MacBooks have a built-in screen recorder you don't need to read

The fastest way to screen record on a MacBook is to use Screenshot, the tool built into every Mac. Press Shift + Command + 5, choose the recording option, and click the area of your screen you want to capture. The video saves to your desktop by default, ready to use when ready. You don't need to install anything or sign up for a service.

This built-in tool works on any MacBook running macOS 10.14 or newer. If you're not sure which version you have, click the Apple menu in the top-left corner, select "About This Mac", and look for the macOS version number. The recording quality is high enough for most purposes — tutorials, presentations, video calls, or showing someone how to do something on your computer.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Shift + Command + 5 to open the screenshot and recording menu on any MacBook.
  • Choose "Record Selected Portion" or "Record Entire Screen" depending on what you need to capture.
  • Recordings save as .mov files on your desktop, which you can move, rename, or edit later.
  • You can pause and resume recording by clicking the pause button in the menu bar while recording is active.
  • If you need to record audio from your Mac speakers or an external microphone, check the audio settings before you start.

Opening the recording tool and choosing your recording area

Press Shift + Command + 5 on your keyboard. A menu bar will appear at the bottom of your screen with five icons. The fourth icon from the left (it looks like a rectangle with a dot inside) is "Record Selected Portion" — this lets you drag to select just the part of your screen you want to record. The fifth icon is "Record Entire Screen" — this captures everything on your display.

If you choose "Record Selected Portion", your cursor will change to a crosshair. Click and drag to draw a rectangle around the area you want to record. You'll see the dimensions appear as you drag. Once you've selected the area, click the "Record" button that appears inside your selection. If you choose "Record Entire Screen", click "Record" when ready and the entire screen will start recording.

Before you start recording, look at the menu bar options. You can click "Options" to choose where your recording saves (desktop, documents, or another folder), whether to show the mouse pointer, and whether to record audio from your microphone or your Mac's speakers.

Recording audio and controlling what you capture

By default, the screenshot tool does not record any audio. If you want to record sound — your voice, music playing on your Mac, or audio from a video call — click "Options" in the menu bar before you press "Record". Look for "Microphone" and choose either "Built-in Microphone" (to record your voice), "External Microphone" (if you have one plugged in), or "None" (if you don't want audio).

If you want to record audio from your Mac's speakers — for example, if you're recording a video tutorial and want to capture the background music or sound effects — you'll need a different approach. The built-in tool can only record microphone input, not system audio. For that, you'll need third-party software like Audacity (free) or ScreenFlow (paid), which can capture both your screen and the sound your Mac is playing.

Once you've chosen your audio settings and pressed "Record", a timer will appear in the menu bar showing how long you've been recording. You can pause by clicking the pause button, resume by clicking it again, or stop by clicking the "Stop" button. When you click "Stop", your recording will process for a few seconds and then save to your chosen location.

Finding and using your saved recording

By default, your recording saves as a .mov file on your desktop with a name like "Screen Recording 2024-01-15 at 2.30.45 PM". You can rename it, move it to a folder, or open it when ready by double-clicking it. The file opens in QuickTime Player, which is built into every Mac and lets you play, trim, and share your recording.

If you want to edit your recording — cut out sections, add text, or combine it with other videos — you can use iMovie (free, built into most Macs) or Final Cut Pro (paid). Both let you import your .mov file and make changes. For straightforward trimming, QuickTime Player itself has an "Edit" menu where you can cut the beginning or end of your recording.

To share your recording, you can email the file directly if it's small enough, upload it to cloud storage like iCloud Drive or Google Drive, or use AirDrop to send it to another Mac or iPhone. If the file is too large for email, compressing it first will make it easier to send — right-click the file, select "Compress", and a smaller version will appear on your desktop.

Changing where recordings save and adjusting default settings

If you don't want your recordings to save on your desktop, you can change the default location. Press Shift + Command + 5, click "Options", and look for "Save to". You can choose "Desktop", "Documents", "Downloads", "Trash", "Clipboard", or "Other Location". If you choose "Other Location", you can navigate to any folder on your Mac.

You can also set whether the mouse pointer appears in your recording, whether to show floating thumbnail previews after recording, and whether to record audio. These settings stick — once you change them, they'll be the default the next time you record, unless you change them again.

If you choose "Clipboard" as your save location, the recording won't save to a file at all. Instead, it will be copied to your clipboard, and you can paste it directly into an email, document, or messaging app. This is useful if you want to send a quick recording without creating a file first.

Troubleshooting common recording problems

If Shift + Command + 5 doesn't open the screenshot menu, your Mac may be running an older version of macOS. Try Shift + Command + 6 instead, or open Spotlight (Command + Space), type "Screenshot", and press Enter. If neither works, your Mac is likely running macOS 10.13 or older, and you'll need to use QuickTime Player instead — open it from Applications > Utilities, click "File", and select "New Screen Recording".

If your recording is choppy or stutters, close other programs before you record. Screen recording uses a lot of your Mac's processing power, especially if you're recording at full screen resolution. Closing web browsers, email, and other apps will free up resources and make your recording smoother.

If you don't hear audio in your recording even though you selected a microphone, check that the microphone is actually working. Open System Settings, click "Sound", and look at the "Input" section. Speak into your microphone and watch the input level bar — if it doesn't move, the microphone isn't working. Try plugging in an external microphone, or restart your Mac and try again.

When to use third-party recording software instead

The built-in screenshot tool works well for most situations, but some tasks need more features. If you want to record system audio (sound from your Mac's speakers), you'll need software like Audacity, ScreenFlow, or OBS Studio (all available for free or paid). If you want to record multiple screens at once, or add annotations and drawings while recording, third-party tools give you more control.

For professional video editing after recording, Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere Pro are industry standard, but they're expensive and have a steep learning curve. For straightforward edits and sharing, iMovie is usually enough. If you're recording a presentation or tutorial and want to add slides, captions, or background music, Keynote (built into Macs) or PowerPoint can do that without separate recording software.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I record just one window instead of my whole screen?

Yes. Press Shift + Command + 5, then click "Record Selected Portion". Drag a rectangle around just the window you want to record. You can also hold down the spacebar while dragging to snap to the edges of a window, which makes it easier to select exactly what you need.

How long can a screen recording be?

There's no built-in time limit. Your recording can be as long as your Mac's storage allows. A one-hour recording at standard resolution takes roughly 1 to 2 gigabytes of space, depending on how much movement is on your screen. Check how much free space you have by clicking the Apple menu, selecting "About This Mac", and looking at the storage bar.

Can I record my screen while on a video call?

Yes. Open your video call app, then press Shift + Command + 5 and start recording. The recording will capture everything on your screen, including the video call. If you want to record only the call window, use "Record Selected Portion" and drag around just that window.

What format does the recording save in, and can I convert it?

Recordings save as .mov files, which play on any Mac, iPhone, or iPad. To convert to another format like .mp4, open QuickTime Player, click "File", select "Export As", and choose a different format from the dropdown menu. This creates a new file without deleting the original.

Does screen recording slow down my MacBook?

Recording uses your Mac's processor and can slow things down slightly, especially if you're recording at full resolution or running other programs. Close unnecessary apps before recording to keep your Mac running smoothly. If your recording is choppy, try recording a smaller area instead of your entire screen.