How to screen record on Mac with audio, including system sound.
Screen record on Mac with audio: Shift-Command-5 steps, which macOS versions capture system sound, BlackHole and OBS setup, and fixes for silent recordings.
Read guideTHE RECORDING WORKBENCH
Mac screen recording guides.
Each guide answers the question with the free, built-in route first, shows exactly where that route runs out, and then the faster way. Steps, tables, scripts, and troubleshooting included.
Choose your recording workflow
How to record a product demo video on a Mac.
Record a product demo video on Mac: a four-part structure, a fill-in script, length by placement, screen prep, the free QuickTime route, and faster fixes.
Read guideHow to record a software tutorial on a Mac that people can follow along with.
Record a software tutorial on Mac: lesson structure with checkpoints, a script skeleton, readable small UI, pacing, and formats for help centers and YouTube.
Read guideHow to fix a mistake in a screen recording without re-recording all of it.
Fix a mistake in a screen recording without starting over: cut it out, re-record only that section in QuickTime, or use Replace Take. Mac steps and an example.
Read guideHow to record a website handoff video a client can still follow a year later.
Record a website handoff video for a client: a 10-minute outline, a script to copy, a Webflow example, what to send with the MP4, and how to update it.
Read guideHow to record WordPress training videos for a client’s own site.
Record WordPress training videos on a client’s own site: a task list by role, a 3-minute script, file names, what to leave out, and how to update one clip.
Read guideHow to record training videos for the system you configured for a client.
Record custom training videos for a client’s configured HubSpot, Salesforce or no-code system: videos by role, a script, test data, delivery and upkeep.
Read guideHow to update a training video when one screen changed, without re-recording it.
Update a training video when one screen changed: find the affected range, cut or replace only that part, match the old take, and export again on a Mac.
Read guideHow to screen record on a Mac: every built-in way, with the shortcuts.
How to screen record on Mac: Shift-Command-5 and QuickTime steps, every shortcut, how to stop, window vs portion, time limit, and changes in macOS 14–27.
Read guideWhere screen recordings go on a Mac, and how to find one you lost.
Mac screen recordings save to the desktop as “Screen Recording [date] at [time].mov”. How to change the folder, find a lost recording, and read the file name.
Read guideMac screen recording format and quality: MOV, MP4, H.264, HEVC, and what to send where.
Mac screen recordings are MOV files. When to convert to MP4, H.264 vs HEVC on macOS 26+, resolution and frame rate, and settings for YouTube, GitHub, and email.
Read guideHow to reduce screen recording file size on a Mac with free tools.
Reduce a Mac screen recording’s file size for free: record a smaller area, trim, QuickTime Export As, iMovie, or HandBrake. Why files are big, what to pick.
Read guideFree screen recorders for Mac: what you already have, and where each one stops.
Free screen recorders for Mac compared: the built-in Shift-Command-5 recorder, QuickTime Player, and OBS Studio, where each stops, and when $49 once pays off.
Read guideMac screen recording has no sound: find the missing source and fix it.
Mac screen recording has no sound? Find the missing source, voice or app audio, and fix it with exact menu paths for macOS 14, 15, 26 and 27, QuickTime too.
Read guideQuickTime screen recording not working on Mac: what failed and how to fix it.
QuickTime screen recording not working on Mac? Match the symptom, greyed out, no sound, black video, stops, not saved, to its cause and fix on macOS 14 to 27.
Read guideScreen recording comes out black on Mac: the causes, and which ones you can fix.
Screen recording is black on Mac? See which apps block capture by design, how to fix permission in OBS, Chrome and Firefox, and the HDR setting to switch off.
Read guideMac screen recording stops by itself: why it happens and how to stop it.
Mac screen recording keeps stopping on its own? Check disk space, sleep settings, crashes and the stop shortcut, with exact Settings paths for macOS 14–27.
Read guideScreen recording not saving on Mac: where the file went and why it failed.
Mac screen recording not saving or missing? Check the Save to location, the floating thumbnail, disk space and iCloud Desktop, then learn what can be recovered.
Read guideLaggy or choppy screen recording on Mac: find out whether the file or the player is at fault.
Laggy or choppy screen recording on Mac? Tell playback lag from captured lag in two minutes, then fix CPU load, memory, low disk space, power mode and HDR.
Read guideMac screen recording permission: how to allow it, and what to do when it does not work.
Allow screen recording permission on Mac: the exact Privacy & Security path for macOS 14 to 27, why an app keeps asking, and fixes when the toggle won’t stick.
Read guideHow to edit a screen recording on a Mac, one operation at a time.
Edit a screen recording on Mac: trim, cut the middle, zoom, speed, captions, blur and voiceover. QuickTime and iMovie steps first, then one $49 editor.
Read guideHow to trim a screen recording on a Mac and cut a section out of the middle.
Trim the ends of a screen recording on Mac with Edit > Trim, then cut the middle with Show Clips and Split Clip in QuickTime Player. Steps with shortcuts.
Read guideHow to zoom in on part of a screen recording on a Mac.
Zoom in on part of a screen recording on Mac: the free iMovie route with Crop to Fill and Ken Burns, then manual and click-based zooms, compared by price.
Read guideHow to crop a screen recording on a Mac, and how to avoid needing to.
Crop a screen recording on Mac for free with Photos, iMovie or ffmpeg. QuickTime Player can’t crop, and neither can Qreata. Or record just a window.
Read guideHow to record a presentation with your webcam on Mac.
Record slides, your webcam and a live demo on Mac. Choose a capture source, keep speaker notes private, check audio and replace a mistake before exporting MP4.
Read guideHow to hide sensitive information in a Mac screen recording.
Hide client names, emails and account details in a Mac recording. Choose live element blur or editor regions, handle scrolling and inspect the exported MP4.
Read guideA screen recording checklist for Mac, before the long take.
Check capture source, microphone, app audio, privacy and readable text before recording on Mac. Use a ten-second sample and check the export before sharing.
Read guideHow to share a screen recording in Notion without losing the instructions.
Put a Mac screen recording into a Notion page, choose upload or a link, check file size and recipient access, and keep written steps beside the video.
Read guideStill choosing a recorder?
Explore the features behind the workflows, compare tools, or find an alternative to your current recorder.