Yes, Mac screen recording captures audio automatically
When you record your screen on a Mac using the built-in screen recording tool, audio records by default. The system captures whatever sound is playing through your Mac's speakers at the moment you hit record — this includes system sounds, app audio, music, video playback, and anything else your Mac is outputting. You do not have to turn audio on separately or change any settings to make this happen.
The audio quality depends on what your Mac is playing. If you are recording a video call, you will capture both sides of the conversation. If you are recording a presentation with background music, both the speaker and the music will be in your final file. The recording stops capturing audio the moment you stop the screen recording.
Key Takeaways
- Mac screen recording includes system audio in the recording by default — you do not need to enable it separately.
- You can turn audio off before you start recording if you want a silent video, using the Options menu in the recording interface.
- The microphone and system audio are separate controls — you can record one, both, or neither depending on what you need.
- Once you stop recording, the audio is saved as part of the video file in the location you chose.
Where to find the audio settings before you record
Open the Screenshot app (Command + Shift + 5 on your keyboard). You will see a row of buttons at the bottom of your screen — one of them says "Record Entire Screen" or "Record Selected Portion". Before you click Record, look for the "Options" button on the far right side of that same row.
Click Options and you will see a dropdown menu. Near the bottom, you will see "Microphone" with a list of choices. Below that is another option labeled "Audio" — this is the system audio setting. If "Audio" is set to "None", your recording will be silent. If it is set to your Mac's built-in microphone or an external microphone, it will record what that microphone picks up. You can choose both a microphone and system audio at the same time if you want to capture both your voice and what is playing on your screen.
The difference between microphone and system audio
System audio is the sound coming out of your Mac's speakers — video playback, app notifications, music, or anything else the Mac itself is producing. Microphone audio is your voice or any sound in the room around your Mac that your microphone picks up. They are two separate things, and you control them separately.
If you are recording a tutorial where you want to narrate what you are doing, you need the microphone. If you are recording a video call to save it, you need system audio to capture what the other person is saying. If you want both your voice and the video call audio, you set the microphone to your built-in mic and the audio to your built-in microphone as well — this captures everything through one input. If you want to record a silent video, set both to "None".
How to turn off audio before recording starts
Open Screenshot (Command + Shift + 5), click Options, and look at the "Audio" dropdown. Click it and select "None". This stops the system audio from being recorded. If you also want to make sure your microphone is not recording, check the "Microphone" dropdown above it and set that to "None" as well.
Once both are set to "None", click "Record Entire Screen" or "Record Selected Portion" depending on what you need. Your video will record with no audio at all. You can add audio later using video editing software if you change your mind.
What happens if you forget to change the audio setting
If you start recording without checking the Options menu, your Mac will record whatever audio settings were used the last time you recorded. This is usually system audio on, microphone off — so you will capture the sound from your screen but not your voice. If that is not what you wanted, you will need to re-record or edit the video afterward to remove or add audio.
The safest approach is to check the Options menu every time before you record, even if you think the settings are already correct. It takes five seconds and prevents you from discovering halfway through a recording that the audio is wrong.
Where your recording saves and how to find the audio
When you stop recording, your Mac asks where you want to save the file. By default, it saves to your Desktop. The file is a .mov video file that contains both the video and audio together — you do not get separate audio and video files. If you recorded with audio, opening the video file in QuickTime Player or any other video player will play both the picture and the sound.
If you need to remove the audio from a recording you already made, or add audio to a silent recording, you will need video editing software. iMovie (which comes free on most Macs) can do this. Open the video in iMovie, select the audio track, and delete it or replace it with a new audio file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I record my screen with audio from only my microphone, not system audio?
Yes. In the Options menu, set "Microphone" to your microphone and "Audio" to "None". This records only what your microphone picks up — your voice and room sounds — without capturing what is playing through your speakers.
If I record a video call, will both people's voices be in the recording?
Yes, if you have system audio turned on. The other person's voice comes through your speakers, so it records. Your own voice will record only if you also have your microphone turned on in the Options menu.
Can I record audio without recording video?
No, the Mac screen recording tool records video only. If you need to record just audio — like a voice memo or podcast — use the Voice Memos app instead, which comes built into macOS.
What if my external microphone is not showing up in the Microphone dropdown?
Make sure the microphone is plugged in or connected via Bluetooth before you open Screenshot. If it still does not appear, go to System Settings, then Sound, and check that your microphone is listed there. If it is not, your Mac may not recognize the device.
Can I change the audio settings after I start recording?
No, the audio settings are locked once recording begins. You must stop the recording, adjust the Options menu, and start a new recording if you want to change what audio is captured.