Need to record your screen on a Mac? Whether you are making a tutorial, capturing a bug to send to IT, or saving a video call, macOS has excellent built-in screen recording tools — and they are completely free. Here is every method available.
Method 1: Built-in Screenshot Toolbar (macOS Mojave and Later)
This is the easiest and most versatile method:
- Press Command + Shift + 5 on your keyboard.
- A toolbar appears at the bottom of your screen with five options.
- Choose Record Entire Screen (fourth button) or Record Selected Portion (fifth button).
- If recording a portion, drag the selection box to the area you want.
- Click Record to start.
- To stop recording, click the Stop button in the menu bar (circle with a square inside).
The recording saves to your Desktop as a .mov file by default. You can change the save location in Options on the screenshot toolbar.
Method 2: QuickTime Player
QuickTime gives you more control over recording settings:
- Open QuickTime Player from your Applications folder.
- Go to File > New Screen Recording (or File > New Movie Recording for webcam).
- Click the arrow next to the record button to choose your microphone.
- Click Record.
- Choose to record the full screen or a selected portion.
- Click Stop in the menu bar when done.
QuickTime lets you choose audio input sources, which is useful for recording with an external microphone or capturing system audio.
Method 3: Record with Audio
By default, Mac screen recordings do not capture internal audio (what your Mac plays through speakers). To record system audio:
- Install a free audio driver like BlackHole or Soundflower.
- Open Audio MIDI Setup and create a Multi-Output Device combining your speakers and BlackHole.
- Set this as your output device in Sound settings.
- In QuickTime or the Screenshot toolbar, select BlackHole as the microphone input.
- Record — now both your microphone and system audio are captured.
Method 4: Using OBS Studio (Free, Advanced)
OBS Studio is the go-to for high-quality screen recordings and livestreaming:
- Download OBS Studio for free from obsproject.com.
- Add a Display Capture source to record your screen.
- Add an Audio Output Capture source for system audio.
- Configure output settings (resolution, frame rate, format).
- Click Start Recording.
OBS is the best choice if you need professional-quality recordings with overlays, multiple sources, or specific codec settings.
Screen Recording Settings
In the screenshot toolbar (Command+Shift+5), click Options to configure:
- Save to: Desktop, Documents, Clipboard, Mail, Messages, or Preview
- Timer: None, 5 seconds, or 10 seconds countdown
- Microphone: None, Built-in, or external microphone
- Show Mouse Clicks: Displays a circle around your cursor when you click
- Show Floating Thumbnail: Shows a preview after recording stops
Tips for Better Screen Recordings
- Close unnecessary apps — reduces visual clutter and improves performance
- Use a clean desktop — hide files and use a simple wallpaper
- Increase cursor size — System Settings > Accessibility > Display > Pointer Size — makes clicks visible in tutorials
- Use keyboard shortcuts — Command+Shift+5 to start, Escape to cancel
- Record at native resolution — for sharpest quality
- Free disk space — 5 minutes of 1080p recording uses about 500 MB
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do screen recordings save on Mac?
By default, recordings save to your Desktop as .mov files. Change this in the screenshot toolbar Options.
Can I edit screen recordings on Mac?
Yes. Open the recording in QuickTime Player and use Edit > Trim to cut unwanted sections. For more editing, import into iMovie (free).
Why is my screen recording not saving?
Check that your Desktop folder is not full and you have enough disk space. Also check Screen Recording permissions in System Settings > Privacy and Security.
Can I record a specific window only?
Yes. In the screenshot toolbar, hover over the window you want and click to record just that window.