5 Steps to Record a Skype Call with Audacity (FREE)


I searched far and wide for a solution to recording good quality Skype audio for Free. Most solutions had you buying a particular software or setting up a second computer. I knew it was easier then that and I ran across a tiny little hint the other day that solved everything. Basically Skype automatically mutes your microphone when it starts; keeping your recording software from picking up your side of the conversation. Here’s the simple steps to changing that.

  1. Download Audacity and Skype if you haven’t already.
  2. In Skype go to “Tools…Options…” Click the Sound Devices Icon… and UNCHECK the “Let Skype adjust my sound device settings”
  3. In Audacity choose Stereo Mixer as your input
  4. Hit Record and make your call!
  5. You will need to play with the Volume Control panel to adjust the audio inputs to similar levels (wave and microphone)

This is the simple trick to using Skype for podcast interviews and much more.

Of course, there is always the new Gizmo Project. Similar to Skype, but with some extra features, Gizmo has a built in recorder as well as sound effect buttons and a few other neat features.

25 thoughts on “5 Steps to Record a Skype Call with Audacity (FREE)”

  1. Pingback: Trying to follow
  2. I heard thats sinse Ebay is owner of skype this door is closed?

    Other question: I use “Fresh” too,… sometimes I find this special way of view,… where I can download it? Espalial the nice Mouseover in the textbox is good.

    Abazza

  3. Sorry, no ‘audio mix’ – the choices are:

    Microphone
    SPDIF-In
    CD Digital
    MIDI
    CD Audio
    Line-In
    Auxiliary
    TAD-In
    Wave

    Which one of those do you recommend or am I looking in the wrong spot?

  4. I agree with Lenare. I wasn't able to get audacity to recognize my side of the Skype conversation directly. So I wound up using SkypeCallRecorder and got a pretty good quality outcome. I will likely only use the Called Party's side of the recording. It sounded a bit tinny, computery but was much better than a normal phone recording. I doubled my voice (this was for a phone interview) into a digital recorder and standalone mic and will overlay that in Audacity

  5. I'm pretty sure the fact that you can't see "audio mix" in audacity isn't a bug of audacity. Audacity gets information from your sound card and adjusts accordingly, so some people will see "audio mix" others will have other options.

  6. Well I still prefer using the old Camtasia Studio to record live calls. There an online application called Scree Cast “o” Matic you can subscribe and screen capture too.

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