BobbinQuick answer
- Easiest, any computer: record the Meet tab with a screen recorder (both sides of the call), then convert the MP4 to MP3 with free VLC.
- Windows, audio straight to a file: Audacity with Windows WASAPI loopback records what your computer plays; add your mic separately.
- You need the words, not the sound: Meet's own Transcripts on Workspace plans save a text transcript to Drive.
Ask first. A screen recorder doesn't show the meeting app's own recording notice. Say you're recording at the start, get agreement, and follow your organisation's rules and local law.
Why Meet can't record just audio
Meet's built-in recording (on eligible Google Workspace and Google One plans) always saves a video file to the organiser's Drive, and it isn't available on free personal accounts. There is no audio-only switch. So the practical route is to record the call yourself, then keep only the sound. If Record is missing entirely, see why the Meet Record button is missing.
Method 1: record the Meet tab, then convert to MP3
Works on Windows, macOS, Linux and ChromeOS, because Chrome can capture a tab's sound on every OS. With Bobbin, a free Chrome extension:
- Join the call in a Chrome tab. Put on headphones so other voices don't echo into your mic.
- Click Bobbin → Record screen, window or tab. Tick Microphone (your voice) and Tab / system audio (everyone else). Untick Webcam bubble; you don't need it.
- Press Start recording, choose the Meet tab in Chrome's picker and keep Share tab audio on.
- Stop with Alt+Shift+S and download the MP4 (WebM on older browsers). It stays on your computer; nothing is uploaded.
Bobbin always records video along with the sound, so the next step strips the picture. Then convert with VLC (free, Windows, Mac and Linux):
- In VLC, choose Media › Convert/Save, click Add and pick the recording.
- Click Convert/Save. In Profile, choose Audio - MP3.
- Set a Destination file whose name ends in
.mp3, then press Start.
VideoLAN's docs say the default Audio - MP3 profile makes a 128 kbps stereo MP3. If you prefer the command line, ffmpeg -i meeting.mp4 -vn -c:a libmp3lame -q:a 2 meeting.mp3 does the same.
Bobbin doesn't join as a bot, record meetings you're not in, or write transcripts. Whole-screen system audio only works on Windows and ChromeOS, which is why this method records the tab. Optional Pro is $4.99/month or $24 once (founding price) for 1440p/4K and 60 fps where your screen and computer support it, bubble styling, an auto-stop timer and custom file names, with a 7-day refund. Founding price for the first 100 buyers. Then $39 lifetime / $5.99 per month.
Method 2 (Windows): Audacity with WASAPI loopback
Audacity, the free audio editor, can record whatever your computer plays. In Audio Setup, set the Host to Windows WASAPI and choose your speakers or headphones marked (loopback) as the recording device. Start the call's audio before pressing Record: Audacity's help notes that WASAPI loopback only records while sound is playing. This captures the other participants, and every other sound your PC makes (notifications included), but not your own mic, so it suits listening to a talk more than a two-way conversation. Export the result as MP3 from Audacity.
Method 3: let Meet write a transcript
If you only need what was said, Meet's Transcripts feature may be easier. On a computer, click Meeting tools › Transcribe › Start transcription. Google says transcripts are on by default for Workspace editions (off by default for student licences), work in English and seven other languages, and are saved to the organiser's Drive in a "Google Meet" folder, with an email link sent after the meeting. It needs an eligible Workspace account, and the host may control who can start it.
Which method to use
| Record tab + convert | Audacity loopback | Meet Transcripts | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Output | MP4, then MP3 | MP3 (or WAV) | Google Doc text |
| Your own voice | Yes (mic) | No (playback only) | Yes |
| OS | Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS | Windows | Any computer, Android |
| Account needed | No | No | Eligible Workspace account |
| Others see a notice | No, so tell them | No, so tell them | Yes, a Transcripts icon |
Tips for a clean voice recording
- Headphones stop the call playing back into your mic.
- Mute notifications (Do Not Disturb) so chat pings don't end up in the file.
- Do a 10-second test with someone on the call and play it back before the real meeting.
- Name the file with the date and topic as soon as you download it.
Checked on 26 October 2026 from their own pages: Google Meet Help: Record a video meeting · Google Meet Help: Use Transcripts · VLC user docs: Converting a media file · VideoLAN wiki: Extract audio from a file · Audacity Support: Recording desktop audio · Reporters Committee: Reporter's Recording Guide. Plans and settings change; check the linked page before you decide.
Loom, Vidyard, Tella, Tango, Screencastify, Screenity, Zoom and Slack are trademarks of their respective owners. Bobbin is not affiliated with them. Prices and plan limits from their public pages as of 22 Oct 2026.