Google is adding new features to the web version of its Recorder app. The voice recorder service now lets you edit recordings using your desktop, bridging the gap with its mobile app for Pixel smartphones and tablets.
Spotted by 9to5Google, the web version of Google Recorder (recorder.google.com) recently gained a new scissor icon in the top-right corner of the screen, left of the existing share, download, and delete buttons. Tapping the scissor button pulls up a similar interface found on the mobile app. You can select a portion of the audio waveform or the transcript to crop or remove it from the recording. The selected portion is highlighted and easily customizable.
You get two buttons in the top right to undo the last edit or save a copy of the changes. The latter is reportedly the default behavior. The publication notes that the editing interface of Google Recorder supports single- and dual-column views on the web. You can switch the layout using the existing dedicated buttons in the bottom left. The interface will obviously change in a dual-column view but the functionalities remain the same.
Google Recorder gets editing capabilities on the web
Editing capabilities in Google Recorder on the web have been long due. While you can already edit recordings using the mobile app, it’s more convenient on the big screen. It’s much easier to precisely pinpoint your selections using a mouse rather than large fingertips on a tiny screen of your phone, or even a tablet. You can fine-tune your recordings, like removing unwanted dead air between vocals, more effectively and efficiently.
Of course, Google Recorder isn’t a full-fledged audio editing app. You’ll find tons of other functions with a third-party solution. But this update for the web version of the service makes it almost as capable as the mobile app. It already lets you listen to recordings at various playback speeds, read transcripts, share recordings via other apps, download the recording to your computer, delete it from your account, and search in recordings.
It may not be coincidental this update for the web version of Google Recorder comes ahead of the Pixel Tablet and Pixel Fold release later this month. Google is seemingly looking to give buyers of these big-screen devices a more complete experience across its mobile and web apps out of the box. It recently updated the mobile app with an optimized UI for tablets and foldables.
