How to Record Audio on a Chromebook (Voice or Tab Sound)

The quick way: record in your browser

The recorder above works on any Chromebook, including school ones, with nothing to install.

Click Start recording and choose Allow when Chrome asks for the microphone.
Speak, then click Stop and save. The recording opens in the recorder, where you can play and crop it.
Click Download. The MP3 or WAV file goes to your Downloads folder in the Files app.

Your recordings stay in Your recordings in this browser until you delete them, so you can come back to them later.

The four ways compared

Way	Records	Install	Good for
Online recorder (this page)	Your microphone	Nothing	A quick recording, any Chromebook
Voice Recorder extension	Your microphone, a tab’s sound, or both	From the Chrome Web Store	Recording while you work in other tabs; keeping a library
Recorder app	Microphone or Chromebook audio, with transcription	Built in, Chromebook Plus only	Chromebook Plus owners who want transcripts
Screen capture	A video of the screen, with microphone and device audio	Built in	When you need the picture as well

Record with the Voice Recorder extension

The extension records in Chrome’s side panel, next to the page you’re on, so you can read notes, follow slides or watch a lesson while you record.

Add Voice Recorder from the Chrome Web Store and pin it to the toolbar.
Click its icon. The recorder opens in the side panel.
Choose Voice for your microphone, Tab for the tab’s sound, or Voice + Tab for both.
Press the record button. Recording continues if you close the side panel or switch tabs.
When you stop, name the recording and click Save Recording to download it. It also stays in the history.

Use the Recorder app (Chromebook Plus)

Google’s Recorder app comes with Chromebook Plus models. Open the Launcher, then Recorder. It records the microphone or the Chromebook’s own sound, and can write a transcript as you record. Other Chromebooks don’t have it.

Record the screen with sound

To record a video with audio, press Shift + Ctrl + Show windows, select Screen record, and in Settings (the gear) choose Microphone, Device audio, or both. Stop with Search + Shift + X. The video goes to Downloads. This makes a video file, not an audio file.

If the microphone doesn’t work

Click the icon to the left of the address bar and allow the microphone for the site.
Check the microphone switch in the Chromebook’s settings, under Security and privacy.
On a school Chromebook, your administrator decides which sites and extensions may use the microphone.
Test it with the mic test: it shows whether any sound arrives.

Updated October 15, 2026

The recorder that lives in Chrome’s side panel

Voice Recorder is used on Chromebooks more than anywhere else. It opens beside the page you’re on, records your voice, a tab’s sound or both, keeps going while you switch tabs, and keeps your recordings in a library you can rename, crop and download.

Records your microphone, the sound of a browser tab, or both in one file

Records your computer’s sound on Windows and macOS 14.2 or later

A library of your recordings: rename, search, crop, play at 0.5×–2× and download

MP3 up to 320 kbps, WAV or WebM, with pause and resume

No account. Nothing is uploaded.

Add the extension to Chrome

Free · 40,000 users · rated 4.8 in the Chrome Web Store
For Chrome on Windows, Mac, Linux and Chromebooks.

Questions and answers

Does a Chromebook have a voice recorder?

Chromebook Plus models have Google’s Recorder app. Other Chromebooks have no separate audio recorder, but every Chromebook can record audio in Chrome with an online recorder or the Voice Recorder extension, and record video with sound with Screen capture.

How do I record audio on a school Chromebook?

Use the recorder at the top of this page: it needs no install. If the microphone is blocked, your school may have turned it off for some sites; ask your teacher or IT administrator. Extensions can be blocked on managed Chromebooks too.

Where are recordings saved on a Chromebook?

Files you download go to the Downloads folder in the Files app unless you chose another folder. Screen capture also saves to Downloads by default.

How do I allow the microphone on a Chromebook?

When Chrome asks, choose Allow. If you blocked it before, click the icon to the left of the address bar and allow the microphone, or open Settings › Privacy and security › Site settings › Microphone in Chrome. Check also that the microphone is on in the Chromebook’s privacy settings.

Can I record the sound of a video or a tab on a Chromebook?

Yes. Use Record computer audio on this site and share the tab with its sound, or the Voice Recorder extension’s Tab mode, which records the tab you’re on.