Plug your microphone into the microphone input jack on your computer, usually located next to the headphone jack. If you have a USB microphone, plug your microphone into the USB port on your computer.
Open your recording application. The microphone should be recognized automatically as an input source, but check your software's preferences to make sure the drivers are set to recognize the microphone you are using. Create a new track.
Select the record enable button on your recording software. This will be located on the track that you have created and is designated by a small button with either an "R" or a circle in its center. If it is properly activated it will light up red.
Test your microphone. To do so, speak into your microphone with the new track record enabled and make sure that you see a green bar on your input track moving up and down when you speak into it.
Select "Record" from your playback strip to begin recording. This button will be at the bottom of your computer screen and will be a round button with a circle in the middle. To stop recording click "Stop" from the same strip. Listen to your recording and make sure you're satisfied with the finished product.