By Chris, Screencap Team · Last updated: 24 October 2026
Press Shift-Command-5, choose Record Entire Screen or Record Selected Portion, click Options to pick a microphone, then click Record. Stop with the Stop button in the menu bar or Command-Control-Esc. The recording saves to your desktop as a .mov file.
- Press Shift-Command-5. Hold Shift and Command, then tap 5.
- A toolbar opens at the bottom of the screen. Choose Record Entire Screen or Record Selected Portion.
- Click Record. Recording starts.
- Stop with the Stop button in the menu bar, or press Command-Control-Esc. A thumbnail appears in the corner.
- The recording saves to your desktop as a .mov file named Screen Recording, with the date and time.
How do I screen record on a Mac with Shift-Command-5?
Shift-Command-5 (Cmd+Shift+5) opens the Screenshot app, which is the built-in screen recorder. These steps follow Apple's guide as of October 2026.
- Press Shift-Command-5. A toolbar appears at the bottom of the screen.
- Choose what to record. Pick Record Entire Screen or Record Selected Portion. Record Selected Window is also there on macOS Tahoe 26 or later.
- Click Options. Choose a microphone for your voice, set a timer, turn on Show Mouse Clicks, or change the Save to location.
- Click Record. If you picked a window, click the window you want instead.
- Stop the recording. Click the Stop button in the menu bar, or press Command-Control-Esc.
A thumbnail appears in the corner when you stop. Click it to edit the recording, or wait and it saves to your desktop.
How do I screen record with QuickTime Player?
Open QuickTime Player, choose File > New Screen Recording (or press Control-Command-N), then click Record. On a recent Mac this opens the same Screenshot toolbar as above. If you see a small Screen Recording window instead, QuickTime is doing the recording.
In that window, click the arrow next to the Record button to choose a microphone. Then click anywhere to record the whole screen, or drag over an area and click Start Recording. When you stop, QuickTime opens the recording so you can play, edit or share it.
How do I screen record on Mac with audio?
Choose a microphone before you record. In the Shift-Command-5 toolbar, click Options and pick one under Microphone. In QuickTime Player, click the arrow next to Record and pick one there.
QuickTime also has a volume slider to monitor your audio while you record. If you hear feedback, lower the volume or wear headphones with a microphone.
How do I record internal audio on a Mac?
Internal audio (also called system audio) is the sound your Mac plays, such as a video, a call or a game. Apple's guide lists an Include System Audio option in the Shift-Command-5 Options menu only for macOS 27 Golden Gate or later.
Apple's steps for earlier versions offer a microphone but no system audio option. A microphone picks up speaker sound as an echo, so people on those versions add an app that captures system audio directly.
Screencap does this with a System Audio toggle on macOS 13.1 or later. It uses Apple's own capture technology, so you install no extra audio driver. More on that below, and on our screen recorder with audio page.
How do I stop a screen recording on Mac?
Click the Stop button in the menu bar at the top of the screen, or press Command-Control-Esc. Both work in the Screenshot app and in QuickTime Player.
Esc only cancels a recording that has not started. Once recording is running, use Stop.
What are the Mac screen recording keyboard shortcuts?
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Shift-Command-5 | Opens the Screenshot toolbar with the recording controls |
| Control-Command-N | Starts a new screen recording from QuickTime Player |
| Command-Control-Esc | Stops the recording |
| Esc | Cancels before you click Record |
Where are screen recordings saved on a Mac?
On your desktop, by default. The file is named Screen Recording [date] at [time].mov. To save somewhere else, click Options in the Shift-Command-5 toolbar and choose a different Save to location before you record.
Need the recording as an MP4? The free MOV to MP4 converter changes it in your browser, and the file never leaves your Mac.
You can open the file in QuickTime Player, iMovie and other apps that edit or play video. Apple notes that some apps, such as the Apple TV app, might not let you record their windows.
What can't the built-in recorder do?
It records well, and it costs nothing. Two gaps send people looking for an app:
- System audio on older macOS. The option exists only on macOS 27 or later.
- Sharing. You get a .mov file on your desktop. To send it, you attach it, upload it somewhere or export it first.
How do I record my Mac screen with audio and get a share link?
Screencap is a free Mac screen recorder that records your microphone and system audio, then gives you a link that plays in any browser. It needs macOS 13.1 or later, on Apple Silicon or Intel.
- Install it. Download Screencap, drag it into Applications, open it and sign in. Allow screen recording when macOS asks.
- Choose what to record. Pick Display, Window, Area or Camera Only.
- Turn on audio. Pick a microphone, and switch on System Audio to capture what your Mac plays.
- Pick a mode. Instant uploads while you record, so the link is ready when you stop. Studio records locally in the highest quality so you can edit first.
- Record, then stop. In Instant mode the link is copied when you stop, ready to paste anywhere.
Screencap lets you assign your own keyboard shortcuts to start, stop and pause. Instant recordings cannot be paused, so use Stop. Studio recordings can pause and resume.
It is free today, with no limits on recording length at the time of writing. Choose up to 4K in Settings > Recording quality; the default is 1080p. New links are open to anyone who has them. See how to share a recording privately, or read about what free means here.
Questions
How do I screen record on Mac with sound?
Press Shift-Command-5, click Options, and choose a microphone under Microphone before you click Record. That captures your voice and any sound the microphone picks up. To capture the sound your Mac plays itself, you need macOS 27 or later, or an app that does it for you.
Can you record internal audio on a Mac?
Yes, in two ways. On macOS 27 Golden Gate or later, Shift-Command-5 has an Include System Audio option in its Options menu. On earlier versions, use an app that captures system audio, such as Screencap (macOS 13.1 or later).
How do I stop a screen recording on Mac?
Click the Stop button in the menu bar, or press Command-Control-Esc. Pressing Esc only cancels a recording before you click Record.
Where do screen recordings go on Mac?
By default they save to your desktop, named "Screen Recording [date] at [time].mov". You can pick a different folder under Options > Save to before you start.
Why is there no sound in my Mac screen recording?
Open Options in the Shift-Command-5 toolbar and check that a microphone is chosen. Sound your Mac plays is only captured on macOS 27 or later with Include System Audio chosen, or by an app that records system audio.