The lecture recorder that takes the notes for you.
Record an online lecture in the browser and get more than a video: a searchable transcript, chapters, and an AI summary — the study notes, generated while you listen.
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How to record an online lecture or class
Works for live-streamed lectures, webinars, and recorded classes playing in a browser tab. Ask permission first — see the note below.
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1.Open the lecture in a browser tab
Zoom in the browser, a university streaming portal, a webinar page — anything playing in a tab can be recorded with its sound.
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2.Start a Chairkick recording and pick that tab
Enable "Also share tab audio" in the picker — that's the lecturer's voice. Keep your own mic off for a clean capture, or on if you want to add spoken notes. Check your mic if you're using it.
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3.Let it run — up to 2 hours
Record up to 2 hours — enough for a full lecture in one take. Pro's 2-hour limit is included in the 14-day free trial.
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4.Get the notes without taking them
When you stop, Chairkick generates the transcript, chapters, and an AI summary. Search the transcript for the thing the professor said at minute forty — instead of scrubbing for it.
Recording an in-person lecture? A screen recorder can't hear the room, so film it on your phone instead, then upload the video file to Chairkick (MP4, MOV, WebM, or MKV, up to 4 GB and 2 hours) to get the same transcript, chapters, and summary. The same permission rule applies.
What students and teachers record
"Lecture recorder" covers a few different jobs. Here is how each one works in Chairkick.
Online lectures and webinars.
Record the browser tab the lecture plays in, with tab audio on. You get the slides, the lecturer's voice, and a transcript to search later.
Your own lecture, as the teacher.
Share your screen or slides with your microphone and an optional camera bubble, so students see you while you explain. Or record camera-only for a talking-head intro.
In-person lectures.
Film on your phone, then upload the file. Chairkick turns it into a shareable video with a transcript and chapters, just like a screen recording.
Review sessions and office hours.
Record a short walkthrough of the problem everyone got stuck on and share one link. Students comment at the exact moment they have a question.
Get clean lecture audio
Most bad lecture recordings fail on sound, not picture. A few checks before you press record prevent nearly all of it:
- Tick "Also share tab audio". Without it, the recording has the slides but not the lecturer. It is in the browser's screen picker when you choose the tab.
- Share a tab, not the whole screen, for online lectures. Tab sharing is the most reliable way to capture the lecture's sound in Chrome and Edge.
- Wear headphones if your mic is on. Otherwise your mic picks up the lecture from your speakers and the recording echoes.
- Test your mic first. Run the free microphone test to check the level, especially for a lecture you are giving yourself.
- Keep the lecture tab unmuted. A muted tab records silence.
For the details on each platform, see does screen recording record audio? On a school Chromebook, the Chromebook screen recording guide covers the built-in tool and managed devices.
Limits, in plain numbers
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Longest single recording | 2 hours on Pro, including the 14-day trial |
| Uploading a lecture file | MP4, MOV, WebM, or MKV, up to 4 GB and 2 hours |
| Pausing mid-lecture | Yes, pause and resume during a recording |
| Playback speeds for review | 0.5×, 1×, 1.25×, 1.5×, 2× |
| After the trial | Recordings and share links keep working; new recordings need Pro ($9/month or $6/month billed yearly) |
Teaching? Record lectures students actually finish.
For educators, Chairkick is the short path from "explained it once" to "explained it forever": record your screen and camera up to 2 hours, share one link, and students watch without creating accounts. Chapters let them jump to the section they're stuck on, the transcript makes the lecture searchable, and timestamped comments turn "I didn't get the part about X" into a question attached to the exact moment.
No student accounts.
Share links work for everyone — viewers never need to sign up, install, or pay.
Questions in context.
Comments attach to timestamps, so office-hours questions arrive with the moment they're about.
Reuse every term.
Re-record only what changed. The link in your course page can be updated without touching the page.
First: is recording allowed?
Honest answer before any how-to: check first. Many universities set policy on recording lectures — some allow it outright, some require the lecturer's permission, some restrict it to accessibility accommodations. Lecturers hold rights in their own material, too. A one-line email ("May I record for personal study?") settles it — most say yes, and no recorder, ours included, is a way around a "no".
Lecture tools, honestly compared.
| Capability | Chairkick | Built-in OS capture | Campus lecture-capture (Panopto-class) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup | Browser page — no install | Built in | IT-deployed, campus-wide |
| Captures tab audio (the lecturer) | Yes, mixed with your mic | Varies by OS; often mic-only | Yes |
| Transcript + AI summary | Automatic, every plan | No | On institutional plans |
| Who can buy it | Anyone — 14-day free trial, then $9/mo ($6/mo yearly) | Everyone | Institutions, not individuals |
| Sharing | Unlisted link, no viewer accounts | A file to pass around | Campus portal login |
Category comparison; campus lecture-capture details vary by product and institutional contract. Checked August 5, 2026.
Recording in the room, online, or as the instructor? Our step-by-step guide on how to record lectures and turn them into notes covers permission, audio setup, and getting from transcript to study notes.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best way to record a lecture?
For online lectures: record the browser tab with tab audio enabled, so the lecturer's voice is captured cleanly — Chairkick does this and generates the transcript and summary automatically. For in-person lectures, a phone voice recorder is the honest tool. In both cases, ask permission first.
Can I record a lecture for free?
Yes — Chairkick's 14-day free trial gives you full Pro with no credit card: 2-hour recordings at up to 4K, transcript and AI summary included. After the trial, Pro is $9/month, or $6/month billed yearly, and your existing recordings stay watchable either way.
Does it capture the lecturer's voice or just mine?
Both, your choice. Tab audio captures the lecturer; your microphone adds your own commentary. Enable either or both when you start recording.
Is it legal to record lectures?
It depends on your institution's policy and your lecturer's consent — rules range from open recording to accommodation-only. Ask before recording; a one-line email usually settles it. This page isn't legal advice.
How long can a recorded lecture be?
Up to 2 hours per recording on Pro, which the 14-day trial includes. For longer sessions, pause during breaks or record each half separately.
Can I upload a lecture I filmed on my phone?
Yes. Upload an MP4, MOV, WebM, or MKV file up to 4 GB and 2 hours, and Chairkick adds the transcript, chapters, and AI summary just as it does for screen recordings.
Why is my lecture recording silent?
Usually tab audio was not shared. When you pick the lecture's tab, tick "Also share tab audio" in the browser's picker, and make sure the tab itself is not muted.
How do students watch a recorded lecture?
Through an unlisted share link — in the browser, on any device, without creating an account. Chapters and the searchable transcript let them jump straight to the section they need.
Record the lecture. Keep the notes.
Transcript, chapters, and an AI summary with every recording — free for 14 days, right in the browser.