How To Screen Record On Mac

Tips
1

I’m trying to record my screen on my Mac for a quick tutorial, but I can’t figure out the built‑in options or what shortcuts I’m supposed to use. I’d like to capture system audio too, if that’s possible, without installing anything sketchy. Can someone walk me through the best way to screen record on macOS and what settings I should check so the video looks clear?

2

Quick rundown for Mac screen recording, no extra apps.

  1. Built in screen recording shortcut
    • Press Shift + Command + 5
    • Bottom of the screen you see controls
    • Left icons are for screenshot, right icons for screen recording

  2. Record the whole screen
    • Click the icon with a solid rectangle and a small circle in corner
    • Click Options
    • Choose where to save
    • Choose mic if you want your voice
    • Click Record

  3. Record a portion of the screen
    • Click the dotted rectangle with a circle
    • Drag to select an area
    • Click Record

  4. Stop the recording
    • Click the small stop button in the menu bar at the top
    • Or press Command + Control + Esc

  5. System audio issue
    • macOS does not record system audio by default
    • You can record mic audio only
    • For system audio you usually need a virtual audio driver like BlackHole or Loopback or similar
    • These tools route system sound to the recorder
    • Without extra tools, your only option is to turn up speakers and record from mic, which sounds bad

So, for a quick tutorial:
Use Shift + Command + 5, pick full or partial screen, pick mic, start recording.
If you want clean system audio, you need to install extra software, macOS does not offer it built in yet.

3

@byteguru covered the shortcut stuff nicely, so I’ll just add some other angles and a couple of “hidden” bits Apple doesn’t really surface.

First, tiny correction: to stop a recording you can click the stop button in the menu bar, but the keyboard shortcut most folks actually use is Command + Control + Esc or Command + Shift + 5 again and then “Stop” in the controls. The menu bar icon is easy to miss if you’ve got a crowded setup.

Since you asked specifically about built in and system audio:

  1. You’re basically locked out of pure system audio recording
    Apple doesn’t let the built in screen recorder grab the internal system sound directly. No setting, no buried checkbox, nothing. If you see anyone saying “just turn on internal audio in Options” they’re either confused or using extra software.

  2. Best you can do with no extra apps

    • Use the built in recorder (Shift + Command + 5 like @byteguru said).
    • In “Options,” pick your mic.
    • If you really need system audio in the background and refuse to install anything, you can:
      • Turn your speakers up a bit.
      • Use headphones with one ear slightly off so your mic picks some of it up.
        It’s janky and sounds kinda trash, but for a super quick, one‑off tutorial it might be “good enough.”

  3. One trick if you’re okay with post‑processing but no drivers
    Still no extra drivers, but this is a semi‑reasonble workaround:

    • Record your screen + mic with the built in tool.
    • At the same time, use the app that is playing audio (e.g., QuickTime, a browser with a video) to export or download the original audio separately.
    • Later, drop both into iMovie or any simple editor and line the audio up manually.
      This way:
    • The built in recorder gives you video + voice.
    • The original audio file gives you clean system sound.
      No virtual audio cables, just a little annoying editing.

  4. If you can bend your “no installs” rule slightly
    I know you said “without installing,” but realistically, if you want clean system audio in 1 step, you’ll need:

    • A virtual audio device (like BlackHole / Loopback)
    • Then choose that device in the Options menu as your “microphone” so the system sound is fed in.
      That’s the practical solution, even if Apple pretends this is not a use case.

  5. Quick sanity check so you know it’s recording

    • After you stop recording, a thumbnail shows up in the lower right.
    • Click it and scrub through to confirm mic audio got captured.
    • If it’s silent, go back and confirm you didn’t leave the input set to “None” in Options. That one trips a lot of ppl up.

Short version:
Built in recorder is perfectly fine for video and voice, but for true system audio capture you either do a slightly hacky multi‑step workflow without extra tools, or you cave and install a virtual audio device. Apple just doesn’t give you the clean built in option yet.

4

Since @byteguru already nailed the basics, here’s a more “what actually works in practice” angle, plus a slightly different stance on the whole “no installs” thing.

1. Double‑check the context of your recording

Before worrying about audio routing, decide:

  • Is this a one‑off quick tutorial you’ll share once?
  • Or something you’ll reuse / upload where quality matters?

If it is genuinely one‑off, the built‑in tool plus your mic is usually enough. For anything you’ll keep, I’d argue it is not worth fighting Apple’s system‑audio limitations every single time just to avoid one small utility.

2. Built‑in options that people overlook

@byteguru explained the shortcuts well, so I will focus on the subtler stuff in the native tool:

  • After pressing Shift + Command + 5, click Options:
    • Set Timer (5 or 10 seconds) so you can prep windows or start playback.
    • Check Show Floating Thumbnail off if you do multiple takes. It saves you a click each time.
    • Choose Save to a dedicated “Screen Captures” folder so you are not hunting in Desktop/Downloads mess.

I slightly disagree with the idea that keyboard stopping is always better. If you are demoing shortcuts live, mixing in Command + Control + Esc can confuse viewers. Clicking the little stop icon in the menu bar keeps the demo focused on their shortcuts, not your recording tricks.

3. Cleaner “no extra driver” system audio hack

If you truly do not want virtual drivers:

  1. Record your screen + mic using the built‑in tool.
  2. At the same time, do one of:
    • Use the app’s Share / Export audio option.
    • If it is a browser video, find a tool or site that lets you download the audio track separately.
  3. In a simple editor (even iMovie):
    • Drop the screen recording on track 1.
    • Drop the clean audio file on track 2.
    • Line them up by matching a visible action, like when you click Play.

This is fussier up front than what @byteguru suggested, but it avoids the “mic hears speakers” problem, which usually sounds worse than people expect.

4. About the “no installs” rule

Here is where I slightly push back on your original requirement: avoiding any installs is fine for a one‑time emergency, but if you will record tutorials more than once, you will spend that time back every single session.

A lightweight virtual audio device solves:

  • System audio
  • Mic + system mix
  • Repeatability

and you only set it up once.

5. Using a dedicated screen recording workflow

Even though macOS has the built in tool, a more structured workflow like How To Screen Record On Mac can actually make your life easier, especially if you are doing this regularly or sharing with non‑technical coworkers.

You can treat “How To Screen Record On Mac” as a sort of template or checklist for your process:

Pros of using “How To Screen Record On Mac” as a workflow guide

  • Keeps everything in one repeatable routine:
    • Prep desktop
    • Configure audio
    • Test capture
    • Export in the right format
  • Helps you standardize:
    • Resolution and aspect ratio
    • File naming
    • Where recordings are stored
  • Good for teams:
    • You can tell others “follow the How To Screen Record On Mac steps” and get consistent results.

Cons

  • Slight learning curve up front while you memorize your own steps.
  • If you extend it with extra tools (virtual audio devices, editors), the workflow grows in complexity.
  • Overkill if you truly only ever need one quick, throwaway recording.

Compared to @byteguru’s more shortcut focused answer, this approach is less about “which buttons do I press” and more about “how do I not have to think about this every time.”

6. Simple practical checklist before you hit Record

Use this every session, regardless of tools:

  1. Clear desktop clutter you do not want on video.
  2. Plug in headphones if you plan to record your voice, to avoid echo.
  3. Shift + Command + 5
    • Pick Record Entire Screen or Record Selected Portion.
    • Hit Options:
      • Confirm Microphone is the correct one.
      • Choose your Save to folder.
  4. Do a 5–10 second test recording.
  5. Play it back:
    • Check: is your voice audible?
    • Check: is app audio present in any way?
    • If not, decide whether you will:
      • Live with “voice only,” or
      • Do the export‑audio‑separately trick, or
      • Finally install a virtual audio device and stop fighting macOS.

Follow that and you will at least avoid the classic “I just recorded a perfect 20 minute tutorial silently” disaster.