How to Record Stereo Mix with Windows Voice Recorder

Stereo Mix is a recording device that some Windows audio drivers provide. It captures whatever your computer plays through its speakers or headphone jack. You can record it with the built-in recorder app instead of a microphone. On Windows 10 the app is called Voice Recorder. On Windows 11 it has been replaced by Sound Recorder. The steps differ slightly between the two.

Before you start

• Stereo Mix depends on your audio driver. Many onboard sound chips offer it, but not every PC has it, and installing the recorder app will not add it.
• It usually captures only the output handled by that driver. Audio sent to Bluetooth headphones, a USB headset or a monitor over HDMI is normally not included.
• Stereo Mix records system audio only. Your microphone is not mixed in.
• The recorder app runs locally and needs no online service to capture audio. Check the app's settings or its file location option to confirm where your recordings are saved.
• Windows treats Stereo Mix as an audio input, so the recorder app must be allowed to use the microphone in Windows privacy settings.
• If you plan to record calls or other people's audio, make sure you have their consent and the right to record the content.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Show and enable Stereo Mix

Open the classic Sound control panel. You can type mmsys.cpl in the Run dialog (Win + R) and press Enter. Go to the Recording tab. If Stereo Mix is not listed, right-click an empty area of the list and turn on Show Disabled Devices. Then right-click Stereo Mix and choose Enable. If it still does not appear, your current driver does not expose it; see the problems section below.

2. Check the Stereo Mix level

Double-click Stereo Mix and open the Levels tab. Make sure it is not muted and the level is reasonably high. On the Advanced tab you can see the default format, meaning its sample rate and bit depth. Leave it unchanged unless you have a reason to change it. On the Listen tab, keep Listen to this device turned off, or you may hear echo or feedback.

3. Choose Stereo Mix as the capture source

On Windows 10, Voice Recorder has no device picker and records from the default recording device. In the Recording tab, right-click Stereo Mix and choose Set as Default Device. Note which microphone was the default before, so you can switch back later.

On Windows 11, Sound Recorder lets you choose the recording device inside the app. Select Stereo Mix there, and you do not need to change the system default. If Stereo Mix is missing from the app's list, enable it first as described in step 1.

4. Set the recording format (Windows 11)

Sound Recorder on Windows 11 lets you change the recording format and audio quality in its settings. Choose a lossless format such as WAV or FLAC if you plan to edit the audio. Choose a compressed format such as M4A or MP3 if smaller files matter more; a higher quality setting raises the bitrate and file size. Voice Recorder on Windows 10 saves recordings as M4A files with AAC encoding and offers no format choice.

5. Record

Start the audio you want to capture, then press the record button in the app. Stop the recording when you are done. On many systems, the Stereo Mix level follows your playback volume, so keep the system volume steady. Muting it or turning it down will also affect the recording.

6. Restore your normal input

If you made Stereo Mix the default device on Windows 10, set your microphone back as the default afterward. Otherwise, video calls and other apps may pick up system sound instead of your voice. You can also disable Stereo Mix again if you do not need it.

Check the output

• Play the recording from the app and confirm you hear the system audio, not room noise from a microphone.
• Open the file location and check that the file type matches the recording format you selected.
• Listen for distortion at loud passages. If you hear it, lower the playback volume or the Stereo Mix level and record again.
• If the file is silent or very quiet, raise the Stereo Mix level and check that the system volume was not muted.
• Stereo Mix records the signal after Windows processing, so sound enhancements or equalizer settings in your audio driver can also affect the recording.

Common problems and next steps

Stereo Mix is not listed, even with disabled devices shown

Your audio driver does not provide it. Some manufacturer drivers include Stereo Mix while the generic Windows driver does not, so check your PC or motherboard maker's support software for an audio driver. If none offers it, a virtual audio cable driver can route system output to a recording input. You can also capture system audio with an app that records playback directly.

The recording is silent

Confirm that audio was playing through the built-in output, not Bluetooth or a USB headset. Check that Stereo Mix is enabled, not muted, and selected in the app or set as the default device. Also make sure microphone access is allowed for the app in Windows privacy settings. On Windows 11 this is under Privacy & security, then Microphone; on Windows 10 it is under Privacy, then Microphone.

I need my voice and system audio together

The built-in recorder captures one input at a time, so Stereo Mix alone will not include your microphone. Use an audio or screen recording app that can capture several sources at once, or record each source separately and combine them in an editor.

I also want video

Voice Recorder and Sound Recorder record audio only. To capture system sound with screen video, use a screen recorder. In it, check the audio source, frame rate and output format before you record.