You don’t need expensive hardware to record a phone call or conversation, be it a Skype chat, or voice session. All you need is the audio/video recording software (some is inbuilt into the operating system) and a few seconds to minutes to set it up ahead of time. Remember that taping a phone call without the consent of both parties is unlawful in some jurisdictions. But if you are using it for official purposes, the recording may be valid. Our guide covers several methods to record a call on Windows.
Method 1: Record a call on Windows using the Windows Voice Recorder app
To record a phone conversation or other type of audio on your Windows 10 PC, you can use the default Voice Recorder app found in the Start menu. The app is simple and easy to use and doesn’t require any setup. Just open the app and start recording. In case you can’t find it on your Windows computer, here are the steps you can follow.
- To start recording audio on your desktop or laptop, open the Start menu.
- Search for “voice recorder” and open Voice Recorder.
- Ensure the microphone is connected, recognized, and selected by the operating system, and then go to Start.
- Press the Record button or use the Ctrl + R keyboard shortcut to start recording.
- To cease recording without ending the session, press the Pause button (or Alt + P keyboard shortcut). This option will save the recording in a single file.
- To stop the voice recording, press the Stop button. You can also press the Space, Backspace, Enter, or Esc keys to stop recording.
Method 2: Recording Windows calls using OBS
Many programs allow you to record audio and video on your PC, but, although we’re unaffiliated, we propose using Open Broadcaster Software (OBS). OBS is a free, open-source program for Windows, macOS, and Linux. However, you’ll need to use third-party software if you want more features, such as the ability to record Skype calls or webinars. To use OBS to record audio on your PC:
- Download OBS and install it after clicking on Windows.
- Launch the program and press the + button in the “Sources” section.
- Select Audio Input Capture from the list of options.
- Select your microphone from the drop-down menu and press “OK” in the next window.
- Push the “Start Recording” button at the bottom of the OBS interface to start recording audio on your PC.
Method 3: Using Skype to record a call on Windows 10 with built-in audio
Are there many Skype video conferences happening on Windows you need to record? Because the recording is important, the software has a built-in function that gets it done. Though we’ll cover all you need to know, you can check our Skype call recording guide. Also, note that a good deal of other software can do that, and we’re using this one since most people are familiar. Now, start a video call and then locate the dot icon on the Right Bottom of the screen.
- Pressing the icon will take you to the Start recording button, so press it to start.
- As the video call progresses, the recording will be accompanied by audio. When the recording begins, a Recording sign appears at the top of the screen and is visible to all those on the call. The duration of the recording is shown onscreen as well.
- If you wish to stop recording the video anytime during the call, move the cursor over “Stop Recording” and select “Stop.”
Participants in the video chat are shown a recording of the event, which is stored on their local storage on Skype. The recorded file will be sent to all participants as a message. It is kept for 30 days on Skype’s cloud storage. You can also delete your conversation with them from Skype.
Method 4: Capture Skype call audio using Windows Game Bar
With audio on both sides, Game Bar is a powerful method to record Skype video calls on Windows 10. That option has several functions you can use to document gameplay on the screen with Windows Game Bar. Follow the steps below to record a Skype call on Windows with audio through Game Bar.
- Open the Start menu and select the Settings option.
- Select Gaming from the drop-down menu on the Settings menu.
- To launch the Game Bar, select it from the left panel by choosing the first option in the Game Bar section.
- On the right-side panel, you’ll see a switch. Turn it on to enable video recording via the Game bar.
- Check the box in front of the Open Game Bar using this button on a controller as well (it’s disabled by default).
- Open the Game bar by pressing Windows Key + G while starting a Skype video call. You can also record voice and video calls with the help of the keyboard keys: Windows Key + Alt + R or the Record button on Game Bar.
- To stop the recording, press the same keys after ending a Skype video call. The Windows + Alt + R key combination works for stopping the recording too.
- Check the video recording on your Windows 10 computer’s local storage.
Method 5: Save Skype or other conference calls from Windows 10 with or without sound
When making an office video conference call, it’s necessary to have a video of the attendees. You can still use Skype as the source of audio and video on Windows 10, with or without audio. That technique will only capture the screen plus, if desired, audio alongside the video, eliminating or adding your side of the sound and silence. Though there are plenty of options again, you may use screen recording software like Tweakshot. Though we have no ties to the developers, Tweakshot enables taking images and video and audio recording and works with Windows versions 8, 10, and 7. Let’s look at it in action as we use it to record Skype video calls on a Windows 10 PC.
- Download Tweakshot and install it.
- Open Tweakshot from the location you saved it.
- You can now start the video recording on the program as soon as you begin a Skype video call.
- You must select a screen on your PC to begin video recording with the movie icon on the program interface.
- The program will completely record video conferences since it captures the screen recording neatly. Once the video recording ends, select Stop.
- Right-click the video file and save it to your computer’s local storage.