How to Record Your Screen on a Mac for Free
You can record a Mac screen with the Screenshot app or through QuickTime Player. Both are included with macOS. The important choice is the audio input: a microphone records narration, while a virtual audio route can feed app sound into the recorder.
This guide covers the current Screenshot toolbar and the older QuickTime 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 current and legacy 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 legacy Screen Recording window appears, use the arrow beside 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. The legacy recording opens in QuickTime; when Screenshot handled the capture, use the save location you selected in Options.
On current macOS, QuickTime's screen-recording command opens Screenshot. 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. Text, arrow, and blur overlays need a suitable video editor.
Apple explains these editing features in its guides:
Record internal or system audio with BlackHole
Selecting a physical microphone records what that microphone hears. To feed app sound into Screenshot or QuickTime, route the sound into an audio input instead. BlackHole is a free virtual audio loopback driver for this purpose; its official project says it does not require a kernel extension.
- 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 the legacy QuickTime 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.
What each built-in route can do
| Capability | Screenshot | QuickTime Player |
|---|---|---|
| Full screen recording | Yes | Yes |
| Region recording | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone audio | Choose an input in Options | Options or the legacy input menu |
| Direct app audio | Use a configured virtual input | Use a configured virtual input |
| Trim a recording | Use the floating thumbnail | Use Edit then Trim |
| Text, arrow, or blur overlays | Use a video editor | Use a video editor |
| Price | Included with macOS | Included with macOS |
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.
A macOS release is not currently available. For a Mac recording today, use the workflows above.
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.
Why can't I record system audio on my Mac?
Screenshot and QuickTime record the selected audio input. Choosing your physical microphone does not capture a direct copy of app sound. For these recorders, you can route app output through a virtual audio device such as BlackHole and select that device as the input.
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 legacy Screen Recording window, use the arrow beside 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 legacy QuickTime 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 legacy QuickTime recording window, click the record button, drag over the area you want, and start recording that selection.
Can I annotate a Mac screen recording?
QuickTime can trim, split, rearrange, and combine video clips, but it does not provide a screenshot-style text, arrow, or blur overlay editor for recordings. Use a suitable video editor for those overlays. Maxisnap is currently available for Windows; a macOS release is not currently available.