Free tool
Online sound recorder
This free sound recorder records the sound playing in a browser tab, your whole computer’s sound where the browser can share it, your microphone, or both at once, and saves it as an MP3 or WAV file.
- Free
- MP3 or WAV
- Nothing is uploaded
Record
Ready to record sound
The recording stays in this page until you download it; nothing is uploaded.
MP3 encoding by LAME, open-source software.
On a Mac, NoteOwl records your Mac’s own audio and your microphone during calls, then writes the transcript and notes on the Mac itself, with no bot in the call.
How it works
How do you record computer audio?
Choose Tab or computer sound and press Start recording. In the browser’s list, pick the tab that’s playing (or Entire screen on Windows), turn on its audio switch and press Share. The recording takes the sound straight from the tab, with no room noise.
- 1
Choose the source
A tab or the computer’s sound, the microphone, or both mixed together.
- 2
Share and record
Pick the tab, turn on its audio switch and press Share. The meter moves with the sound; pause any time.
- 3
Save it
Press Stop or Stop sharing, play it back, and download an MP3, a WAV or the browser’s own file.
Which sounds can a browser record?
Three: a tab’s sound, the whole computer’s sound, and the microphone. Chrome and Edge share a tab’s sound on any computer and the whole computer’s on Windows; every current browser records the microphone.
- A browser tab
- What it recordsOnly what that tab plays: a webinar, a lecture stream, a podcast player, a web call
- Works inChrome and Edge on a computer
- The whole computer
- What it recordsEverything the computer plays, from every app
- Works inChrome and Edge on Windows, with Entire screen
- Microphone
- What it recordsYour voice and the room around you
- Works inEvery current browser, phones included
- Both
- What it recordsThe tab or computer and your voice, mixed into one track
- Works inChrome and Edge on a computer
| Source | What it records | Works in |
|---|---|---|
| A browser tab | Only what that tab plays: a webinar, a lecture stream, a podcast player, a web call | Chrome and Edge on a computer |
| The whole computer | Everything the computer plays, from every app | Chrome and Edge on Windows, with Entire screen |
| Microphone | Your voice and the room around you | Every current browser, phones included |
| Both | The tab or computer and your voice, mixed into one track | Chrome and Edge on a computer |
How is this different from a voice recorder?
A voice recorder listens through the microphone, so it hears you and the room. This sound recorder can take the sound straight from a tab or the computer, with no room noise, and adds your voice only if you want it.
For a quick memo or a voice message, the online voice recorder is simpler: one button, the microphone, and an MP3.
How do you record your Mac’s own sound?
For one tab, use this recorder in Chrome or Edge. For everything the Mac plays, macOS 27 adds Include System Audio to the Screenshot tool (Shift-Command-5 → Options), which records it with the screen; our guide to recording Mac audio covers each way.
Can NoteOwl turn a call’s sound into notes?
Yes. During a Zoom, Teams or Google Meet call, NoteOwl records your microphone and your Mac’s own audio, with no bot in the call, and writes the transcript, summary and action items on your Mac.
Each speaker is labelled in the transcript. For your own voice, dictation into any app is free.
FAQ
Questions about recording sound
Can I record the sound of a browser tab?
Yes, in Chrome or Edge on a computer. Choose Tab or computer sound in NoteOwl’s sound recorder, pick the tab in your browser’s list, turn on its audio switch and press Share. Only that tab’s sound is recorded, never its picture.
Why does the recorder say no sound was shared?
The tab or screen was shared without its audio. Press Try again, choose a tab, and make sure its audio switch is on before you press Share. If your browser’s list has no audio switch, it can’t share sound: record the microphone, or use Chrome or Edge.
Can I record the tab and my microphone together?
Yes. Choose Both: the recorder asks for the tab, then the microphone, and mixes them into one recording, so a talk or a call in the tab and your own comments end up in one file.
Which formats can I save the recording in?
MP3 at 192 kbps, which plays everywhere; WAV, uncompressed for editing; or the file exactly as your browser made it, M4A in Chrome, Edge and Safari or WebM in others. All three are made in the page.
How long can I record?
Up to 2 hours per recording: it stops by itself at 2:00:00. Download the recording before you close the page or record again, because it isn’t saved anywhere else.
Is my recording uploaded?
No. The sound is recorded in your browser and the recording kept in the page’s memory on your device; the MP3 and WAV files are made in the page too. Nothing is sent to NoteOwl or anyone else.
Keep exploring
More free tools
- Online voice recorderRecord your voice in the browser with a level meter, timer and pause, play it back, and save it as MP3 or WAV; nothing is uploaded
- Mic testA free online mic test: a live level meter, a microphone picker and a 5-second recording to play back, in your browser
- Webcam testSee your camera’s live picture, resolution and measured frame rate, whether it’s too dark or frozen, and your microphone level; nothing is recorded
- Speaker testPlay a chime from the left, right or both speakers, or a stereo music loop, with a level meter for each side; sounds are made in the browser
Related
- Record Mac audioHow to record the sound your Mac plays (system audio) with Apple’s own tools, and how NoteOwl records calls without a bot
- Audio to text converterTranscribe audio to text free: drop in an MP3, M4A, WAV or other recording and get an AI transcript with times, as text, SRT, VTT or Word; nothing is stored
- AI meeting notes without a botHow NoteOwl records calls from your Mac with no bot joining, and what you get when the call ends
Your calls, privately turned into notes on your Mac
Free to download. Runs entirely on your Mac.
macOS 26 or later · Apple Silicon (M1 or newer) · 16 GB memory minimum, 24 GB recommended
About NoteOwl
NoteOwl is private AI meeting notes and memory for the Mac. It captures meetings without a bot joining the call, labels every speaker, writes summaries and action items, and builds a memory of every conversation that you can chat with — fully offline, because the speech recognition and the AI run on the Mac itself. Dictation into any app is free; Pro is a one-time purchase.
NoteOwl pricing: what’s free and what Pro adds
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