What is the shortcut to screen record on a Mac?

Press Shift-Command-5 to open the Screenshot toolbar, choose a recording option, and click Record. Press Command-Control-Esc to stop.

How do I stop a screen recording on a Mac?

Click the stop button in the menu bar at the top of the screen, or press Command-Control-Esc. The recording saves to your desktop unless you picked another location.

Can a Mac screen record with sound?

Yes. Choose a microphone in the Options menu to record your voice. Recording the sound your apps play needs macOS 27 Golden Gate, which adds an Include System Audio option. On older versions you need a workaround such as a virtual audio driver.

Where do Mac screen recordings save?

To the desktop by default, named Screen Recording followed by the date and time. You can change this under Options > Save to in the Screenshot toolbar.

Is there a time limit on Mac screen recording?

Apple doesn’t list a time limit for the built-in recorder. In practice, the length is limited by the free space on your Mac.

Why is my Mac screen recording black?

Some apps, including the Apple TV app, block their windows from being recorded, so the video shows black. If a third-party recorder shows nothing at all, allow it in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Screen & System Audio Recording.

How to Screen Record on Mac (Built-in Tools, 2026)

How to screen record on a Mac with Cmd+Shift+5

Every Mac running a recent version of macOS has a screen recorder built into the Screenshot app. You don’t need to install anything. These steps match Apple’s current instructions for macOS Sequoia 15, macOS Tahoe 26 and macOS 27 Golden Gate.

Open the Screenshot toolbar
Press Shift+Cmd+5. A toolbar appears at the bottom of the screen. The first buttons take still screenshots; the recording buttons come after them.
Choose what to record
Click Record Entire Screen, Record Selected Window (macOS Tahoe 26 or later), or Record Selected Portion. For a portion, drag the frame to move it and drag its edges to resize it.
Set your options
Click Options to pick a microphone, a timer, where the file is saved, and whether to show mouse clicks. More on each option below.
Start recording
Click Record. If you chose a window, click the window you want to capture. Press Esc before you start if you change your mind.
Stop recording
Click the stop button in the menu bar, or press Cmd+Control+Esc. A thumbnail slides into the corner of the screen. Click it to trim or share, or leave it and the file saves on its own.

Screen recording options on Mac

The Options menu in the Screenshot toolbar controls how the recording behaves. Set these before you click Record.

Save to: Desktop is the default. Pick another preset folder or choose Other Location.
Timer: wait a few seconds after you click Record, so you can get your windows ready.
Microphone: pick your built-in mic, a USB mic or AirPods to record your voice. Choose None for a silent recording.
Include System Audio: records sound from your apps. This option arrives in macOS 27 Golden Gate. See our guide to recording a Mac screen with audio for older versions.
Show Mouse Clicks: draws a black circle around the pointer each time you click, which helps viewers follow along in a tutorial.
Show Floating Thumbnail: turn off the preview in the corner if you want the file saved right away.
Remember Last Selection: keeps the same portion of the screen for your next recording.
Capture format: on supported Macs running macOS Tahoe 26 or later, choose SDR (H.264) or HDR (HEVC). You only see the HDR difference on an HDR display.

How to screen record on a Mac with QuickTime Player

QuickTime Player is the older route and still works. On current macOS it often hands you the same Screenshot toolbar, but it opens the recording in a player window when you stop, which is handy if you want to trim right away.

Open QuickTime Player
Find it in your Applications folder, or search for it with Spotlight.
Start a new screen recording
Choose File > New Screen Recording, or press Control+Cmd+N. If the Screenshot toolbar appears, follow the steps above.
Pick a microphone
Click the arrow next to the Record button to choose a mic and turn on Show Mouse Clicks. If you hear an echo, lower the volume slider or wear headphones.
Record and stop
Click Record, then click anywhere to record the whole screen, or drag to select an area and click Start Recording. Stop from the menu bar or with Cmd+Control+Esc. QuickTime opens the recording for you.

Built-in ways to screen record on a Mac

	Screenshot toolbar	QuickTime Player
How to open	`Shift+Cmd+5`	File > New Screen Recording
Record a single window	Yes, on macOS Tahoe 26 or later	Not in Apple’s steps
Microphone	Yes	Yes, with a volume slider
System audio	macOS 27 Golden Gate or later	Not listed in Apple’s steps
Timer	Yes	Not in Apple’s steps
After you stop	Thumbnail, then saves to the desktop	Opens in a QuickTime window
File format	.mov	.mov

Where do screen recordings go on a Mac?

Unless you changed Save to, recordings land on your desktop. The file name starts with "Screen Recording" followed by the date and time, and ends in .mov. Recordings from QuickTime Player open in a window first; choose File > Save if you want to name the file and pick a folder.

How to trim a screen recording on a Mac

Open the recording in QuickTime Player
Double-click the .mov file. It opens in QuickTime Player by default. You can also click the floating thumbnail right after you stop recording.
Choose Edit > Trim
A yellow trimming bar appears under the video.
Drag the yellow handles
Everything outside the handles is cut. Click and hold a handle to see single frames for a precise cut.
Click Trim and save
Click Trim, then save the file.

How to screen record on a Mac with your face

The Screenshot toolbar’s options don’t include a camera bubble. The common workaround uses QuickTime Player twice: open File > New Movie Recording to show your camera in a window, choose View > Float on Top so it stays above everything, shrink it into a corner, then start a screen recording with Shift+Cmd+5. Your camera window is recorded along with the screen.

Apple’s Presenter Overlay (macOS Sonoma 14 or later on Apple silicon) puts you on top of your shared screen, but Apple documents it for video calls, not for screen recordings. For a polished camera bubble, use a recorder that has one built in.

Mac screen recording not working? Common fixes

An app can’t record your screen: open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Screen & System Audio Recording and turn on the switch next to that app. If it isn’t listed, click the add button and choose it. Quit and reopen the app afterwards.
No sound in the recording: check that Options > Microphone isn’t set to None. For a third-party app, also check System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone. Before macOS 27, the built-in tools record your mic only, not the sound playing on your Mac.
A video plays as a black box: some apps, such as the Apple TV app, don’t allow their windows to be recorded. This is expected and there’s no setting to change it.
You hear an echo: the mic is picking up your speakers. Wear headphones, or lower the volume slider in QuickTime.
The file is huge: long, full-screen recordings add up fast. Record a selected portion, or trim the dead time at the start and end.

Record in your browser instead

The built-in tools give you a .mov file on your desktop. If you plan to send the recording to someone, you still have to upload it somewhere and copy a link. We’re building Clipfold for that step: a browser recorder (website and Chrome extension) that captures your screen, a window or a tab with optional camera and mic, and has a share link ready when you stop. A transcript comes with every recording.

Clipfold is launching soon. Join the waitlist to lock in a founding price, or start on the free plan when we open. See how it compares in our Loom alternatives roundup.

How to screen record on a Mac