Dec 24 2008
Recording “What You Hear” On Windows XP And Vista
Recording the exact sounds coming from your speakers is actually an easy process, but is something that is hidden inside Windows. Any sound that your computer produces can be recorded, most commonly referred to as “What You Hear.” Please note that this little tip is for onboard or integrated audio, not for external or separate sound cards. If you have a Creative or another brand audio card, consult the manual on how to record what you hear.
Navigate to the Control Panel, Sound. Click on the Recording tab. The next step is the hidden feature. Right click anywhere on the white area inside the window. You will notice there are options that popup. Choose “Show Disabled Devices.” Now you will notice, you have more recording options. Enable the one labeled “Stereo Mix”, “What You Hear” or another terminology that is used, depending on the sound driver. Anytime you want to record, set the Stereo Mix (or other terminology) to the Default Device.
The final thing is that you need an audio program to record the sound. You can use the built-in Windows Recording software, but I would suggest not to, as it is lacking options and configurations. A great and free software tool like Audacity will work fine, and I suggest anyone using Windows to try it out. You can download it through this link here.
What a great tip! I thought I needed another program to access that feature or a new sound card. Turns out it was under the hood all this time.
Thanks!!!