser offers. All of these are compressed, so a take of a few minutes stays small. The format line under each take shows what you got.

    Download WAV converts a take in your browser: it decodes the recording and writes uncompressed 16-bit audio at your sound output's sample rate, usually 44,100 or 48,000 Hz. WAV files are large, about 5.8 MB per minute of mono sound at 48,000 Hz, but almost every audio editor, media player and transcription tool opens them. Long takes take a few seconds to convert.

    What the level check means

    While you record, the input level shows how loud the microphone hears you. After each take, the page looks at its loudest moment. A peak above -20 dBFS (decibels below the loudest sound the recording can hold) is a good level for speech. Between -40 and -20 dBFS the take is quiet: move closer or raise the input volume. Below that the microphone barely picked anything up. A peak at the very top means the recording clipped, which sounds harsh and distorted, so move back or lower the input volume.

    For a closer look at your microphone, with noise floor, clipping and the three processing switches, use the microphone test.

    Where your recordings go

    Nowhere, unless you download them. The recorder keeps every take in this tab's memory and never sends audio over the network. Reloading the page, closing the tab or going to another page deletes the takes, and most browsers ask you to confirm before you leave with a take you haven't downloaded. Downloads go to your browser's usual download folder.

    Recording problems and fixes

    The recording is silent or very quiet

    The browser may be recording from a different microphone, or your system may be blocking or muting it.

    1. Pick your microphone from the list and record again; the level check under the take says whether it heard you.
    2. On a headset, check the mute switch or button.

    Windows 11

    1. Open Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone and turn on Microphone access, Let apps access your microphone and Let desktop apps access your microphone.
    2. Open Settings → System → Sound, choose your microphone under Input and check its input volume.

    macOS

    1. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone and turn on your browser.
    2. Open System Settings → Sound, choose your microphone under Input and raise the Input volume.

    The browser didn't ask for the microphone, or access is blocked

    Once you block a site, the browser stops asking.

    1. In Chrome, Edge and Firefox, click the icon at the left end of the address bar and allow the microphone, then reload the page.
    2. In Safari, choose Safari → Settings for This Website and set Microphone to Allow.

    The voice sounds muffled, robotic or pumping

    Voice processing (noise reduction and automatic gain) can make speech sound processed and lift the background between words. Bluetooth headsets also record at low quality while their microphone is in use.

    1. Turn Voice processing off and record again.
    2. Use your computer's built-in microphone or a wired one instead of a Bluetooth headset.

    Recording doesn't start because the microphone is busy

    Another app or browser tab may be using the microphone.

    1. Close Zoom, Teams, Discord, OBS and other tabs that use the microphone, then press Record again.
    2. If that doesn't help, unplug the microphone and plug it back in.

    A downloaded file won't open

    Some players, such as QuickTime Player on a Mac, don't open WebM files.

    1. Use Download WAV instead, or open the file in a player that reads WebM, such as VLC.
    2. Open the file in your browser: browsers play the format they record.

    Recording stopped by itself

    A take stops at 10 minutes, and it also stops if the microphone is unplugged or a Bluetooth headset disconnects. The page keeps what was recorded up to that point.

    1. Press Record again for the next take; the takes stay in the list.

    Common questions

    Is this voice recorder free and private?

    Yes. It records in your browser and keeps the recordings in this tab's memory; nothing is uploaded or saved anywhere until you download a take yourself.

    How long can I record?

    Up to 10 minutes per take. Recording stops by itself at the limit and keeps what you recorded. You can record as many takes as you like, but they all stay in memory, so download long takes before you record more.

    Why is my recording a WebM file?

    Browsers record in compressed formats, and which ones they offer differs. This page asks for WebM with the Opus codec first, then MP4 (saved as an .m4a file), then Ogg, and uses the first one your browser can make. If an app can't open your file, use Download WAV, which almost every audio program reads.

    How do I convert my recording to MP3?

    This page saves WebM, Ogg, MP4 or WAV files, not MP3. Download the WAV and convert it with an audio editor or converter; the free editor Audacity, for example, exports MP3.

    Why did my recordings disappear?

    Takes live only in this tab's memory, so reloading the page, closing the tab or going to another page deletes them. Download each take you want to keep. Most browsers ask you to confirm before you leave the page with a take that hasn't been downloaded.

    Can I record on my iPhone or Android phone?

    Yes, in current versions of Safari on iPhone and iPad and Chrome on Android. Allow the microphone when the browser asks, and download each take before you leave the page. If the phone's own apps can't open the file, download the WAV version.

    Can it record the sound from my computer instead of a microphone?

    Not directly: browsers record from microphones and other audio inputs, not from what your computer is playing. Some sound cards offer an input that carries the computer's own sound (on Windows it is sometimes called Stereo Mix), and virtual audio devices can do the same. If you have one, choose it in the microphone list.

    Something not right?

    Tell us if your device wasn't found or a result looks wrong. Your browser, system and device model help us check.

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