How to Record the Screen on a Mac

When you want to capture something on your Mac device and a screenshot isn’t enough, you’ll be happy to know there are multiple ways to record your screen. Whether you want to capture the entire screen or just a part of it or record your voice or other sounds simultaneously, Mac has all the tools you need.

If you want to learn more about how to record the screen on a Mac, you’ve come to the right place. This article will provide a step-by-step guide on how to do it using built-in macOS apps and free third-party software.

How to Record the Screen on a Mac

There are two built-in programs you can use for recording the screen on your Mac device: Screenshot Toolbar and QuickTime. In this section, we’ll walk you through the steps of recording with the Screenshot Toolbar. This app is available if you’re running macOS Mojave or newer and offers numerous recording options.

How to Record the Whole Screen on a Mac Using Screenshot Toolbar

With Screenshot Toolbar, you can choose whether to record the whole screen, a part of it or capture a still image.

For capturing the entire screen, follow the steps below:

1. Press “Shift + Command + 5” to launch the Screenshot Toolbar. Recording controls will appear on your screen.
   
2. Click the second icon from the right to start recording.
   
3. Click anywhere on the screen to start recording or press “Record” in the toolbar.
   
4. Once you’re done, press the stop recording icon (the rectangle icon) in the menu bar. Or, use the “Command + Control + Esc” shortcut to stop recording.
   

How to Record a Part of the Screen on a Mac Using Screenshot Toolbar

If you only want to record a specific section of your screen, follow these instructions:

1. Press “Shift + Command + 5” to open the Screenshot Toolbar. The controls will appear at the bottom of the screen.
   
2. Select the first icon from the right. It’s the one with the dotted lines.
   
3. Select the screen area you want to record by dragging the lines.
   
4. Press “Record.”
   
5. Select the stop recording icon in the menu bar once you’re finished.
   

Screenshot Toolbar Options

This useful tool has numerous options to make screen recording easier. Check them out before you start recording by pressing “Options” in the controls. Here are the available options:

• Save to – Here, you can customize where you want to save your recordings.
• Timer – Choose whether you want to start recording right away or after a specific time.
• Microphone – You can record your voice or other sounds while you’re recording the screen.
• Show Floating Thumbnail – Choose if you want the thumbnail to appear on your screen.
• Remember Last Selection – Choose if you wish to apply the last selection to future recordings.
• Show Mouse Clicks – Customize how your cursor appears on the recording.

How to Record the Screen on Your Mac With Computer Audio

The two built-in macOS programs are excellent when you want to record your screen, but they can’t capture computer audio. If you wish to record your screen and the internal sound, you’ll need to install a virtual audio driver, tweak your sound settings, and then use Screenshot Toolbar or QuickTime.

We recommend using Black Hole since it passes sound without additional latency. For easier navigation, we’ve divided the steps into four sections.

Follow these instructions to set up Black Hole:

1. Open your browser and visit this website to install Black Hole.
2. Enter your email address, first and last name, and press “Subscribe for Free Mac Download.” After a few minutes, you’ll receive an email with download information.
   
3. Open the email and press the download link.
   
4. Press “BlackHole 16ch” to download it.
   
5. Enter your password and complete the installation process.
   

Now that you’ve installed Black Hole, let’s adjust the settings in Audio MIDI Setup:

1. Open “Audio MIDI Setup.”
   
2. Press the plus sign at the bottom-left corner and select “Create Aggregate Device.”
   
3. Rename the device. We recommend using “Input” so you can easily find it later.
   
4. Select “BlackHole 16ch.”
   
5. Select the plus button again and press “Create Multi-Output Device.”
   
6. Rename it as “Screen Recording With Audio” and select “Built-in Output” and “BlackHole 16ch.” Ensure “Built-in Output” is above “BlackHole 16ch.” Check whether “Built-in Output” is selected as the Master Device at the top. Tip: If you don’t see “Built-in Output,” select “MacBook Speakers.”
   

The third section is to customize sound settings on your Mac:

1. Open System Preferences.
   
2. Press “Sound.”
   
3. Open the “Output” tab and select “Screen Recording With Audio.”
   

The final section is for recording your screen with audio. The steps vary depending on the tool you’re using.

If you’re using Screenshot Toolbar, follow these steps:

1. Press “Shift + Command + 5” to launch the Screenshot Toolbar.
   
2. Press “Options” and select “Input” under “Microphone.”
   
3. Select “Record” or click anywhere on the screen to start recording.
   

If you’re using QuickTime, follow these steps:

1. Open the Applications folder and select QuickTime.
   
2. Select “File” and then choose “New Screen Recording.”
   
3. Press the arrow next to the recording icon and select “Input” under “Microphone.”
   
4. Select the red recording icon to start recording your screen with internal audio.
   
   

How to Record the Screen on a Mac Along With Voice Recording

If you want to record tutorials, instructional videos, games, etc., learning how to record the screen along with your voice is essential. For that, you can use both the Screenshot Toolbar and QuickTime. As mentioned, Screenshot Toolbar is only available for those that have the macOS Mojave or newer.

How to Record the Screen on Your Mac Along With Voice Recording Using Screenshot Toolbar

1. Press “Shift + Command + 5” to open the Screenshot Toolbar. Recording controls will appear at the bottom.
   
2. Press “Options.”
   
3. Choose a microphone under the “Microphone” tab.
   
4. Select whether you want to record the entire screen or a specific part and press “Record,” or click the screen.
   
5. Once you’re finished, press the stop recording icon (the rectangle icon) in the menu bar. Or, use the “Command + Control + Esc” shortcut to stop recording.
   

Tip: Adjust the volume to monitor how your voice sounds.

How to Record the Screen on Your Mac Along With Voice Recording Using QuickTime

If you don’t have the Screenshot Toolbar, you can use QuickTime to record the screen and your voice:

1. Go to the Applications folder and open QuickTime.
   
2. Press “File” and select “New Screen Recording” from the drop-down menu.
   
3. Press the arrow next to the record icon to customize your settings.
   
4. Select your microphone.
   
5. Press the recording icon or click on the screen to start recording. Adjust the volume once you start recording to get a better feeling of how you sound.
   
6. Press the stop recording icon once you’re done. QuickTime will automatically open your recording so you can save or edit it.
   

How to Record Your Screen on a Mac Using QuickTime

QuickTime Player is a built-in app that enables all Mac users to record their screens, regardless of the operating system they’re running.

Follow the instructions below to use QuickTime to record your screen:

1. Open the Applications folder and launch QuickTime.
   
2. Press “File” at the top-left and then press “New Screen Recording.”
   
3. Press the red recording icon to start recording your screen. Optional: press the arrow next to the recording icon to customize settings such as the microphone, appearance of your cursor, etc.
   
4. Press the square icon in the menu bar or use the “Command + Control + Esc” shortcut to stop recording.
   

When you’re done recording, QuickTime automatically opens the file. Here, you can save, share, or edit it.

Create Screen Recordings in a Few Clicks

Regardless of the macOS version you have, you can use built-in programs for screen recording. Screenshot Toolbar and QuickTime are free and user-friendly tools that make screen recording a breeze. Although they feature many useful options, these programs don’t support recording computer audio. For that, you’ll need to install a virtual audio driver.

We hope this article helped you learn how to record the screen on a Mac using various methods. Moreover, we hope you learned more about what options to use to get the most out of your recordings.

Have you ever recorded your screen on a Mac? Did you use the built-in tools or a third-party app? Tell us in the comments section below.