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 on Pro
Free recordings capture 10 minutes — enough for a seminar segment. Pro extends to 2-hour recordings for full lectures.
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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? That's a job for your phone's voice recorder, not a screen recorder — and the same permission rule applies.
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 — free plan, Pro $15/mo ($9 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.
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 free plan records up to 10 minutes at 1080p with a 30-video library, transcript and AI summary included. Full-length lectures need Pro's 2-hour recordings ($15/month, or $9 billed yearly).
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 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 to start, right in the browser.