How to Screen Record on Mac: Complete Guide
If you’re wondering how to screen record on Mac, macOS can do it without any extra software, and most users don’t need anything else. The hard part is rarely starting the recording: it’s getting the audio right, keeping the file size reasonable, and understanding why the video stutters. This guide covers both built-in tools, the ways to capture internal audio, and the most common failures with their fixes.
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Mac Screen Recording with the Built-in Tool
The Screenshot app has been included on every Mac since macOS Mojave 10.14. It handles both still screenshots and video recording, and it’s the fastest method:
- Press ⇧⌘5 to open the Screenshot toolbar.
- Choose Record Entire Screen (the fourth icon) or Record Selected Portion (the fifth icon).
- If you chose an area, adjust the frame around the part of the screen you want.
- Click Record to start.
To cancel before you click Record, press Esc. You can also find the app in Applications, then Utilities: if you don’t like keyboard shortcuts, drag its icon to the Dock and open it with one click.
Screen record part of screen on Mac: settings to check first
The Options button in the toolbar contains everything that really changes the result:
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
| Microphone | Select a source to record your voice. Without an external mic, the Mac uses its built-in one. |
| Show Mouse Clicks | Adds a black circle around each click. Essential for a tutorial, off by default. |
| Timer | 5 or 10 seconds before recording starts, giving you time to open the right window or pull down a menu. |
| Save to | The desktop by default, but you can choose a specific folder so you don’t have to sort files afterward. |
| Format | On compatible Macs running macOS Tahoe 26 or later, choose SDR (most compatible, H.264 video) or HDR (extended dynamic range, HEVC video). |
Files are automatically named something like “Screen Recording [date] at [time].mov.”
If you turned on the microphone for one video, remember to turn it off for the next one. An unnecessary audio track makes the file noticeably larger.
How to stop screen recording on Mac
There are three ways to stop, depending on what’s within reach:
- Click the stop icon (the square) in the menu bar in the upper-right corner.
- Press ⌘⌃Esc.
- Press ⇧⌘5 again, then click the stop button in the Screenshot toolbar.
One catch many people discover only after losing a take: the thumbnail that appears in the corner of the screen does not mean the file has already been written. If you make several recordings in a row without touching it, some may never make it to the desktop. Open the thumbnail and click Done to force the file to save. Another useful detail: hover over the thumbnail with the pointer and it stays on screen instead of disappearing after a few seconds.
How to Screen Record with Audio on Mac
By default, a Mac records the screen with no sound. And you need to separate two things people often mix up: the microphone captures your voice, while internal audio captures the sound the Mac itself produces. The first is enough for a voiceover or explanation; the second is essential for a game, a video, a call, or a webinar.
Record your voice with the microphone
- Open the Screenshot toolbar (⇧⌘5), or open QuickTime Player, then choose File and New Screen Recording.
- Click Options and select your microphone.
- Choose the entire screen or a portion, then click Record.
An external mic, a USB mic, or even an iPhone will give you cleaner sound than the built-in microphone. In QuickTime, a slider lets you monitor audio while recording: if you hear feedback, lower the volume or switch to a headset with a mic. And if no sound is recorded, first check the selected source, then make sure another app has not already taken control of the microphone.
Record internal system audio
For years, this was macOS’s weak spot: Apple offered no option to capture system sound, officially for copyright reasons. You had to use a virtual audio driver, and generations of users went through Soundflower, Audio Hijack, and then BlackHole.
That changes with macOS 27 Golden Gate: the built-in recorder, the one you open with ⇧⌘5, now offers system sound as an option. Apple did not even mention it during WWDC, and beta users spotted the feature. In practice, for most uses, you no longer need to install a third-party driver or launch OBS just to capture audio.
Two caveats, however. The feature was observed in the beta, so check that it is actually available in the version installed on your Mac. And expect DRM-protected sources, such as streaming platforms, to remain silent: that is the usual macOS behavior, and nothing suggests it is changing. Also note that the built-in recorder still does not let you choose the video resolution or quality.
Before macOS 27: use a virtual audio driver
If you are on an earlier version, the idea is to create a virtual audio output: the Mac sends its sound there, and you record that output as if it were a microphone. BlackHole is free and does the job very well:
- Install BlackHole, a free virtual audio driver for Mac.
- Open Audio MIDI Setup, click the plus icon, and create a Multi-Output Device.
- Select BlackHole and your speakers in that device so you can keep hearing the sound while you record it.
- Select BlackHole as the audio source in the Screenshot toolbar or in QuickTime.
Loopback, from Rogue Amoeba, does the same thing with a much more comfortable interface and can merge multiple sources, but the app is paid. Soundflower, which still appears in old tutorials, is no longer up to date and was aimed at Intel Macs: do not start there.
Screen Record on Mac with QuickTime Player
QuickTime Player comes preinstalled on every Mac and is still useful when you want to jump straight into a quick edit:
- Open QuickTime Player from the Applications folder.
- In the File menu, choose New Screen Recording, or press ⌃⌘N.
- Click the arrow next to the Record button to choose a microphone.
- Click anywhere to record the entire screen, or drag to define an area.
- Finish with the Stop button in the menu bar.
On recent versions of macOS, QuickTime often hands off to the Screenshot app: if the ⇧⌘5 toolbar appears, that is normal.
Trim and export a Mac screen recording in QuickTime
QuickTime is not a full video editor, but it is enough to cut the beginning and end, which covers most quick touch-ups:
- Open the recording you want to edit.
- In the menu bar, choose Edit, then Trim.
- Drag the yellow handles at each end to define what you want to keep.
- Confirm with Trim, then save the file.
To change the resolution, go to File, then Export As: 1080p, 720p, or 480p, with the option to export only the audio track as well. For more advanced editing, iMovie is already installed on your Mac and opens .mov files without conversion.
Third-party Apps for Better Mac Screen Recording
The built-in tools cover occasional needs. Once screen recording becomes a daily task, with sharing, annotations, or editing, a dedicated app can save real time:
| App | Price |
|---|---|
| Sowiks | macOS, free plan then paid |
| OBS Studio | Free and open source |
| Camtasia | Paid |
| ScreenFlow | Paid, macOS only |
| VMaker | Affordable subscription, free short videos |
| Loopback | Paid |
Sowiks
Lives in the menu bar, records the screen as video or GIF, stores everything in a cloud gallery, and creates a share link that can be password-protected.
Watch out for: Built for daily back-and-forth with a team or client, not for editing.
OBS Studio
Captures internal audio on macOS Ventura and later, handles multiple sources, framing, and up to 120 frames per second.
Watch out for: A steep learning curve, high hardware demands, and no editing features.
Camtasia
Records internal system audio and mixes sources from specific windows, apps, and devices.
Watch out for: Expensive, but one of the most complete editors on the market.
ScreenFlow
Designed for tutorials and demos: annotations, zooms, multiple screens at once, and multitrack editing.
Watch out for: macOS only.
VMaker
Intuitive interface, internal audio, and a “record a window” mode to capture only one app.
Watch out for: Longer videos need a subscription.
Loopback
Creates a virtual device that combines sound from any source, then appears as an audio option in the Screenshot toolbar and in QuickTime.
Watch out for: It is not a recorder, but an audio router.
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Read the comparison →Fix Mac Screen Recording Problems
Here are the failures people actually run into, and what fixes them:
The Mac won’t record
This is almost always a missing permission. On macOS Ventura or later, open the Apple menu, System Settings, Privacy & Security, then Screen Recording, and enable the app in question.
No sound in the video
Check that the correct microphone is selected in Options, then make sure no other app has taken control of it. If you wanted system audio rather than your voice, that is expected: see the section on internal audio.
The file is huge
QuickTime’s .mov format creates very large files. HandBrake, which is free, converts a .mov to H.264 or HEVC and greatly reduces the file size without visibly degrading the image. It is also the easiest way to get a shareable .mp4.
The video stutters
Lower the Mac’s display resolution before exporting, in System Settings, then Displays. Also close anything running in the background.
The Mac gets hot
Too many apps, tabs, or animations are running at the same time. Leave open only what you are recording: capture quality depends directly on it.
The image is not sharp
macOS does not let you set the bitrate, but third-party apps do. Plan on at least 500 Kbit/s for 480p, 1 Mbit/s for 720p, 5 Mbit/s for 1080p, and 20 Mbit/s for 4K.
The battery drains very quickly
Recording is heavy work for the processor, especially at high resolution with audio. For a long session, plug the MacBook into power.
The recorded window stays black
Some apps, such as Apple TV, block recording of their windows for content protection. No setting can bypass that.
One last habit before you share: look at what was captured outside the useful area. A screen recording also captures notifications that appear, open tabs, and menu bar content. That is the most common way to leak an email address, a client name, or an amount — the same checks that apply before you send a screenshot are worth running on a video.
FAQ
What is the shortcut to record the screen on Mac?
Shift-Command-5 opens the Screenshot toolbar, where you choose whether to record the entire screen or an area. It is the only shortcut you need to remember; everything else is set in that toolbar.
How do I screen record part of the screen on Mac?
In the toolbar, choose Record Selected Portion, adjust the frame, then click Record. You can still move the frame before recording starts.
Can you screen record on Mac with audio without third-party software?
Yes, starting with macOS 27 Golden Gate, where the built-in recorder offers system audio as an option. On earlier versions, you need a virtual audio driver such as BlackHole, which is free, or Loopback, which is paid.
Where do screen recordings go on Mac?
By default, they are saved to the Desktop in .mov format, with a name like “Screen Recording [date] at [time].mov.” You can change the destination folder in Options before you start recording.
How do I convert a .mov screen recording to .mp4?
HandBrake is free and converts the file to H.264 or HEVC while reducing its size. It’s the simplest option if you need to send the file by email or upload it online.
How do I stop a screen recording?
Click the square icon in the menu bar, or press Command-Control-Esc. Then open the thumbnail in the corner of the screen and click Done to make sure the file is saved properly.
How do I edit a screen recording?
QuickTime is enough to trim the beginning and end: choose Edit, then Trim. iMovie, which is already installed, handles more complete editing, and tools like Camtasia or ScreenFlow add annotations and zooms.
Why doesn’t my Mac record sound by default?
Because the microphone stays off until you select it in Options. That’s intentional: it prevents you from accidentally recording an entire room and keeps files smaller.
Vasyl is a Product Marketing Manager at MySignature with experience in SEO and Growth. He has been featured on HubSpot, The Next Web, ActiveCampaign, and other well-known marketing blogs.
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