You can record a Mac screen with the Screenshot app or through QuickTime Player, both Apple apps on the Mac. The important choice is the audio: a microphone records narration, and system audio is a separate setting covered below.

This guide covers the Screenshot toolbar and the QuickTime Player Screen Recording window. Their controls differ, so follow the instructions for the interface you actually see.

Method 1: Cmd+Shift+5 (the Screenshot toolbar)

Open Screenshot
Press Cmd+Shift+5 to open Screenshot on macOS Mojave 10.14 or later.
Choose what to record
Choose full-screen or selected-portion recording. On macOS Tahoe 26 or later, selected-window recording is also available.
Set the input and save location
Open Options, choose a microphone if you want narration, and select a save location. A physical microphone captures your voice or room sound, not a direct copy of app audio.
Record and check the result
Click Record to begin. To finish, use the stop control in the menu bar or press Cmd+Control+Esc. Play the recording back to check its picture and sound before sharing it.

The Options menu also contains a recording timer and mouse-click settings. The available controls depend on your macOS version and capture mode; choose by the control's label rather than an icon's position.

Apple's instructions cover both sets of recording controls.

Method 2: QuickTime Player

Open QuickTime Player and choose File then New Screen Recording.
If the Screenshot toolbar appears, follow Method 1 and choose the audio input under Options.
If the Screen Recording window appears, use the arrow next to the Record button to select an input. Click the Record button, then click the screen for a full-screen recording or drag to select an area and click Start Recording.
Stop from the menu bar when you finish. A recording made in the Screen Recording window opens in QuickTime Player; when Screenshot handled the capture, use the save location you selected in Options.

Apple's QuickTime Player guide says the New Screen Recording command opens Screenshot and displays its tools. It is another way to reach the same capture controls.

Apple's QuickTime guide covers this recording command.

Trim and edit the recording

You can click Screenshot's floating thumbnail to trim the recording before it is saved. You can also open the video in QuickTime Player, choose Edit then Trim, and adjust the handles around the part you want to keep.

Trimming is one of several QuickTime editing tools. You can split a movie into clips, change their order, and add another clip. For text, arrow, or blur overlays on a recording, use a video editor.

Apple explains these editing features in its guides:

Record internal or system audio

On earlier versions, app sound can be routed in through a virtual audio device such as BlackHole.

BlackHole is a macOS virtual audio loopback driver from Existential Audio, licensed under the GPL, that lets applications pass audio to other applications.

Install BlackHole using the official project's installation instructions.
Open Audio MIDI Setup and create a Multi-Output Device containing BlackHole and the speakers or headphones you want to hear.
Follow BlackHole's clock-device and drift-correction guidance, then select the Multi-Output Device as your Mac's sound output.
Select BlackHole as the recording input in Screenshot's Options menu or in the Screen Recording window's input menu. Record a short test and play it back.

Read BlackHole's installation instructions. Follow the Multi-Output Device guide for the device settings.

When you finish, restore your usual sound output if you no longer need the route.

Choosing BlackHole instead of your physical microphone changes the input being recorded. If you need both narration and app sound, use a recorder or mixer that combines them and verify the result before a long recording.

Where Maxisnap fits

Maxisnap combines screenshots and screen recording on Windows. It brings local capture, screenshot annotation, recording with system audio and microphone, and sharing into one app.

Maxisnap for Mac is also available, for macOS 13 or later. It records a region or the whole display with system audio, and records your microphone on macOS 15 or later.

Compare Mac options in our free screen recorder guide.

FAQ

How do I record my Mac screen for free?

Press Cmd+Shift+5, choose the area to record, and use Options to select an audio input and save location. Start with Record and stop from the menu bar. QuickTime Player also provides a screen-recording entry point through File then New Screen Recording.

How do I record system audio on my Mac?

Apple's guide, read in October 2026, says the built-in screen recorder can include system audio in macOS 27 or later (choose Include System Audio); for earlier versions, its instructions cover choosing a microphone. On earlier versions, app sound can be routed in through a virtual audio device such as BlackHole.

Does QuickTime Player record audio while screen recording?

Yes, when you select an audio input. If QuickTime opens the Screenshot toolbar, select it under Options. In the Screen Recording window, use the arrow next to the Record button. Choose your microphone for narration or a configured virtual input for routed app audio.

Where do Mac screen recordings save?

Screenshot saves recordings to the location selected in Options, normally the Desktop by default. This also applies when QuickTime opens Screenshot. With the QuickTime Screen Recording window, the result opens in QuickTime and you can name and save it there.

Can QuickTime record only part of the screen?

Yes. In the Screenshot toolbar, choose selected-portion recording and adjust the frame. In the QuickTime Screen Recording window, click the record button, drag over the area you want, and start recording that selection.

Can I annotate a Mac screen recording?

Apple's QuickTime Player guide covers trimming, splitting, rearranging, and adding clips. For text, arrow, or blur overlays on a recording, use a video editor. Maxisnap is available for Windows and for macOS 13 or later; its annotation editor works on screenshots rather than recordings.

Read our guide to recording screen audio across platforms.

Maxisnap is not affiliated with Apple. This page describes macOS features as Apple's documentation presented them in October 2026; check Apple's documentation for current behavior.

Maxisnap is not affiliated with the other products named on this page. They are described as their official sites presented them in October 2026; check each official site for current features, pricing and platforms.

How to Record Your Screen on a Mac for Free