To screen record on a Mac, press Shift-Command-5 to open Screenshot, choose the area to capture, set any options you need, and select Record. You can record the entire screen or a selected portion; Apple documents selected-window recording only for macOS Tahoe 26 or later.
Before you begin, decide whether you need narration, a visible click indicator, or a particular save location. Those choices affect the recording, while the capture controls themselves are built into macOS. The names and options shown can vary with your Mac and system version, so check what appears on your screen rather than assuming every setting is available.
Check which recording you need
A full-screen recording is useful when the steps move between apps, menus, or more than one part of the desktop. It captures the whole display, so close unrelated windows and turn off notifications if you do not want them appearing. If your Mac uses more than one display, check the selection presented by Screenshot before recording and confirm that it includes the display you intend to show.
A selected portion is usually better for a tutorial focused on one app or a small area. You define the rectangle first, which helps keep other windows and desktop details out of the video. Leave enough room to show menus and any changes that follow your clicks; an overly tight crop can make a demonstration difficult to follow.
A selected window can make a clean app demonstration, but do not look for it on every Mac. Apple’s current guidance documents Record Selected Window on macOS Tahoe 26 or later. If that control is absent, use the whole-screen or selected-portion option instead.
| Recording choice | Useful when | Check before recording |
|---|---|---|
| Entire screen | You need to show a sequence across the desktop or multiple apps | Remove private or irrelevant items from view |
| Selected portion | The important action stays within a defined area | Include menus, pointer movement, and the result |
| Selected window | You want a focused app capture and the option is available | Apple documents this for macOS Tahoe 26 or later; some apps may block capture |
Some windows may not be recordable. Apple gives Apple TV as an example of an app that may restrict recording, and its guidance does not establish a universal workaround. If a window appears blank or cannot be selected, do not assume a different capture setting will bypass the restriction. You can check the app’s own guidance or choose another permitted way to present the material.
If your end goal is a YouTube live channel rather than a one-off demonstration, a screen recording is a file, not a continuing broadcast. For the separate question of keeping a music stream running, see this comparison of cloud services for a 24/7 YouTube music stream. That is a different workflow from capturing the Mac desktop.
Open Screenshot controls
The quickest built-in route is Shift-Command-5. Press the keys together, then look near the bottom of the screen for the Screenshot toolbar. It includes controls for still screenshots as well as screen recordings, so make sure you select a recording option rather than one of the camera-shaped screenshot choices.
Apple’s screen recording instructions describe this Screenshot workflow. If the keyboard shortcut does not open the controls, use the Mac’s available app search or locate Screenshot in the Applications utilities. The exact path can depend on how your system is organised, but you are looking for Apple’s built-in Screenshot app, not a third-party recorder.
QuickTime Player offers another entry point. Open QuickTime Player and choose File > New Screen Recording, or use Control-Command-N. Apple’s current QuickTime guide says this opens Screenshot and its controls. Some Macs or versions may instead show an older QuickTime recording window. If that happens, follow the controls displayed there: the available microphone and pointer choices may be beside the Record button, and the recording flow may ask you to click the screen or drag an area.
For consistency, use Shift-Command-5 when you want the current Screenshot toolbar and its Options menu. QuickTime is useful if it is already open, but do not expect every version to present an identical interface. Apple’s QuickTime Player guide explains the alternate route.
Choose the screen, portion, or supported window
In the toolbar, choose Record Entire Screen or Record Selected Portion. On macOS Tahoe 26 or later, if supported on your system, you may also see Record Selected Window. Read the labels before proceeding: screenshot and recording controls sit together, and choosing a still-image control will not produce a video.
For an entire-screen capture, select the corresponding recording control and follow any on-screen prompt to start. If macOS presents a display choice, select the intended display. Take a moment to arrange the desktop first: move sensitive documents out of view, close tabs that are not part of the demonstration, and put the app into the state where you want the video to begin.
For a selected portion, choose its recording control and adjust the frame shown on screen. Drag the frame to reposition it and adjust its edges as needed, using the handles that appear. The frame should include the content and enough surrounding interface to make the action understandable. If you are demonstrating a menu or dialogue, check that the area is large enough for it to appear without being clipped.
If selected-window recording is present, choose the window as directed and verify the preview or highlight before starting. A window can still be restricted by the app, and the option being visible does not mean every window can be captured. If the target is unavailable, switch to a permitted capture choice rather than repeatedly trying to record protected content.
Think about what the viewer needs to learn. A settings walkthrough may be easier to follow with the whole app visible, while a precise pointer action may suit a crop. If you are preparing a source video for an ongoing YouTube loop, capture only what belongs in that file; advice about avoiding a blank output on a running channel is covered separately in this guide to fixing a black screen in a YouTube loop stream.
Set microphone, pointer, timer, and save options
Open Options before recording. This is where Screenshot exposes choices such as a microphone, whether to show clicks, a start timer, and the save destination. Options can differ by Mac, macOS version, or context, so use the choices actually shown rather than relying on a list from another machine.
A microphone is relevant when the video needs spoken explanation or other sound picked up by that input. Apple documents choosing a microphone for recording voice or other audio with the screen recording; that does not mean you must connect an external microphone, nor does it establish that every sound on the Mac will be captured. Select an available input and make a short test if audio matters. Check playback before relying on the final recording, especially if the explanation is essential.
For a silent software demonstration, leaving microphone input off or choosing no input, if offered, avoids recording unintended room sound. For narration, speak at a steady level and pause between steps. If the Mac offers several input choices, confirm which one is selected; a built-in input and an attached microphone can sound different, and the menu itself is the authority on what is available.
The option to show mouse clicks can display a dark circle when you click. This helps viewers follow a tutorial, particularly when the pointer is small or the interface is busy. It also adds a visible marker that may distract in a clean product demonstration. Decide based on the purpose of the recording and check a sample if you are unsure.
A timer gives you a moment to move to the right window or prepare a gesture before capture begins. Use it when you need to start the recording and then interact with the screen without reaching for the toolbar immediately. If you are already ready, a timer adds no benefit. A timer also does not replace checking the capture frame or app state in advance.
The Save to choice controls where the recording is stored. Apple says recordings go to the Desktop by default unless you change the destination. A project folder can make a batch of recordings easier to find, while Desktop is convenient for a quick test. Choose a location you can access and remember; if you are recording several takes, a dedicated folder helps distinguish them from screenshots and unrelated downloads.
On supported Mac models with macOS Tahoe 26 or later, Apple lists capture format choices that include SDR (Most Compatible) and HDR. Apple describes SDR as standard dynamic range in H.264, while HDR uses HEVC. Availability is qualified by model and system version, so verify the options shown on your Mac before choosing. For a routine tutorial, the default or most compatible choice is usually the practical place to start; consider HDR only when the source content and intended playback support it.
Start and stop the recording
Once the area and options are ready, select Record. Depending on the capture choice, macOS may begin after you confirm the selection or after the timer finishes. Check that the recording indicator appears and then carry out the steps at a pace a viewer can follow. Avoid moving unrelated windows into the capture area or leaving private notifications visible.
When you are done, click the Stop control in the menu bar, or press Command-Control-Esc. Do not simply close the app you were demonstrating and assume that it has ended the screen recording. Confirm that the recording indicator has stopped before switching to other work.
The first seconds and final seconds matter. Start with the relevant app ready rather than spending the opening of the video arranging windows. At the end, pause briefly after the last action so the viewer can see its result, then stop. If you are making a quick guide, review the beginning and end to check that the recording did not start too early or cut off the outcome.
If the capture is only a draft, make a short test first. Confirm that the chosen region is right, the pointer is visible enough, and narration can be heard if you need it. A test is particularly useful after changing microphone inputs or choosing a different display. It is easier to correct these settings before recording a long explanation.
Find, review, and edit the saved file
After you stop, a floating thumbnail may appear. Click it to open the recording for a quick review or edit. If you do not click it, the recording saves to the destination selected in Options. When you have not changed that choice, Apple says the default location is the Desktop.
Apple says the automatic filename follows the pattern “Screen Recording [date] at [time].mov.” Use Finder search for “Screen Recording” if you are not sure where the file went, and sort or inspect the results by date. If the file is not on the Desktop, check the save destination before recording again; changing folders can make a successfully saved video appear missing.
Open the file in QuickTime Player to play it and check the sound, frame, and start and end points. Apple also names iMovie and other video apps that can open or edit screen recordings. Editing is optional: trim a pause or a mistaken start if needed, but keep an unaltered copy if the original may be useful. Before sharing, play the edited export from beginning to end to confirm it shows the intended content and any needed audio.
For a YouTube workflow, a screen recording may become source footage, but it is not itself the live stream. If you plan to run a loop with a local computer, consider the operational side separately, including how a recording or media source behaves when it reaches its end. This explanation of an OBS media source stopping after one loop covers a problem that occurs after you have already made the video, not a setting in macOS Screenshot.
If you are deciding how much work to do on the Mac before a long-running broadcast, distinguish editing a one-off file from keeping a channel online continuously. For the latter, this guide to keeping a YouTube lofi stream running on a Raspberry Pi discusses a different set of trade-offs. You do not need to change anything about your screen recording just because its eventual destination might be a channel.
A screen recording can be useful when you need to demonstrate a process, but a file that must continue broadcasting after you close the Mac is a separate operational problem. StreamNeo removes the need to leave that computer running for the continuing YouTube broadcast by taking an uploaded video and running it as a 24/7 stream; it does not replace Screenshot for making the recording.
Before committing, compare the operating options on the pricing page. When the file and channel are ready, start free — 24-hour trial, no card.
FAQ
How do I screen record on my Mac?
Press Shift-Command-5, choose Record Entire Screen or Record Selected Portion, set any needed options, then select Record. Stop from the menu bar or press Command-Control-Esc, and click the floating thumbnail to review or edit the result.
Can I record just one window?
Apple documents Record Selected Window for macOS Tahoe 26 or later. If you do not see it, use a selected portion or the entire screen; some app windows may also restrict recording.
How do I include my voice?
Open Options and choose an available microphone if you want narration. The available inputs depend on your Mac, and selecting a microphone should not be treated as a guarantee that all system audio will be recorded, so make a short playback test first.
Where does the recording go?
It saves to the destination shown in Options; Apple says the Desktop is the default unless you change it. The automatic filename begins “Screen Recording” and includes a date and time, which can help you find it with Finder search.