Total Recorder can record sound reproduced by other programs, including RealPlayer, Windows Media Player, iTunes, Musicmatch Jukebox, WinAmp, Internet telephony programs such as Skype, and many others. The reproduced sound can be either sound from local files being played back or sound from Internet transmissions. Total Recorder can use its own unique virtual sound driver to capture such sounds without any redundant conversions or loss of quality.

Most recordings can be performed through a sound card's “loop back” line. However, some tasks such as recording two sides of a VOIP (Voice Over IP, Internet telephony) conversation cannot be accomplished without a virtual driver. Another unique feature of Total Recorder's virtual driver is that it will start recording only when sound is present, which eliminates the need to start recording and playback at the same time. Gaps in a recording, caused by an interruption in transmission, can also be eliminated.

Total Recorder also offers the unique time shift feature, which enables you to listen and record at the same time. You can record an audio file and listen to it without waiting for the recording process to complete. You can also listen to the file from any position while the recording is being made.

The captured sound can be stored on a computer's hard drive as either an uncompressed or a compressed audio file which is ready to play, or can be transferred to an audio CD or to a portable music player. Refer to the Sound Format Conversion tutorial for information about the audio formats that are supported.

The Total Recorder Streaming Add-on allows real-time transfer of audio being played back or captured by Total Recorder over a local network or the Internet.