How to Screen Record on Mac

Screen recording is a useful feature that allows you to capture the activity on your Mac’s screen as a video. You can use screen recording to create tutorials, demos, presentations, podcasts, and more. Screen recording can also help you troubleshoot problems, report bugs, or share your gameplay with others.

But how do you screen record on Mac? What are the best tools and methods to do it? And how do you edit and share your screen recordings?

In this article, we will answer all these questions and more. We will show you how to screen record on Mac using different options, such as the built-in Screenshot app, QuickTime Player, and third-party apps. We will also give you some tips and tricks to optimize your screen recordings and make them more engaging and professional.

How to Screen Record on Mac without Using the Screenshot App

The Screenshot app is a native tool that comes with macOS Mojave or later. It allows you to take screenshots and screen recordings of your Mac’s screen with ease. You can access the Screenshot app by pressing Shift + Command + 5 on your keyboard, or by going to Launchpad > Other > Screenshot.

The Screenshot app has a toolbar that lets you choose between different modes and options for screen recording. Here are the steps to use the Screenshot app to screen record on Mac:

• Press Shift + Command + 5 on your keyboard to open the Screenshot app. You will see a toolbar at the bottom of your screen with various icons and buttons.
• Choose the mode that you want to use for screen recording. You can either record the entire screen or a selected portion of the screen. To record the entire screen, click the icon that looks like a solid rectangle with a circle inside. To record a selected portion of the screen, click the icon that looks like a dashed rectangle with a circle inside. You can also drag the edges or corners of the selection to adjust the size and shape of the recording area.
• Click the Options button to change the settings for screen recording. You can choose where to save your screen recording, whether to show the mouse pointer and clicks, whether to use a timer, and whether to use a microphone for audio recording. You can also choose to open your screen recording in a specific app after it is done, such as Preview, Mail, or Messages.
• Click the Record button to start screen recording. You will see a Stop button in the menu bar that you can click to stop screen recording. You can also press Command + Control + Esc on your keyboard to stop screen recording.
• After you stop screen recording, you will see a thumbnail of your screen recording in the bottom right corner of your screen. You can click the thumbnail to open it in a window where you can preview, edit, or share it. You can also drag the thumbnail to a folder, an app, or the Trash. If you don’t click the thumbnail, your screen recording will be saved automatically in the location that you chose in the Options menu.

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How to Screen Record on Mac Using QuickTime Player

QuickTime Player is another native tool that comes with macOS. It is mainly a media player that can play various audio and video formats, but it also has some editing and recording features. You can use QuickTime Player to screen record on Mac, as well as record audio and video from your Mac’s camera and microphone.

Here are the steps to use QuickTime Player to screen record on Mac:

• Open QuickTime Player from your Applications folder, or by using Spotlight or Launchpad.
• Go to File > New Screen Recording from the menu bar. You will see a Screen Recording window with a Record button and a downward arrow.
• Click the downward arrow to change the settings for screen recording. You can choose a microphone for audio recording, and whether to show the mouse clicks in your screen recording. You can also adjust the volume of the audio recording.
• Click the Record button to start screen recording. You will see a message that tells you to click anywhere to record the entire screen, or drag to record a portion of the screen. You can also press Esc to cancel screen recording.
• After you choose the area that you want to record, click the Start Recording button that appears in the center of the screen. You will see a Stop button in the menu bar that you can click to stop screen recording. You can also press Command + Control + Esc on your keyboard to stop screen recording.
• After you stop screen recording, you will see your screen recording in a QuickTime Player window. You can play, edit, or share your screen recording from there. You can also go to File > Save to save your screen recording as a .mov file in your desired location.

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How to Screen Record on Mac Using Third-Party Apps

Besides the built-in tools, there are also many third-party apps that you can use to screen record on Mac. Some of these apps are free, while others are paid or have a free trial. Some of these apps have more features and options than the native tools, such as annotations, filters, transitions, and more.

Here are some of the best third-party apps that you can use to screen record on Mac:

• Avast Screen Recorder: Avast Screen Recorder is a free and easy-to-use app that lets you screen record on Mac with high quality and no watermark. You can record the entire screen or a selected area, and choose whether to record audio from your microphone or system sound. You can also pause and resume your screen recording and trim it before saving or sharing it. Avast Screen Recorder is part of the Avast Security suite, which also includes antivirus, VPN, and other security features for your Mac.
• ScreenFlow: ScreenFlow is a powerful and professional app that lets you screen record on Mac, as well as edit and produce your screen recordings. You can record the entire screen or a selected area, and also record audio and video from your Mac’s camera and microphone. You can also record from multiple monitors, iOS devices, and webcams. ScreenFlow has a rich editing interface that lets you add annotations, transitions, filters, text, audio, and more to your screen recordings. You can also export your screen recordings to various formats and platforms, such as YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, and more. ScreenFlow costs $129, but you can try it for free for 30 days.
• Snagit: Snagit is a versatile and user-friendly app that lets you screen record on Mac, as well as take screenshots and capture scrolling windows. You can record the entire screen or a selected area, and also record audio and video from your Mac’s camera and microphone. You can also capture your screen as a GIF or a series of images. Snagit has a simple editing interface that lets you add annotations, arrows, shapes, text, stamps, and more to your screen recordings and screenshots. You can also save, organize, and share your screen recordings and screenshots with ease. Snagit costs $49.99, but you can try it for free for 15 days.

How to Optimize Your Screen Recordings on Mac

After you screen record on Mac, you may want to optimize your screen recordings to make them more engaging and professional. Here are some tips and tricks to optimize your screen recordings on Mac:

• Plan your screen recording before you start. Think about the purpose, the audience, and the message of your screen recording. Write a script or an outline of what you want to say and show. Practice your screen recording a few times before you record it for real.
• Prepare your Mac and your environment for screen recording. Close any unnecessary apps and windows that may interfere with your screen recording. Turn off any notifications, sounds, or alerts that may distract you or your viewers. Adjust the brightness, the resolution, and the color of your screen to make it clear and visible. Choose a quiet and comfortable place to record your screen, and make sure you have a good microphone and camera if you are using them.
• Use the best tool and settings for your screen recording. Choose the tool that suits your needs and preferences for screen recording. Adjust the settings to get the best quality and performance for your screen recording. For example, you can choose the frame rate, the resolution, the codec, and the format of your screen recording. You can also choose whether to record audio and video, and whether to show the mouse pointer and clicks.
• Edit your screen recording to enhance it. After you screen record on Mac, you can edit your screen recording to make it better. You can trim, crop, rotate, or resize your screen recording. You can also add annotations, transitions, filters, text, audio, and more to your screen recording. You can use the editing features of the tool that you used to screen record, or use a separate editing app for more options and effects.
• Share your screen recording with your audience. Once you are happy with your screen recording, you can share it with your audience. You can save your screen recording as a file in your desired location, or upload it to a platform or a service that supports video sharing. You can also compress your screen recording to reduce its size and make it easier to share. You can use the sharing features of the tool that you used to screen record, or use a separate sharing app for more options and convenience.

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Screen recording on Mac is a handy feature that can help you with various tasks and goals. You can use screen recording to create tutorials, demos, presentations, podcasts, and more. You can also use screen recording to troubleshoot problems, report bugs, or share your gameplay with others.

You can screen record on Mac using different options, such as the built-in Screenshot app, QuickTime Player, and third-party apps. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages, and you can choose the one that suits your needs and preferences. You can also optimize your screen recordings by editing, enhancing, and sharing them with your audience. We hope that this article has helped you learn how to screen record on Mac and make the most of its features. If you have any questions or feedback, please let us know in the comments below.

FAQs

• Q: How do I screen record on Mac with sound?
• A: You can screen record on Mac with sound by choosing a microphone for audio recording in the settings of the tool that you are using. For example, if you are using the Screenshot app, you can click the Options button and choose a microphone from the list. If you are using QuickTime Player, you can click the downward arrow and choose a microphone from the list. You can also record the system sound by choosing the Internal Microphone option, or use a third-party app that can capture the system sound, such as Avast Screen Recorder or ScreenFlow.
• Q: How do I screen record on Mac with FaceTime camera?
• A: You can screen record on Mac with FaceTime camera by using QuickTime Player or a third-party app that can record video from your Mac’s camera, such as ScreenFlow or Snagit. To use QuickTime Player, you can follow these steps:
  • Open QuickTime Player and go to File > New Movie Recording from the menu bar.
  • Click the Record button to start recording video from your FaceTime camera. You can also click the downward arrow to change the settings for video recording, such as the quality, the camera, and the microphone.
  • Open another QuickTime Player window and go to File > New Screen Recording from the menu bar.
  • Click the Record button to start screen recording. You can also click the downward arrow to change the settings for screen recording, such as the microphone and the mouse clicks.
  • Resize and position the two QuickTime Player windows so that they don’t overlap each other. You can also make the movie recording window smaller and place it in a corner of your screen to create a picture-in-picture effect.
  • Click the Stop button in the menu bar to stop screen recording and movie recording. You can then save, edit, or share your recordings as you wish.
• Q: How do I screen record on Mac with keyboard shortcuts?
• A: You can screen record on Mac with keyboard shortcuts by using the Screenshot app or QuickTime Player. To use the Screenshot app, you can press Shift + Command + 5 on your keyboard to open the toolbar, and then press the Spacebar to switch between the different modes and options for screen recording. You can also press Command + Shift + R to start or stop screen recording. To use QuickTime Player, you can press Command + Control + N on your keyboard to open a new screen recording window, and then press the Spacebar to start or stop screen recording. You can also press Esc to cancel screen recording.
• Q: How do I screen record on Mac with voiceover?
• A: You can screen record on Mac with voiceover by using a tool that can record audio from your microphone, such as the Screenshot app, QuickTime Player, or a third-party app. You can also use a separate app that can generate voiceover from text, such as [Text to Speech] or [Natural Reader]. To use Text to Speech, you can follow these steps:
  • Open Text to Speech and type or paste the text that you want to convert to voiceover. You can also choose the voice, the language, the speed, and the pitch of the voiceover.
  • Click the Play button to preview the voiceover, or click the Download button to save the voiceover as an audio file.
  • Open the tool that you want to use for screen recording, such as the Screenshot app or QuickTime Player, and choose the audio file as the source for audio recording in the settings.
  • Start screen recording and play the voiceover at the same time. You can also pause and resume the screen recording and the voiceover as needed.
• Q: How do I screen record on Mac without watermark?
• A: You can screen record on Mac without watermark by using a tool that does not add a watermark to your screen recordings, such as the Screenshot app, QuickTime Player, or Avast Screen Recorder. Some third-party apps may add a watermark to your screen recordings, especially if they are free or have a trial version. You may need to upgrade to a paid or premium version to remove the watermark, or use a different app that does not have a watermark. {finish}