Lecture Recorder: Record Lectures and Classes in Your Browser

How to record a lecture in the room

Sit near the front, close to the lecturer or a loudspeaker. Distance matters more than the microphone.
Plug your laptop in and set it not to sleep with the lid open.
Choose MP3 at 128 kbps: an hour takes about 58 MB.
Keep Noise reduction on. It lowers fan and room noise and evens out the volume.
Click Start recording. Use Pause for breaks so you don’t record them.
After class, click Stop and save, name the recording after the course and date, and Download it.

Keep the tab open while you record: the recording is saved in your browser when you stop, not before.

How to record an online class

If the class is in a browser tab (Google Meet, Zoom in the browser, a course video), open Record computer audio, share that tab with Also share tab audio on, and turn on Also record my microphone if you will speak. Classes in a desktop app can be recorded with Entire screen and Also share system audio on Windows, ChromeOS and macOS 14.2 or later.

Tips for clear lecture recordings

Test your microphone with the mic test before class: the level should move when someone speaks across the room.
A small clip-on or USB microphone near the speaker is far better than a laptop microphone at the back.
Don’t type on the laptop that is recording: keyboard noise is loud on a built-in microphone.
Say the date and topic at the start, so you can find the right file later.

Be fair to your lecturer and classmates

Ask before you record, follow your school’s rules, and keep recordings for your own study unless everyone recorded has agreed to more.

Updated October 15, 2026

Built for long lectures

The Voice Recorder extension saves the recording as it goes, so a crash or a closed browser loses only the last few seconds. It has been tested on 3-hour recordings, records online classes in a Chrome tab, and keeps every lecture in a searchable library.

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

Is it legal to record a lecture?

It depends on your school and your country. Many schools allow students to record for personal study, some need the lecturer’s permission, and recording others without consent is illegal in some places. Ask the lecturer, and check your school’s policy.

How long a lecture can I record?

We set no limit, but while you record, the recording is held in your browser’s memory and is saved when you stop. Use MP3, keep the laptop plugged in, and don’t close the tab while recording. For lectures over an hour, the Voice Recorder extension is safer: it saves as it records.

Can it transcribe the lecture?

No. It records audio only. You can upload the MP3 to a transcription service of your choice afterwards.

How do I record an online lecture?

If the class runs in a Chrome tab, use Record computer audio and share that tab with its sound, or use the extension’s Tab mode. Turn on your microphone too if you want your own questions in the recording.

Will the recording stop if my laptop sleeps?

It can. Keep the laptop open and plugged in, and change its power settings so it doesn’t sleep during the lecture.