Voice recorder
Record your voice in the browser, with a live level meter, pause and resume. Play it back, trim the start and end, and download the original file or a WAV that opens anywhere. Your audio never leaves your device.
- Recorded and kept on your device
- Download WebM, M4A or WAV
- Level meter with clipping warning
Your browser will ask for the microphone. Speak about a hand's width from it for clear voice.
- Microphone—Input device
- Recording—Length so far
- Format—Chosen by your browser
- File—Size on your device
Your recordings
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Microphone settings
Changes apply to the next recording.
Takes 0
Recording uses your browser's MediaRecorder; the format depends on the browser. WAV files are created on your device from your recording. Download anything you want to keep: without "Keep recordings", takes are lost when the page closes.
How browser recording works
Your browser turns the microphone signal into a compressed audio file, entirely on your device.
The browser picks the codec
Chrome, Edge and Firefox record Opus in a WebM file; Safari records AAC in an M4A file. Both are made for speech and stay small.
Level and clipping
The meter shows the loudest point in decibels below full scale. Peaks near 0 dB clip and distort; around -12 to -6 dB is healthy for voice.
Voice processing
Noise suppression, echo cancellation and automatic gain are built into the browser. They help speech and hurt music.
WAV is uncompressed
A WAV holds every sample, so it opens anywhere but is about ten times larger. It is made here from your take when you ask for it.
Audio formats you can download
What each file is, where it comes from, and how big it gets.
| Format | Recorded by | Typical size | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| WebM (Opus) | Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Android | About 0.5 to 1 MB a minute | Small, clear speech; some older editors need WAV |
| M4A (AAC) | Safari on iPhone and Mac | About 0.5 to 1 MB a minute | Plays on Apple devices and most players |
| WAV (made here) | Any browser, from your recording | About 5.8 MB a minute (mono) | Opens in every editor and player; large |
| MP3 | Not made here | — | Browsers cannot record MP3; convert the WAV if you need it |
How to record your voice
Four steps, all in this page.
Allow the microphone
Press Record and allow access. Pick another microphone in the settings if you have more than one.
Watch the level
Speak at a normal distance. The meter shows your level and warns if it is too quiet or clipping.
Pause, resume, stop
Pause as often as you need. Stopping adds the take to your list with its length and size.
Play, trim and save
Listen back, name it, cut the start or end, and download the original file or a WAV.
What this tool does, and what it doesn't
A plain list, so you know exactly what to expect.
This tool does
- Record from any microphone your browser can use
- Pause and resume within one take
- Show a live level meter and warn about clipping
- Trim the start and end of a take
- Download the original file or a WAV
- Optionally keep takes in this browser
This tool does not
- Upload or share your audio
- Make MP3 files
- Record system sound or other apps
- Transcribe speech to text
- Join clips or remove words
- Need an account or sign-up
Where your data goes
Nowhere. The microphone is recorded by your browser and the audio stays in this page's memory on your device. If you switch on Keep recordings, takes are saved in this browser's own database (IndexedDB) on this device only, until you delete them. We never receive your audio. See our privacy policy.
When recording does not work as expected
The six problems people run into most, and what to change.
Microphone blocked
The browser remembers a "Block". Reset it from the lock icon next to the address, then reload.
No microphone found
Plug it in before opening the page, or check that another app is not holding it.
Recording is very quiet
Move closer, turn on automatic gain, or raise the input level in your system sound settings.
Sound is distorted
The meter shows clipping. Move back from the microphone or lower the input level.
Phone stopped recording
Phones may pause the mic when you switch apps or lock the screen. Keep this page open.
Editor will not open WebM
Download WAV instead. It opens in every audio editor.
Questions about the voice recorder
Is this voice recorder free, and is there a time limit?
It is free, with no account and no watermark. There is no fixed time limit: the recording is held in your device's memory, so very long sessions on an older phone can run out of memory. For recordings over an hour, save a copy now and then by stopping and starting a new one.
Are my recordings uploaded anywhere?
No. Audio is recorded and processed in your browser and is never sent to our server or anyone else. Recordings disappear when you close the page, unless you switch on Keep recordings in this browser, which stores them in your browser's own database on this device only.
Which format do I get, and why not MP3?
Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Android record WebM with the Opus codec; Safari on iPhone and Mac records M4A (AAC). Both are small and good quality. For a file that opens in every editor and player, download WAV, which this page creates from your recording on your device. MP3 is not offered because browsers cannot record it, and converting it would need an extra encoder.
Can I use it on my phone?
Yes, in a current browser on Android or iPhone (iOS 14.3 or later). Keep the screen on and the page open while recording: phones may pause the microphone when you switch apps or lock the screen. The page asks the phone to keep the screen awake while it records, where the browser allows it.
The microphone is not detected. What should I do?
Allow microphone access when the browser asks, or reset the permission from the lock icon next to the address. Check that no other app, such as a video call, is using the microphone, and pick the right input in Microphone settings. The microphone only works on a secure (https) page.
Should I turn off noise suppression and echo cancellation?
For speech, keep them on: they cut background hum and echo. For music, singing or sound effects, turn them off, along with automatic gain, because they treat music as noise and can make it sound thin or pumping.
Can I trim or edit recordings here?
You can cut the start and end of a recording and download the trimmed part as WAV. For more editing, such as joining clips or removing words, open the WAV in a free editor like Audacity.