Audio

Choose which microphone Plaud Desktop records from and whether to capture system audio.

What do the Audio settings do?

The Audio settings let you choose which microphone Plaud Desktop records from and whether to capture system audio, the audio played by your computer.

How to adjust microphone and system audio capture?

1. Open Preferences using either of these methods:
   • From the widget: right-click the widget, then click Settings.

     

   • From the main Plaud Desktop window: open Preferences from the app menu.

     

2. Click Recording.

   

3. Under Audio, update the settings:
   • Microphone: select the microphone you want from the dropdown list.

     

   • System audio: toggle on to record computer audio, or off to disable it.

     

FAQ about Audio settings

How do I confirm my audio settings are working?

Start a short test recording and verify the input source is correct.

My microphone does not appear in the list. What should I do?

Reconnect the microphone, then reopen Plaud Desktop once.

What exactly does Plaud Desktop record, my mic or the meeting audio?

Plaud Desktop records both audio sources when available: your voice from the selected microphone and the meeting audio played through your speakers or headphones. To capture both, give Plaud Desktop microphone permission and make sure the correct mic and output device are selected in your OS. If only your voice is recorded, confirm the meeting audio is playing through the selected output and that system-audio capture is not blocked. If only the meeting audio is recorded, confirm the correct microphone is selected and not muted.

Can I use AirPods or other headphones to record Zoom or Teams meetings?

Yes. Plaud Desktop records microphone input and system audio at the same time, and it follows your system audio setting by default. When you connect wired or wireless headphones such as AirPods, your system usually switches input and output to the headphones automatically. Open Settings and verify the selected microphone matches your current system input device, and select your headphones manually if it does not. On macOS, if you play meeting audio through your headphones, disable system audio input in Plaud Desktop to avoid recording the audio twice. To confirm capture, watch the waveform on the recording screen; if it responds to sound, your input is active.