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How to Record Headphone Audio Effortlessly [2024 Guide]

Are you looking to record headphone audio when it is plugged in? If you do, here are some quick and easy ways for you to record audio in your headphone.

Are you trying to record headphone audio when it is plugged in but have no idea how to proceed? If you’re facing the same problem, this guide will show you some helpful solutions to capture the sound in headphones as well as the microphone voices on a PC or Mac or Online. Thus, you can use recorded audio for a voice memo or podcast. Plus, we’ll also include the steps to set the headset and some great tools to capture headphone audio in high quality.

Record Headphone Audio

Can You Record Audio with Headphone Plugged In

Yes, you can record audio with headphones plugged in as long as you have the right hardware and software setup. In many devices, the headphone jack is used as both audio output and input, so you can directly use it to record sound from headphones. Additionally, some apps and recording devices are also available for audio recording while the headphones are plugged in. 

Whichever way you prefer, it’s important to ensure that the recording settings in your device or software are configured to use headphones for recording audio. If you have no idea how to do it, the following part will explain how to set headphone jack for recording sound.

How to Set Headphone Jack for Recording Sound

Before recording audio with headphones, you’ll first need to change the headphone jack from output to input. The process can be a little bit tricky, especially if you’re less experienced with computers operation. First of all, you’re required to identify the type of headphone jack you’re using. The most often used headphone jack is the 3.5mm jack. Then, insert one end of the audio jack into the headphones and another end to the microphone slot on your computer.

Once you’ve set the headphone jack, then you can change the settings from output to input by following these steps. 

Step 1. Click the Start button on your computer and open Settings.

Step 2. Target on System > Sound > Input. Locate the device you want to set as the input device and click on it. 

Set Headphone Jack for Recording Sound

Before you start changing your headphone jack, you need to take some safety measures to avoid potential damage to your device or harm yourself. Firstly, remember to turn off your device before making any changes to avoid electronic shock. Secondly, make sure you’re in a safe area to avoid any accidents.

How to Record Headphone Audio on PC

As introduced above, it’s not enough to have a headphone jack set and connected for audio recording. You’ll also need an audio recorder like iTop Screen Recorder to assist you in this job. iTop Screen Recorder is a free screen recorder that allows you to record both system audio and microphone sound. So, you can use it to capture audio with headphones plugged in. Apart from that, it is easy to use without the need for any special skills. For people who have limited storage space on their computer, they can also go for this screen recorder as it is lightweight without taking up a lot of space.

iTop Screen Recorder - Record Audio Without Background Noise

  • Record system audio or external microphone flawlessly
  • Record streaming audio without quality loss
  • Remove background noise of audio recording
  • Save audio recordings as MP3, AAC, FLAC and WMA

For more capabilities of iTop Screen Recorder, you can check the following list. 

  • Free to capture headphone audio on PC: iTop Screen Recorder is 100% free of charge, you can record audio from headset without paying a penny. You can use it as a free YouTube audio recorder and then use it to capture YouTube audio. 
  • Record system audio, microphone audio, as well as webcam: It offers multiple recording models. Based on your needs, you can record system audio, microphone audio, or both simultaneously. Besides, you can also record a webcam, if needed. 
  • Save recorded headset audio in high quality: As a HD audio recorder, iTop Screen Recorder ensures that the quality of recorded audio is the same as what you hear. Plus, it comes with a built-in denoiser, which can help you remove background noise. If you’re looking for Chrome audio recorders to capture an interesting podcast, iTop Screen Recorder is a nice option. 
  • Edit recorded audio file as you prefer: After recording audio with iTop Screen Recorder, you can edit your recordings by cutting unwanted parts, adjusting the volume, adding effects, and more. All of these features make it a good choice for you to record audio from headphone jack.

How to record headphone audio with iTop Screen Recorder

Now, let’s explore how to record headphone audio using iTop Screen Recorder.

Step 1. Download and launch iTop Screen Recorder on your computer.

Step 2. Head to Settings > Format > Audio, and set the format, quality, bitrate, and frequency, and channels here. Click on the Save button to save the settings.

Customize Audio Settings

Step 3. Click on the Only Audio tab from the available options. Enable the Speaker and Mic options based on your needs. Click on the REC button to start recording.

Start Recording Headphone Audio

How to Record Audio from Headphone Jack on Mac

On a Mac, you can directly use the built-in app called Voice Memos to record audio from headphones. Since all Macs come with a built-in microphone, you can directly capture system audio when you have headphones plugged in. The detailed steps on how to record headphone audio are shown below.

How to record headphone audio on Mac with Voice Memos:

Step 1. Head to System Preference > Sound Control. Switch the input audio source by clicking on the Use audio port option.

Switch the Input Option

Step 2. Open the Voice Memo app and click on the Record button to start recording. You can say something to your microphone. 

Record Headphone Audio on Mac

Step 3. When you finish, click on the Done button to end the recording process. 

How to Record Headphone Audio Online

Apart from using PC audio recorder, you can also record headphone audio online. No installation or registration is required, you can directly record audio from headset effortlessly. Apowersoft Online Audio Recorder is the online tool we recommend here. It offers a built-in mechanism to record screens with audio synchronization. Besides, you can choose a recording mode from many available options. 

If you’re not sure whether to use this tool or not, you can use its free version. Then, you can upgrade to its premium version, starting from $9.95 a month, to unlock more features. However, if you want more advanced recording or editing options, it’s better to use a screen recorder Windows 10

Now, you can follow these steps to record audio from headphone jack.

How to record headphone audio online:

  • Step 1. Head to Apowersoft Online Audio Recorder.
  • Step 2. Click Start Recording. Then, you can choose to record from a microphone or system sound. Once selected, click Start Recording.
  • Step 3. If you want to end the recording process, you can directly click on the stop button. 

Record Headphone Audio Online

The Bottom Line

It’s easy to record headphone audio using the methods introduced in this guide. To ensure that you can get high-quality audio, you’d better use a dedicated audio or screen recorder like iTop Screen Recorder. If you don’t want to download any software, you can also consider using an online audio recorder. As for Mac users, they can directly use built-in applications to achieve the goal without hassle. Now, you can choose the way you prefer. 

iTop Screen Recorder - Record Audio Without Background Noise

  • Record system audio or external microphone flawlessly
  • Record streaming audio without quality loss
  • Remove background noise of audio recording
  • Save audio recordings as MP3, AAC, FLAC and WMA
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