As of Android 7.0 Nougat, Google has disabled the ability for apps to record your internal sound, which means there is no base-level method for recording sounds from your apps and games while recording your screen.
Fortunately, there are several workarounds for recording audio and video on an Android smartphone at the same time, and I will explain it all in this guide.
Some options are free or cheap workarounds that are not 100% reliable, while others require you to invest in certain hardware. Below we will discuss all the methods, their advantages and disadvantages.
Root and install the built-in audio plugin
The first method involves rooting your phone and installing an internal audio plug-in for RecMe. Both apps are free, so there is no need to invest.
This method should be the most straightforward and straightforward, but the experience is device dependent. Some devices work fine with this method, while others don’t.
Also, the steps to root your device will be different for each model and manufacturer. I would suggest searching Google for a dedicated guide on how to root your phone, as well as information on whether the built-in audio plugin works on your phone.
If you find it works or want to try it yourself, follow these steps. Luckily, if that doesn’t work, you’ll just get an in-app message and your device won’t be in danger. Let’s see how this method works.
After rooting your phone go to Google Play Store and install RecMe Free Screen Recorder. Then click the green text of the developer “MOBZAPP” to view his other applications.
From here click on “Internal Audio Plugin (ROOT)” and install it. After that open the Internal Audio plugin. You must click to enable the plugin. You will be prompted to grant superuser rights. When prompted, grant it rights.
By following the steps above, you can close the internal audio recording application and open RecMe. Accept all app permission requests when granted, including the ability to draw on top of other apps.
Then click on the menu button in the upper left corner, then click on Settings. From here click on “Sound Settings”. Then click Audio Source and select Internal or Mixed.
When using internal sound, you will only record your internal sound. In mixing mode, you will record both internal audio and microphone. You can now go back to the RecMe home page and hit the green play button to start.
Hopefully the recording will start. However, many devices display an error message similar to the one shown above. If you receive this, unfortunately, your device may not work with this app and you will have to choose an alternative option.
Buy pass-through headphones
Mobizen, a maker of video recording apps, now sells headphones that connect to your smartphone. Inside the earbuds there is a chipset that allows you to capture any sound and send it to your smartphone as an “external soundâ€. This allows you to get high quality audio recordings using the external sound function in any recording application.
They often sell for between $ 25 and $ 40, so this is an investment you need to consider. In addition, it is not yet an advanced technology – the sound is not as good as from the source.
It is also a little difficult when you use the simultaneous audio and voice recording capability. However, it is much cheaper than our next option.
Buy a Xiaomi smartphone
If you want the absolute best recording quality and money is not a problem, we recommend purchasing a Xiaomi smartphone. All Xiaomi smartphones have a built-in screen recorder in their MIUI Android overlay. Unlike stock Android, this screen recorder can record internal audio just like other smartphones up to Android 7.0 Nougat.
The sound and graphics quality from the MIUI screen recorder is as close to the original as possible, and in my opinion it is the best choice for those who want to record directly from their smartphone.
Use the emulator and record from the desktop
If you don’t have to record from a real smartphone, but just need to record the application somehow, you can use an Android emulator like Bluestacks.
You can install the app in Bluestacks and then use another program like OBS Studio to record the app. You will need to edit the settings in OBS to record only part of the screen and cut out any Bluestacks interface.
Mouse and keyboard controls work well in some apps, but they are not ideal in 3D shooters and racing games like PUBG Mobile and Asphalt 8. This might be one of the best ways to get high quality recordings with great resolution, good frame rates and even better. sound.
To use this method, first install BlueStacks and OBS Studio from the download pages on their respective websites. Then open BlueStacks. Install the app you want to record from, for example, from the BlueStacks app store.
After that, open the app in BlueStacks and then open OBS Studio. It’s important to note that BlueStacks must remain in windowed mode. Optionally, you can use the full screen window mode.
Then open OBS Studio. Click the “+” button under the sources section. Select “Window Capture”. In the pop-up window, click OK, and then on the next page, click Bluestacks.exe in the window drop-down list.
Click OK. After that, in the OBS Studio preview window, press Ctrl + click on one of the corners of the red outline to scale the window proportionally. You will need to scale it up so the game can be viewed, but the BlueStacks items are hidden.
Finally, in BlueStacks, look for the eye icon in the bottom right corner. Click on it and drag it down to the right. This will hide the BlueStacks on-screen controls. You can now push record in OBS Studio.
Summary
Thanks for taking the time to read my guide to recording Android internal audio. We covered the following methods in this tutorial:
- Root and install the internal audio plugin – only works on select devices.
- Buy with headphones – works for all devices, but not the best quality
- Buy a Xiaomi smartphone – the best quality, but the most expensive
- Use an emulator such as BlueStacks – Better quality but more complex controls
Was this guide helpful? If not, or if you have any questions, please leave a message below and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
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