Screen Recording Guide for Mac

Every method you can use to record your Mac screen, organized by approach so you can jump straight to what suits you.

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Recording your Mac screen is something most people assume requires specialist software. In reality, macOS has shipped with solid recording tools for years. Below we break things down by method rather than walking through a single linear tutorial, so you can pick the approach that feels right and skip whatever you already know.

Built-in

Method 1: The Screenshot Toolbar

Available on macOS Mojave (10.14) and later, the screenshot toolbar is the fastest way to start a screen recording without opening any app.

How to Open It

Press Cmd + Shift + 5. A floating toolbar appears at the bottom of your screen with capture options.

Choosing a Recording Mode

  • Record Entire Screen — captures everything on your display. Click anywhere to begin.
  • Record Selected Portion — drag a rectangle to define the area, then click Record.

Stopping the Recording

Click the Stop button in the menu bar (the small square icon), or press Cmd + Ctrl + Esc. Your video saves to the Desktop by default — you can change this in the toolbar's Options menu.

Options Worth Knowing

  • Timer — add a 5- or 10-second countdown before recording starts.
  • Microphone — toggle external audio capture on or off.
  • Show Mouse Clicks — makes cursor clicks visible in the recording.
  • Save To — redirect files to a custom folder, clipboard, or messaging apps.

Quick Tip

If you need to record a single window, use the screenshot toolbar's window-capture mode first, then switch to recording. The toolbar remembers your last selection.

Built-in

Method 2: QuickTime Player

QuickTime Player has been able to record the screen since OS X Yosemite. It is ideal if you are on an older macOS version or prefer a dedicated app window.

Steps

  1. Open QuickTime Player from the Applications folder or Spotlight.
  2. Go to File > New Screen Recording.
  3. On Mojave or later this opens the screenshot toolbar. On older versions a small recording widget appears.
  4. Click the red record button (older widget) or choose your area and click Record.
  5. Stop the recording from the menu bar, then save the file via File > Save.

Audio Options

Click the small arrow next to the record button (older widget) to pick an audio input. On newer macOS versions, audio settings live in the toolbar's Options menu.

Good to Know

QuickTime exports in MOV format. If you need MP4, you can convert the file using the built-in Encode Selected Video Files Finder action (right-click the file and look under Quick Actions).

Third-Party

Method 3: Third-Party Recorders

Built-in tools cover the basics, but third-party apps unlock features like webcam overlays, real-time annotations, scheduled recordings, and direct export to GIF or MP4.

When a Third-Party Tool Makes Sense

  • You record tutorials or demos frequently and need editing controls.
  • You want system audio capture without workarounds (macOS does not include this natively).
  • You need simultaneous webcam and screen recording.
  • You want automatic cloud uploads after recording.

We compare popular options in our Top Screen Recorders guide. All reviews are hands-on and free of affiliate bias.

Advanced

Method 4: Terminal and Automator

For power users, macOS offers command-line and Automator-based recording paths.

Using screencapture in Terminal

The screencapture command handles still screenshots, but you can combine it with scripts to automate timed captures. For video, ffmpeg (installable via Homebrew) provides a flexible pipeline:

ffmpeg -f avfoundation -i "1:none" -r 30 output.mp4

Replace "1:none" with the index of your screen and audio devices (list them with ffmpeg -f avfoundation -list_devices true -i "").

Automator Quick Actions

Create a Quick Action in Automator that launches a screen recording with predefined settings, then assign it a keyboard shortcut in System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Services.

Which Method Should You Use?

For most people, the screenshot toolbar (Cmd + Shift + 5) is the fastest path. It requires no setup and produces high-quality recordings out of the box. Turn to QuickTime when you need more explicit save control, or to a third-party app when built-in tools fall short on features. Terminal methods are best reserved for scripting and automation scenarios.

Want to learn the screenshot side of things next? Head over to our Screenshot Tips page.

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