How to Screen Record on Mac: Every Built-In Method, With and Without Sound

To screen record on a Mac, press Shift, Command, 5, pick Record Entire Screen, Record Selected Window or Record Selected Portion, then click Record. macOS has 2 built-in ways to record (the Screenshot app and QuickTime Player), and both save a .mov file to your desktop by default (Apple Support).

By my count from Apple's guides: there are 3 recording modes in the Screenshot toolbar, and 1 of them, Record Selected Window, needs macOS Tahoe 26 or later. Recording your Mac's own sound without extra software needs macOS 27 Golden Gate or later. On anything older, built-in recording takes a microphone only.

I am Siddharth Sharma, and I build Znip, a Mac app for screenshots and screen recordings. Every step below comes from Apple's own support pages, checked on 29 October 2026.

Method 1: the Screenshot toolbar (Shift, Command, 5)

This is the quickest way and works on any recent macOS.

Press Shift, Command, 5. A toolbar appears at the bottom of the screen.
Choose what to record:
- Record Entire Screen: click anywhere to start.
- Record Selected Window (macOS Tahoe 26 or later): click the window you want.
- Record Selected Portion: drag the frame's borders around the area, then click Record.
To stop, click the Stop button in the menu bar, or press Command, Control, Esc.

A thumbnail appears in the corner of the screen. Click it to trim or share the clip, or wait and it saves on its own. To cancel before you start, press Esc. Source: Apple Support: How to record the screen on Mac.

If you only need a still image of part of the screen, see how to screenshot part of the screen on Mac. For every screenshot shortcut in one place, see Mac screenshot shortcuts.

Set the options before you record

Click Options in the toolbar before you press Record. Apple lists these recording settings:

Microphone: pick a mic to record your voice. Choose None for a silent clip.
Include System Audio: records the sound playing on your Mac. Only in macOS 27 Golden Gate or later.
Show Mouse Clicks: draws a black circle around the pointer each time you click.
Timer: waits a few seconds after you click Record, so you can get ready.
Save to: changes where the file goes. The default is the desktop.
Capture format (supported Macs on macOS Tahoe 26 or later): SDR saves H.264 video that plays almost anywhere; HDR saves HEVC video with more brightness and colour.

The Show Floating Thumbnail and Remember Last Selection options also live in this menu (Mac User Guide).

Method 2: QuickTime Player

Open QuickTime Player from your Applications folder.
Choose File > New Screen Recording, or press Control, Command, N.
On current macOS this opens the same Screenshot toolbar as Method 1, so follow those steps.

Apple notes that on some Macs you see an older QuickTime Screen Recording window instead. There, click the arrow next to the Record button to pick a microphone and turn on mouse clicks, then click Record. Click anywhere to record the full screen, or drag an area and click Start Recording. When you stop, QuickTime opens the recording for you (Apple Support).

Screen record on Mac with sound

There are 2 kinds of sound, and they are separate settings:

Your voice comes from a microphone. Choose it under Options > Microphone. This works on any recent macOS.
Your Mac's sound (a video, a call, an app) is system audio. Choose Options > Include System Audio in macOS 27 Golden Gate or later.

On macOS Tahoe 26 or earlier, you need a recorder that captures system audio, or a virtual audio driver. I cover both routes, plus permissions and fixes for silent recordings, in how to screen record on Mac with audio.

How to stop a screen recording

Click Stop in the menu bar, or press Command, Control, Esc. The shortcut also works when the menu bar is hidden in a full screen app. If the recording will not stop at all, see how to stop a screen recording on Mac.

Where screen recordings are saved

By default, recordings save to your desktop with the name "Screen Recording [date] at [time].mov". To change the folder, open Options and pick a different Save to location before you record. You can open the file in QuickTime Player, iMovie and other video apps (Apple Support).

Trim a recording without extra software

Open the recording in QuickTime Player.
Choose Edit > Trim.
Drag the yellow handles. Anything outside the handles is cut. Click and hold a handle to see single frames for a precise cut.
Click Trim.

Source: QuickTime Player User Guide: Trim a movie or clip. You can also trim straight from the floating thumbnail right after you stop recording.

Things that can go wrong

No sound: check that a microphone is chosen in Options. For Mac sound, you need macOS 27 or another app.
A black window: Apple says some apps, such as the Apple TV app, might not let you record their windows.
The app asks for permission: turn it on in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Screen & System Audio Recording (Apple Support), then quit and reopen the app.

When a dedicated screen recorder helps

The built-in tools are enough for a quick clip. A dedicated app helps when you need your Mac's sound on macOS 26 or earlier, a webcam bubble, more editing, or a share link.

Disclosure: Znip is the app I build. In Znip you choose microphone and system audio separately, can add a webcam bubble, and can trim and share the clip in its editor (Znip FAQ). It is in invite-only beta for Apple silicon Macs on macOS 15 or later.

Frequently asked questions

What is the shortcut to screen record on Mac?

Shift, Command, 5 opens the Screenshot toolbar with the recording controls. In QuickTime Player, Control, Command, N starts a new screen recording.

Can I screen record on Mac with audio?

Yes. Choose a microphone in Options to record your voice. To record your Mac's own sound, choose Include System Audio in macOS 27 Golden Gate or later, or use a recorder app on older versions.

How do I record just one window on Mac?

In macOS Tahoe 26 or later, choose Record Selected Window in the Screenshot toolbar and click the window. On older versions, use Record Selected Portion and drag the frame around the window.

How long can a Mac screen recording be?

Apple's guide does not list a time limit. Long recordings make large files, so check the free space on the drive you save to.

Where do Mac screen recordings go?

To the desktop by default, as .mov files. Change it under Options > Save to.

Is QuickTime screen recording different from Shift, Command, 5?

On current macOS, no. QuickTime's New Screen Recording command opens the same Screenshot toolbar.

By Siddharth Sharma, founder of Znip. Sources: Apple Support: How to record the screen on Mac, Mac User Guide: Take screenshots or screen recordings, QuickTime Player User Guide.