How to Screen Record on Mac: A Full Step-by-Step Guide

Press Shift-Command-5 to open the Screenshot app, choose Record Entire Screen, Record Selected Portion, or Record Selected Window (macOS Tahoe 26 or later), then click Record. Stop with Command-Control-Esc or the Stop button in the menu bar. The recording saves to your Desktop as a .mov file.

For sound, click Options before you record. Pick a microphone to capture your voice. To capture the audio playing on the Mac, choose Include System Audio, which Apple added in macOS 27 Golden Gate. On macOS 26 Tahoe and earlier, you need a free audio driver like BlackHole or an app like OBS. Apple’s own steps are in How to record the screen on Mac.

How to Screen Record on Mac With Shift-Command-5

1. Press Shift-Command-5. The Screenshot toolbar appears at the bottom of the screen.
2. Pick Record Entire Screen, Record Selected Portion, or Record Selected Window (macOS Tahoe 26 or later).
3. Click Options. Choose a microphone for your voice, and on macOS 27 Golden Gate or later choose Include System Audio for the sound playing on the Mac. The same menu sets a timer, shows mouse clicks, and changes where the file saves.
4. Click Record. If you chose Record Selected Window, click the window you want instead.
5. Stop with the Stop button in the menu bar or Command-Control-Esc. Click the floating thumbnail if you want to trim the clip before it saves.

By default the file lands on your Desktop as Screen Recording [date] at [time].mov. On supported Macs running Tahoe 26 or later, Options also has a capture format setting: SDR saves H.264 for the widest compatibility, and HDR saves HEVC. Some apps, such as the Apple TV app, won’t let you record their windows. Apple covers every option in Take screenshots or screen recordings on Mac.

How to Record Internal Audio on Mac

If you’ve tried recording a Zoom meeting, a YouTube clip, or a webinar with the built-in tools on an older Mac, you’ve probably hit this: the video looks fine, but the sound from the Mac itself is missing.

macOS 27 Golden Gate: Include System Audio

In the Screenshot app (Shift-Command-5), click Options and choose Include System Audio. That records the sound playing on the Mac along with the screen. Microphone is a separate setting in the same menu, so pick one there too if you want your voice. Apple documents both in How to record the screen on Mac.

macOS 26 Tahoe and earlier: use BlackHole

Older versions record your microphone but not the sound playing on the Mac. BlackHole is a free virtual audio driver (donations are optional) that routes the Mac’s sound back in as an input. Its setup guide comes down to three steps:

1. In Audio MIDI Setup, create a Multi-Output Device that includes BlackHole and your speakers or headphones, so you can still hear the audio.
2. Set that Multi-Output Device as your Mac’s sound output.
3. In your recorder, choose BlackHole as the microphone or audio input.

Capturing your own voice at the same time takes more setup (an Aggregate Device), so if you need both, one of the apps below is easier. OBS Studio 30 or later has a macOS Audio Capture source on macOS 13 Ventura and up, Loom records system audio on every plan, and Screen Studio records your Mac’s sound too.

Give third-party recorders permission first

Apps like OBS, Loom, and Screen Studio need your OK before they can record. Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Screen & System Audio Recording and turn the app on. You can allow screen and audio, or audio only. Apple explains the setting in Control access to screen and system audio recording.

How to Screen Record on Mac With QuickTime

QuickTime Player comes preinstalled on every Mac. Open it from your Applications folder, or press Command-Space and type QuickTime.

1. Open QuickTime Player.
2. Choose File > New Screen Recording, or press Control-Command-N.
3. If the Screenshot toolbar appears, your Mac records the screen through the Screenshot app, so follow the steps above. If a Screen Recording window appears instead, keep going.
4. Click the arrow next to the Record button to pick a microphone. You can also choose Show Mouse Clicks in Recording. If you hear audio feedback, lower the volume or use headphones.
5. Click Record, then click anywhere to record the whole screen, or drag to select an area and click Start Recording.
6. Stop with the Stop button in the menu bar or Command-Control-Esc.
7. QuickTime opens the recording automatically, ready to play, edit, or share. Choose File > Save to keep a copy.

Best Screen Recorders for Mac With Audio

The built-in tools handle quick recordings. These four cover most other needs, from free to paid:

QuickTime Player

QuickTime Player is free and already on your Mac. It handles basic edits like trimming and splitting clips, which is enough for quick recordings with microphone audio.

Loom

Loom (part of Atlassian) records your screen and camera, and every plan includes system audio. The free Starter plan caps you at 720p, 5-minute recordings, and 25 videos per person. 4K and trim-and-stitch editing start on the Business plan. Loom’s Chrome screen recorder records up to 1080p, so 4K needs the desktop app.

Screen Studio

Screen Studio is a Mac screen recorder built for polished demos and tutorials. In my opinion Screen Studio is the best screen recording app on Mac. It records your whole display, one window, or an area, along with your webcam, microphone, and the Mac’s own sound. You can also plug in an iPhone or iPad over USB and record it inside a device frame.

Watch

Screen Studio automatically zooms in on areas you interact with, which keeps the viewer focused. It can show the keys you press and highlight mouse clicks, and its timeline editor lets you trim, cut, and speed up clips. It’s a subscription with every feature on both plans: $9 a month billed yearly or $29 month to month, as of October 2026.

OBS

OBS Studio is free, open-source software for recording and live streaming. It captures several sources at once, like your screen, webcam, and audio inputs, and gives you control over quality, frame rate, and audio settings.

On OBS 30 or later with macOS 13 Ventura or newer, add a macOS Audio Capture source to record all desktop audio or a single app. Live streaming is its main job, so expect more setup than the other apps here.

FAQs About Screen Recording on Mac

Can QuickTime record screen and audio?

Yes. Select a microphone in QuickTime (or in Screenshot Options) for your voice, including AirPods. For the sound playing on the Mac, use Include System Audio on macOS 27 Golden Gate or later. On older macOS, use BlackHole or a third-party recorder.

How do I record my Mac’s screen?

Press Shift-Command-5 to open Screenshot, then record the whole screen, a portion, or (on Tahoe 26 or later) a single window. Apple’s guide is How to record the screen on Mac.

Where do screen recordings go on Mac?

Screenshot saves recordings to your Desktop by default, named Screen Recording [date] at [time].mov. Change the folder under Options > Save to. QuickTime opens the recording right away, and you choose where it goes when you save.

How do I stop a Mac screen recording?

Click the Stop button in the menu bar or press Command-Control-Esc. That works for both the Screenshot app and QuickTime Player.

Does Mac screen recording include audio?

Only what you choose. Pick a microphone in Options to record your voice. Built-in system audio needs macOS 27 Golden Gate or later and the Include System Audio option. On older versions, use BlackHole or a third-party recorder.

Why can’t an app record my screen?

Third-party recorders need permission in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Screen & System Audio Recording. If a single app’s window records blank, that app may block recording on purpose. Apple names the Apple TV app as one example.

Conclusion

Shift-Command-5 is the fastest way to record your Mac screen, and QuickTime’s New Screen Recording command often opens the same toolbar. For sound, pick a microphone for your voice and turn on Include System Audio on macOS 27 Golden Gate or later. On older macOS, BlackHole, OBS, or a third-party app fills the gap.

Once the .mov file is saved, upload it to the Transcribe tool for a text transcript, or to Video to Blog Post to turn the tutorial into an article. Planning the next one? Browse these how-to video ideas.