Capturing your screen on Windows 11 along with audio might seem straightforward, but when it doesn’t work as expected — no sound, incomplete recordings, or just plain weird glitches — it can be super frustrating. The built-in Xbox Game Bar is often the go-to for quick captures, but sometimes it needs a little nudge or tweaking to actually record both video and audio properly. It’s kind of weird how Windows thinks it’s a good idea to have all these options cluttered in settings and shortcuts that sometimes just don’t work out of the box. If you’ve tried hitting the record button and ended up with silent videos or the whole thing crashing, this guide should help you get past those hiccups. Expect to have a more reliable recording setup, whether for gameplay, tutorials, or just snagging quick clips of your desktop. And hey, once it’s sorted, you’ll wonder how you ever did without it.
How to Record Screen on Windows 11 with Audio
Open Xbox Game Bar and Check Your Settings
This is where a lot of people trip up — they assume just hitting Windows + G to open the Xbox Game Bar automatically sets everything up. But nope, Windows has a tendency to hide settings or disable some features by default, especially the audio capturing part. So, first, make sure it’s enabled:
- Go to Settings > Gaming > Xbox Game Bar and ensure Enable Xbox Game Bar for things like recording clips, chatting, and broadcasting is toggled on.
- Check if the shortcut Windows + G actually opens the overlay — if not, you might need to toggle Xbox Game Bar permissions in Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone / Background Apps.
Additionally, verify your microphone and system audio permissions in Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone — make sure apps are allowed to access your microphone. On some setups, this is the part where audio just refuses to record because of permissions or driver issues.
Configure Audio Settings in the Capture Widget
Once you’ve got the overlay open (hit Windows + G), find the “Capture” widget — it’s the one with the circle icon. Here’s where things get flaky:
- Click the gear icon inside the Capture widget to access settings. Under the Capturing section, set your preferred audio sources: “Record mic” (if you want commentary), “Record system audio” (to grab game or desktop sounds), or both.
- Sometimes, Windows defaults to recording only system sounds or nothing at all, so double-check if your microphone is selected and active.
For some reason, on certain machines, you need to restart the Xbox Game Bar or even the entire PC after changing these settings before they start sticking. Worth keeping in mind if things are acting weird for you.
Start Recording and Verify the Audio
Click the record button (the circle in Capture widget).You should see a timer and a little recording icon. Here’s the thing — on some setups, the recording starts fine, but no audio gets captured. Make sure to:
- Make sure your microphone isn’t muted or disabled in Windows sound settings (Sound Control Panel > Recording Devices).
- Check that the correct input device is selected as default.
- If you’re using a headset or external mic, verify it’s recognized by Windows. Sometimes, it’s as simple as plugging it back in or selecting it manually in Sound Settings.
Once you’ve started the capture, speak into your mic or check if your system sounds are being recorded (try playing some audio).After stopping, it’s smart to open the resulting video in your Videos > Captures folder and see if the audio is there. Because, of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary.
Stop and Review Your Recording
Hit stop with the button or press Windows + Alt + R. Don’t forget to check if the video includes your microphone commentary, system sounds, or both. If your audio didn’t record, revisit the settings or consider updating your sound drivers (Windows driver updates).Sometimes, a quick restart of your PC after changing settings helps too.
Other Tips to Keep in Mind
- Ensure your recording folder isn’t full or protected — sometimes Windows can’t save properly if disk space is tight.
- Try disabling background applications that might interfere with audio capture, like voice changers or audio enhancement software.
- If audio still refuses to record, switching to third-party tools like OBS Studio gives more control and usually more reliability.
Honestly, on some setups, it takes a couple of attempts with toggling toggles and restarting a few times, but once it’s working, it’s smooth sailing. Just a matter of figuring out what Windows is blocking at the moment.
Summary
- Check that Xbox Game Bar is enabled in Settings.
- Configure your audio sources in the Capture widget’s settings.
- Make sure your microphone and system audio permissions are granted.
- Start recording and verify audio in the output file.
- Restart your PC if settings don’t seem to take effect right away.
Wrap-up
Getting Windows 11’s screen recorder to nail both video and audio isn’t rocket science, but it can be annoying until all the permissions and settings are spot-on. It’s kind of funny how a tiny setting or driver update can be the difference between silence and full-on audio in your recordings. Once it clicks, it’s a lifesaver for quick tutorials, capturing gameplay, or just saving random stuff on your desktop. Just remember, if the built-in tools keep acting up, there’s always OBS or other third-party options that do the heavy lifting better — but for quick clips, the Xbox Game Bar can do the job, once it’s properly set up.
Fingers crossed this helps someone get that bloody audio recording working without too much hassle. Good luck!