Sound Recorder, Camera, and Windows Studio Effects

Windows 11 provides useful audio and video recording apps and a set of related features that can help the output from each look as good as possible. They are:

Sound Recorder. This app is used to record audio using your PC's microphones.
Camera. This app is used to take photos, record videos, and scan items using your PC's webcam.
Windows Studio Effects. This set of AI-based camera and audio enhancements can help improve the quality of your audio and video calls.

Tip: Windows 11 also includes a full-featured video editor called Clipchamp that's covered separately.
Sound Recorder
Sound Recorder helps you record your voice and other audio using your PC's microphones.

The app features a navigation pane on the left for accessing your recordings, a large recording/playback area, and a toolbar at the bottom with recording and playback controls. And that's pretty much it, though it's worth configuring a few settings before using Sound Recorder.
Customize
There are two key places to customize how Sound Recorder works: The Settings app, where microphone and other audio input settings are configured, and the settings interface in the Sound Recorder app itself.
Customize audio input in Windows 11
You configure microphones and other audio inputs in the Windows 11 Settings app: Navigate to System > Sound and view the options in the "Input" section to see what's available.

The "Choose a device for speaking or recording" item auto-expands to display the microphones and other audio inputs accessible through your computer. If there are two or more compatible devices, one of them will be selected, and you can choose a different default audio recording device by selecting it here.

You can also configure each audio input device that appears here by clicking it. When you do a Properties page for that device appears.

What you see can vary by device, but some key settings include:

Format. This option provides a drop-down where you can choose between various device-specific quality options, usually with 1- and 2-channel choices and various quality levels that use terms like "CD quality," "DVD quality," and "Studio quality" to help you make a choice.

Tip: You can use the "Test" button next to this option to test the quality of your choice.

Audio enhancements. Depending on your PC and the audio input hardware, you may be able to take advantage of software- or hardware-backed audio enhancements. The best of the lot is Windows Studio Effects Voice Clarity, which may also offer a "Voice focus" sub-option.

Customize Sound Recorder
Sound Recorder offers a minimal set of options, and just for the file format used for recordings and the audio quality. To configure Sound Recorder, click "More options for recordings" ("...") in the upper-right of the app, and then "Settings."

Here, you will find:

Recording format. By default, Sound Recorder records its files using the AAC (Advanced Audio Coding)...