Bots for Music
All Tutorials

Record System Audio

Capture audio playing on your device — for example, a recording you own playing in a media player — using free tools.

1. What You Need

System audio recording captures whatever audio is playing on your device. Each platform has a different approach — pick the one that matches yours below.

2. macOS — BlackHole + QuickTime

BlackHole is a free, open-source virtual audio driver that routes your system audio to a recording app.

  1. Download and install BlackHole from the official site
  2. Open Audio MIDI Setup (search in Spotlight) → click the + button → create a Multi-Output Device that includes both Built-in Output and BlackHole
  3. In System Settings → Sound, set the output to your new Multi-Output Device
  4. Open QuickTime Player → File → New Audio Recording → click the dropdown arrow next to the record button → select BlackHole as the input
  5. Press Record, then play your audio
  6. Stop recording and save/export as WAV or MP3

Alternative: Use Audacity with BlackHole as the input device.

3. Windows — Audacity (WASAPI Loopback)

Audacity is a free audio editor that can capture system audio on Windows using WASAPI loopback.

  1. Open Audacity → set the Audio Host to Windows WASAPI
  2. Set the Recording Device to your speakers (loopback)
  3. Press Record, then play your audio
  4. Stop recording when done
  5. File → Export Audio → choose WAV or MP3

Alternative: OBS Studio (free) can also record audio-only output.

4. iPhone — Built-in Screen Recording

  1. Add Screen Recording to Control Center: Settings → Control Center → tap + next to Screen Recording
  2. Open Control Center and long-press the Screen Recording button
  3. Enable Microphone (this toggles to internal audio capture)
  4. Play the audio you want to record, then stop recording when done
  5. The video saves to Photos — extract the audio using the Convert Video tutorial or a converter app

5. Android — Built-in Screen Recorder

  1. Swipe down for Quick Settings → tap Screen Record
  2. Choose “Device audio” as the audio source
  3. Play your audio, then stop recording when done
  4. Extract audio from the video using the Convert Video tutorial or a converter app

6. Tips

  • Mute notifications before recording so alert sounds don't end up in your audio
  • Close other apps that make sound
  • Trim silence from the beginning and end of the recording
  • Keep the recording under 6 minutes for upload

7. Your Rights

Scores and MIDI files you generate with Bots for Music are yours to use as you wish — print them, share them, perform from them, or publish them.

However, you are responsible for having the necessary rights to the underlying source material. Only use this method to record audio you own or have explicit permission to use. Recording and transcribing copyrighted audio without authorization may violate copyright law.

See our Terms of Service for full details.

Record System Audio — Tutorial | Bots for Music