Record sound on Mac

Windows users have the Sound Recorder program pre-installed with the system OS. If you are on Mac, how can you record voice or sound? What option do we have on Mac?

In an earlier article, we discussed how you can cast iPhone iPad screen to Mac using the QuickTime player. In fact, this app can also help Mac users record audio via microphone and record video via the FaceTime camera or webcam, even capture your iPhone iPad or iPod screen.

How to Record audio on Mac?

Launch QuickTime Player on your Mac or Macbook. From the top menu bar, choose File, select New Audio Recording from the drop-down menu.

quicktime player for Mac create new audio recording file

You will then get the little sound recorder tool on Mac.

record audio using quicktime player on Mac for free

You can click the red Record button to start recording, then click the gray Stop button when you are done. Finally choose File >> Save, to name the recording file, choose a location and save it on to your Mac.

Choose microphone

Besides the Record button, there is an Options menu where you can choose sound source if you have more than one microphone.

How to record system audio on Mac?

You need to install a free virtual sound card on Mac first. After that you can output the system sound to this virtual audio device, then choose this virtual sound card other than the internal microphone as the audio source from the Microphone selection list.

Choose audio quality and format

From the above Options menu, you can also choose the recording quality between High and Maximum. By default it is set to High which is a balance of quality, file size and file compatibility. It records M4A files. The Maximum quality setting saves AIFC files with very big file size.

How to pause sound recording on Mac?

Option-click the Record button to pause recording and click it again to resume.

Update Sep 2019: added the new free virtual sound card for Mac.