System audio recording (recording your computer’s sound) works only in the desktop app (Windows and Mac). It isn’t available in a web browser or the mobile apps.
How it works
Instead of sending a bot into the meeting, Tiro records the audio playing on your own computer directly. That includes the other side of a Zoom, Google Meet, or Teams call, and any YouTube video, lecture, or audio you’re playing.- Your microphone (your voice) and the system audio (your computer’s sound) are recorded on separate paths. Each has its own input level, and lowering either one to 0% leaves that side out.
- Nothing shows up for the other participants. Recording happens only on your computer, and only while you’re recording.
How to turn on system audio
1
Check that the System Sound input isn't at 0%
In the desktop app, system audio recording is always on, with no separate switch. Instead, click the microphone button in the recording controls to open the device menu, where you’ll find the [System Sound] input slider. Your computer’s sound is recorded only while it’s above 0% (default 100%, up to 200%). At 0%, system audio isn’t recorded, so check this first.
2
(Mac) Allow system audio recording permission
The first time you use it on a Mac, you need system audio recording permission. On macOS 14.2 and later, allowing it in the permission prompt takes effect within a few seconds, with no app restart needed. On macOS 14.1 and earlier, the app uses screen recording permission instead, and it’s normal for macOS to ask you to reopen the app after allowing it. If you dismissed the prompt once, macOS won’t ask again, so allow Tiro directly under [System Settings] → [Privacy & Security] → [Screen & System Audio Recording]. Windows needs no separate permission.
3
Start recording as usual
From here, it’s the same as live recording. The other side’s speech is captured in the transcript too.
”Couldn’t record system sound” appears
This is when your own voice (the microphone) is captured but the other side’s voice or a video’s sound isn’t. If the microphone is fine, it’s usually not a permission issue but the state of your computer’s output (speaker or earphone) device. Windows needs no separate permission for system sound recording.Check on Windows
- In [Settings] → [System] → [Sound], confirm that the default output device is set to a properly connected device. Switching to another device and back often fixes it.
- In that output device’s [Properties] → [Advanced] tab, uncheck “Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device.”
- If any other app can grab the audio (virtual audio, voice changers, recording or broadcasting apps), close it.
- If it still doesn’t work, pause and resume the recording, or fully quit the app and reopen it.
Check on Mac
- In [System Settings] → [Privacy & Security] → [Screen & System Audio Recording], confirm that Tiro is allowed. On macOS 14.2 and later it takes effect within a few seconds; on 14.1 and earlier, reopen the app after allowing it.
- Confirm that the [System Sound] input in the recording controls is above 0%. At 0%, system audio isn’t recorded.
”System sound capture stopped” appears during recording
If the output device changes mid-recording, such as when you unplug your earphones, system sound capture can drop. Microphone recording keeps going even then. The app automatically detects the new device and picks it back up within a few seconds.Frequently asked questions
Does it record Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams calls?
Yes, all of them. Tiro doesn’t integrate with any specific meeting tool. It records the sound playing on your computer, so the other side’s voice is captured no matter which video call tool you use.Does it capture YouTube videos and lectures too?
Yes. Any sound playing on your computer can be recorded. To capture only the video’s sound, lower the [Microphone Gain] input to 0% in the device menu.Can I record a video call on my phone?
No. Phone operating systems (iOS and Android) don’t allow apps to record sound from other apps. Use the desktop app to record video calls. If you can’t, a workaround is to play the meeting out loud through speakers and record it with the Tiro mobile app.Can’t I record system audio on the web?
Right. Because of browser security limits, it’s supported only in the desktop app (Windows and Mac). To capture the other side’s voice on the web, install the desktop app. See the app guide.I can’t install the desktop app. Is there any way to record the other side’s voice on the web?
There’s a workaround with virtual audio cable (VAC) software, though it isn’t officially supported by Tiro. It’s an advanced option for environments where a security policy blocks the desktop app and you can only use Tiro on the web. Here’s how it works. Tiro’s web recording takes a single microphone input device. So you install virtual audio cable software like BlackHole (Mac) or VB-CABLE (Windows), route your computer’s playback sound (system audio) into a virtual input device, and then choose that virtual device as the input in Tiro web. The other side’s voice in a video call, or the sound from a video, then gets recorded like a microphone. To capture your own voice too, create an aggregate device in your OS (for example, Mac’s “Audio MIDI Setup”) that combines your real microphone with the virtual audio cable, and select that aggregate device. If you choose only the virtual cable, you record just the computer’s playback sound and leave out your voice.Virtual audio cables aren’t tools that Tiro builds or supports. Follow each tool’s official docs (BlackHole, VB-CABLE, and so on) for install, setup, and troubleshooting, and behavior can vary by OS and version. When you can, the desktop app is the most reliable option.
Can the other people in the meeting see that I’m recording?
No. Tiro doesn’t join the meeting as a bot; it records the audio playing on your computer, so nothing appears on the other side’s screen. If you’re somewhere that requires notice of recording, tell them yourself.I want to record only system audio and leave out my voice.
You can adjust the microphone and system audio inputs separately. In the device menu, lower [Microphone Gain] to 0% and keep the [System Sound] input above 0% to capture only your computer’s sound.Related pages: Live recording · When live recording fails If you need help, share your app version, OS, and output device (speaker, earphone, or whether virtual audio is involved), and we can sort it out faster.