Recording Audio from Another Application
VoceVista can record the sound that another program is playing, rather than recording through a microphone. Common examples are a video call (Zoom, Microsoft Teams), a video in a web browser, or a backing track. A typical use is a singing teacher recording a student during an online lesson.
Because the audio is captured directly from the other program, the recording is clean. It is not picked up through a microphone and is not coloured by the acoustics of the room. The sound keeps playing through your speakers or headphones while it is recorded.
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This records what another application plays (its output). To record your own voice or instrument, select a microphone or audio interface as usual. See the Quickstart tutorial and the Input Device setting. |
How you set this up differs between macOS and Windows.
macOS
On macOS, running applications appear directly in the list of recording sources.
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This feature requires macOS 14.4 or later. On earlier versions the application sources described here do not appear. |
To record application audio:
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Start playing audio in the program you want to record (for example, join the meeting or start the video). An application only appears in the list once it is running and producing sound.
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Open the list of recording sources, either on the Recording Settings page or by right-clicking the input level meter on the toolbar.
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Choose one of the sources described below, then start recording as usual. The first time you capture application audio, macOS asks for permission to record audio. Click Allow. You can change this later under .
The application sources are:
- System audio (all apps)
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Records everything your Mac plays, from all applications combined.
- App audio: <name>
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Records only the named application, for example
App audio: zoom.us. One entry appears for each application that is currently playing sound.
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If the application you want is not listed, make sure it is playing sound and then open the list again. It is refreshed each time you open it. Individual web-browser tabs (Safari, Chrome) may not appear as separate entries, because browsers play audio through helper processes. To capture a browser, use System audio (all apps). |
These sources have no recording-volume control, because the audio is captured exactly as the application plays it. If the level is too low or too high, adjust the volume in the other application.
Windows
On Windows, your playback devices double as recording sources through a feature called loopback.
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Open the list of recording sources, either on the Recording Settings page or by right-clicking the input level meter on the toolbar.
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Select the loopback entry for the output device the sound is playing through, usually your speakers or headphones.
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Start recording as usual.
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Loopback records everything that is mixed to that output device. That means the whole system, not a single application. Make sure the audio you want to record is actually playing through the device you selected. |
Loopback capability is provided by the audio device’s own driver, not by VoceVista, so the level of support varies between device manufacturers and is outside VoceVista’s control. On many sound cards it works very well. On others it does not work at all. If loopback does not work with one device, try a different output device.
Example: recording an online lesson
To record a student speaking or singing during a video call:
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On macOS, select the meeting application (for example
App audio: zoom.us), or System audio (all apps) if the application is not listed separately. -
On Windows, select the loopback of the output device you are listening to the call through.
Then record as usual. The remote participant’s audio is captured directly from the call.