What is Simple Audio Capture
Simple Audio Capture is a browser extension that records audio directly from any browser tab and saves it as a high-quality MP3 file. Unlike screen recording tools that use your microphone, Simple Audio Capture taps directly into the tab's audio stream, which means zero background noise, echo, or feedback.
The extension uses real-time MP3 encoding, so your file is ready the instant you stop recording. There is no post-processing wait. A live waveform visualization confirms audio is being captured at a glance.
Simple Audio Capture works on Chrome, Edge, Brave, Arc, and all Chromium-based browsers. It requires no accounts, collects no data, and all processing happens locally in your browser.
Key features
- **Real-time MP3 encoding**: Audio encodes during recording, not after. Files download instantly when you stop. - **Live waveform visualization**: A real-time waveform driven by actual audio levels shows recording is active. - **No microphone needed**: Captures tab audio directly. No echo, room noise, or feedback from your environment. - **Completely offline**: All recording and encoding happens in your browser. No data is sent anywhere. - **Quality options**: Choose between 128, 192, or 320 kbps (Pro) MP3 quality. - **Volume boost**: Amplify quiet audio up to 3x (Pro feature). - **Keyboard shortcut**: Alt+Shift+R opens the extension instantly. - **Lightweight**: No background processes when not recording. Zero CPU, memory, or battery drain.
How to record browser audio
1. Install Simple Audio Capture from the Chrome Web Store. It also works on Edge, Brave, Arc, and other Chromium browsers. 2. Navigate to the browser tab with the audio you want to capture, such as a meeting, podcast, lecture, or live stream. 3. Click the Simple Audio Capture icon in your browser toolbar, or press Alt+Shift+R. 4. Click Start Recording and verify audio is being captured via the live waveform. 5. When finished, click Stop and Save and your MP3 file downloads immediately.
Who should use this
- **Students**: Record lectures and online classes for review later. - **Professionals**: Capture meeting audio from Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, or any browser-based conferencing tool. - **Podcast listeners**: Save episodes for offline listening as MP3 files. - **Researchers**: Archive audio from webinars, interviews, and online presentations. - **Musicians and producers**: Capture audio references from streaming platforms for personal use. - **Content creators**: Record live streams or reference audio from browser sources.
FAQs
Q: Is Simple Audio Capture free? A: Yes. The free version includes full recording functionality at 128 or 192 kbps quality with 30-minute session limits. The Pro upgrade is a one-time payment of \$9.99 (not a subscription) and unlocks 320 kbps studio quality and unlimited recording time.
Q: Does it record from my microphone? A: No. Simple Audio Capture records audio directly from the browser tab, not from your microphone. This means no background noise, echo, or room acoustics in your recordings.
Q: Is my audio data sent anywhere? A: No. All recording and encoding happens locally in your browser. Simple Audio Capture collects zero data, has no analytics, no tracking, and requires no account.
Q: What browsers are supported? A: Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Brave, Arc, and all Chromium-based browsers. It requires version 116 or later.
Q: What audio format does it save? A: All recordings are saved as MP3 files. You can choose between 128, 192, or 320 kbps quality.
Q: Is there a recording time limit? A: The free version has a 30-minute limit per session. The Pro version has no time limit.
Q: Can I record audio from any website? A: Simple Audio Capture works with any tab that plays audio, including video conferencing, streaming platforms, podcasts, and web-based media players.
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