How to Record Screen on Mac Computer or MacBook? 4 Free Ways

There are many situations in which you would like to record the screen on your Mac. For instance, create a walkthrough tutorial to show people how things are done, capture your epic headshots in video games for archives, record online conferences to keep important details, etc. Meanwhile, you might also want to capture the sound along with the screen, such as the internal audio from an app or a video, or your voice using a microphone, with background noise removed.

So how to record screen on Mac with the best output quality? In this article, you can find 4 useful methods that allow you to do so. Just read on to learn more.

On This Page

• Method 1: How to Record Screen on Mac with Sound Using Screenshot Toolbar
• Method 2: How to Screen Record on Mac with Internal Audio Using QuickTime Player
• Method 3: How to Record Screen on Mac without Background Noise with a Screen Recorder
• Method 4: How to Capture Screen on Mac Using OBS
• How to Record Screen on Mac - FAQs

Method 1: How to Record Screen on Mac with Sound Using Screenshot Toolbar

How to capture screen on Mac? One of the easiest ways is to use the keyboard shortcut: Command + Shift + 5. This will open a toolbar at the bottom of your screen and you can make a video recording of the entire screen or just a selected portion of it.

Here’s how to record screen on Mac with the screenshot toolbar.

Step 1. Press Command + Shift + 5 and a toolbar will appear, which allows you to capture a still image of your screen or record the screen as a video.

Step 2. Now you can choose to record the entire screen or record a selected portion of the screen from the toolbar.

Step 3. Click on Options to set the output path if desired. Click on the Record button to record screen in Mac.

That’s it. Your recorded video will be saved to your desktop in MOV format if you didn’t specify the location for saving it.

Method 2: How to Screen Record on Mac with Internal Audio Using QuickTime Player

While the screen record on Mac shortcut allows you to make screen recordings conveniently, it can’t capture internal audio or the system sound on Mac. So how to record screen on Mac with internal audio? You can go with a screen recorder for Mac, like the pre-installed QuickTime Player on Mac.

But before everything else, you will need to install Soundflower - an open-source extension to route the audio output on MacOS. Here’s how to screen record on Mac with Soundflower and QuickTime Player.

Step 1. Download and install Soundflower on your Mac. Launch Audio MIDI Setup. Click the + button and choose “Create Multi-Output Device.”

Step 2. Tick the boxes for “Built-in Output” and “Soundflower (2ch)” and check the box in the Drift Correction column.

Step 3. Now launch QuickTime Player. Go to File > New Screen Recording.

Step 4. The same screenshot toolbar introduced in the previous part will appear. Then you can just click the Record button and start recording.

When you screen record on MacBook Air with a system older than Mojave, you will see a screen recording window, not the toolbar. But still, just click the Record button and you can record screen for Mac with internal audio.

Method 3: How to Record Screen on Mac without Background Noise with a Screen Recorder

For users who require high-quality video output and advanced recording features, a professional screen recorder is the best solution. There are lots of screen recorders out there, but when it comes to the best ones, Vidnoz is a solid option, which offers various capture modes and advanced features for high-quality screen recordings.

How to record screen on Mac without background noise? Vidnoz Flex is your go-to choice. With this all-in-one video marketing platform, you can capture, edit, share, and even track your screen recordings effortlessly. Moreover, it allows you to screen record on Mac without background noise. Just check out its screen recording features to learn more.

• Easy to Screen Record on Mac Online

With Vidnoz Flex online screen recorder, there is no need to install hefty apps. Just sign up with your email address and you can easily record screen on Mac for free.

• Record Screen with Audio and Webcam

Whether you want to record webcam, audio, or both, Vidnoz Flex is the best choice. You can screen record on Mac by capturing internal and external audio as you see fit.

• Easy to Edit Recordings

Packed with an advanced video editor, Vidnoz Flex lets you trim, crop, and resize video easily. You can also apply CTA, polls, and forms with links for better engagement.

• 1-Click Batch Share Recorded Videos

As the best video marketing platform, Vidnoz Flex allows you to batch share recorded videos to emails and social media in one click. You can even track and analyze your videos to gain intelligent insights!

Now it’s time to see how it works. Here’s how to record screen on Mac with Vidnoz Flex.

Step 1. Go to Vidnoz’s official website. Sign up with an email address (Google, Microsoft, Linkedin).

Step 2. In the library, go to Create a Video > Record a video.

Step 3. Select the Screen tab and click on the Start Recording button.

Step 4. Choose the region you want to record: Chrome Tab, Entire Screen, or Window. Click on the Share button to start recording.

That’s it! Vidnoz Flex will start recording after the three-second countdown. You can click on the Stop button in the bottom right to stop recording.

Moreover, Vidnoz also provides ai solutions, like AI video generator, talking avatar and text to speech, giving you an impressive experience when creating funny videos. You can use Vidnoz AI to create vivid videos on Mac with a talking head, without  cameras, no studios, no more specific environment.

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Key features of Vidnoz AI:

• Create Engaging AI Videos Quickly and For Free. Vidnoz AI supports you in creating different types of AI videos such as business presentations, tutorials, invitation videos, etc. at 200% speed for free and with no limitations.
• More Than 100 Voices in 8 Languages. You can choose from 100+ popular male and female voices in 8 languages to create AI videos with talking avatars.
• Generate AI Videos with 300+ Templates. It provides you with beautiful video templates so that you can easily and quickly create videos without spending time.

Method 4: How to Capture Screen on Mac Using OBS

Alternatively, you can try OBS, a free and open-source screen recorder to screen record in Mac. With this high-performance screen recorder, you can capture video/audio with excellent video quality.

Key Features of OBS Screen Recorder for Mac:

• Record screen with window captures, images, text, browsers, webcam, etc.
• Support formats like MP4, TS, MOV, MKV, AVI, WEBM, MP3, etc.
• Rich customization features for theme and user interface.

Here’s how to screen record on Mac with OBS.

Step 1. Launch OBS. Click the + icon in the Sources box next to the Scenes. Select “Display Capture” from the menu.

Step 2. Choose a recording mode, for instance, “Manual” to set the recording area manually, or “To Window” to select a window.

Step 3. Click on the Start Recording button in the bottom right to record screen on Macbook.

How to Record Screen on Mac - FAQs

How do I take a high-quality screenshot on my Mac?

The screenshot toolbar introduced above will export PNG files with good quality. You can also go to System Preferences > Display and choose “Larger text” or “Retina” to export a bigger file with rich color details.

How do you take a quick screenshot on a Mac and edit it?

You can take a screenshot with the on-screen toolbar and use editors such as the Preview app, Photoshop, or online editors to edit the image.

How do I record my screen and show my face on Mac?

You can use “Movie Recording” and “Screen Recording” on QuickTime simultaneously. In addition, Vidnoz Flex and OBS also allow you to record your screen and yourself from the webcam.

Can websites detect screen recording with QuickTime?

No. Websites can not detect screen recording with QuickTime unless they install software on your computer, which you have to download first. But apps like Snapchat can detect user activities like screen capture and recording.

Conclusion

How to record screen on Mac? This blog has introduced the 4 best ways to help you out. While the built-in screen recording features are convenient to use, they don’t come with advanced recording and editing features. For those who want to export high-quality videos, professional screen recorders like Vidnoz Flex and OBS are your best choice. But given OBS’s complexity, you might as well use Vidnoz Flex instead. There is no need to install software, you can screen record on Mac right away. Whether you want to record your screen with premium video/audio quality or make a training video, Vidnoz Flex is the best free tool that comes in handy. Just give it a try now!