How to mac screen record?
If your Mac’s running the Mojave OS, or a more recent macOS, you can use the pre-installed Screenshot toolbar to capture what’s on your screen. But first, make sure you have enough disk space to save your recording by checking the storage on your Mac.
You may also want to test your Mac’s performance to ensure your system’s running smoothly, and prevent glitches or crashes.
Here’s how to screen record on Mac using the Screenshot toolbar:
This method is simple, but it does have limitations. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of using the Screenshot toolbar to screen record on a Mac:
For a presentation or tutorial where audio is essential, using your Mac’s QuickTime Player to record your screen with audio may be the best method. Like the Screenshot toolbar, Quicktime player is pre-installed on Macs and convenient to use.
Here’s how to screen record on Mac with audio using QuickTime Player:
Many of the pros and cons of using QuickTime to screen record are similar to the Screenshot toolbar. But unlike the Screenshot toolbar, QuickTime also works with older versions of macOS. The flip side is that, as an older tool, it has even fewer features: there’s no timer for delayed recording, and it won’t remember your preferences.
Third-party screen recorders can offer more features than your Mac’s native apps, but you need to download additional software. While third-party apps can cause performance issues and pose security and privacy risks (yes, Macs can get viruses), you should be okay if you stick to tools from the App Store and check the reviews first.
Here’s a quick rundown of some of the most popular third-party screen recorder apps:
OBS Studio is great for recording professional clips and live streaming.
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Snagit is a good tool for instructional videos.
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Loom is a popular cloud-based recorder that’s easy to use.
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Apowersoft’s online screen recorder offers quality recordings and good editing options.
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Screen recorders are generally safe, as long as you use good software from a reputable developer. If you’re not careful, third-party apps can put your device and personal data at risk. That’s why it’s important to use powerful security software. Avast One is built on top of an industry-leading anti-malware engine, and it includes anti-tracking technology and a built-in VPN to help strengthen your online privacy. Install Avast One today — completely free.
Yes, you can screen record on a Mac. If your Mac is not allowing you to screen record while you’re using certain apps, try changing your Privacy & Security setting.
Here’s how to enable screen recording on Mac:
There are various ways to screen record on a Mac with audio. Mac’s native Screenshot toolbar and QuickTime Player apps can screen record with audio. Plus, there are a variety of third-party app options available that enable audio recording from multiple inputs, such as system sound or microphones.
Here’s how to screen record on a Mac using keyboard shortcuts:
Using Apple’s built-in QuickTime Player, you can screen record on a Mac without a third-party app. Here’s how to screen record on a Mac with QuickTime Player:
- On your Mac, press Shift-Command-5 (or use Launchpad) to open Screenshot and display the tools.
- Click a tool to use to select what you want to capture or record (or use the Touch Bar).
- Click Options if you want.
- Start the screenshot or screen recording:
Sometimes a chance to show somebody how things are done proves more effective than having to come up with lengthy instructions. This is often true for educators, developers, IT support, YouTubers, online businesses, and teams working from different locations and even different time zones.
Taking a video of your actions as they happen on the screen of your Mac is called screen recording. (You can record your entire screen, a selected portion of the screen, or an app window.)
Learning how to screen record on Mac can help you a great deal with:
A great comprehensive all-in-one tool for screen recording Mac users can rely on is Capto.
With Capto you get to not only record your screen with real-time voiceover and webcam feed, but also edit your video and audio tracks, add text or speech bubbles, and share instantly from the app:
If you’re wondering, “Can I screen record on my Mac with a native macOS utility?” the answer is — yes. Apple has its own built-in screen recording feature called Screenshot that lets you capture video of whatever’s happening on your screen (with real-time audio, should you choose to).
You can use the Screenshot toolbar for taking both screenshots and video recordings of your screen (for video choose from the last two screen icons with a dot in the lower right corner).
To record with Screenshot:
Tip: If your Screenshot toolbar is already set to screen recording, you can use hotkeys for recording your screen: press Shift + Command + 5 to start the recording and Command + Control + Esc to stop the recording.
When you think about how to screen record on MacBook, it’s important to also understand how to include sound in your videos.
As we have already discussed, your native Mac screen recorder allows you to capture audio from your Mac’s built-in microphone, but if you’re looking for more advanced capabilities (like creating and editing voiceovers or learning to record your Skype meetings), you can find out more from our dedicated article on how to record your screen on Mac with sound.
Another option to record screen Mac users can try is QuickTime Player. We know this app for playing media files, but it can also be used for recording your screen and sound.
To use QuickTime Player as a Mac screen recorder, simply launch it from Applications and choose New Screen Recording from the File menu. This will open the Screenshot toolbar that lets you configure and start your recording.
The only difference with Screenshot is that with QuickTime Player, once you’re done recording, your file will automatically open inside the app and you can edit it right away.
If you’re going to mainly use your screen videos for exchanging ideas and collaborating with your team members — try async messaging with Yac.
Yac helps teams stay in touch and offers simple tools for presenting your ideas — with screen recordings, annotation, and voice memos.
Another great tool for asynchronous screen sharing is Tape.
Tape lets you create screen recordings or loop several frames into a GIF. You can also add webcam overlay, voiceover, and visual highlights to better illustrate your point. Another great Tape’s feature is its online dashboard that lets you avoid an endless number of screen videos on your Mac.
Learning how to screen record on Mac using Tape is pretty straightforward:
If creating GIFs is something you’re interested in, make sure to also try CleanShot X. It’s a simple screen recording macOS app that comes with a rich toolkit, allowing you to capture your screen without desktop icons, record as MP4 or GIF, trim video, annotate, and keep your recordings saved on CleanShot’s cloud for free — all a few clicks on the menu bar icon away.
Another popular contender for Mac screen recorder of choice is OBS Studio.
OBS Studio is a free open-source app used for both streaming and screen recording by many content creators. It’s known for a variety of advanced features, but can also be easily used by beginners.
Understanding how to screen record on Mac with OBS Studio starts with the basics:
If you’re also looking for an advanced app to help you edit your recordings, check CamerBag Pro. It’s a powerful photo and video editor that allows for professional adjustments and offers pro-quality preset filters to add style to your creations.
Being able to clearly get your point across even if you aren’t in the same room with your audience or colleagues is very important. Having a video recording to illustrate it — is priceless. Learning how to screen record on Mac is, without a doubt, a useful skill, and you can master it in no time with Mac’s built-in Screenshot and QuickTime Player or a more advanced OBS Studio screen recording setup.
If you’d like an effective tool that lets you both record and edit your videos from the same app on Mac, opt for Capto or CleanShot X (if you also like creating GIFs). For remote collaborations with your team members consider async screen sharing with Yac or Tape — these will save you time on meetings and lengthy explanations. And, finally, for advance editing and pro quality image adjustments arm yourself with CamerBag Pro to present your ideas with style.