How to record the screen on a Mac

To record your Mac’s screen, press Shift-Command-5, choose a record tool and click Record. To stop, click the Stop button in the menu bar or press Command-Control-Esc. This is from Apple’s screen recording article, checked on 4 November 2026.

Method 1: the Screenshot toolbar

1. Press Shift-Command-5 to open the toolbar.
2. Choose Record Entire Screen, Record Selected Window or Record Selected Portion. Apple marks the window option as macOS Tahoe 26 or later. On macOS 15 the Mac User Guide lists recording the entire screen or a portion. For a portion, drag its borders to adjust it.
3. Click Options to choose a microphone for voice or other audio. You can also set a timer, show mouse clicks or change the Save to location.
4. Click Record. If you chose a window, click that window instead.
5. To stop, click the Stop button in the menu bar or press Command-Control-Esc.
6. A thumbnail appears in the corner. Click it to edit the recording, or wait for it to save.

Method 2: QuickTime Player

1. Open QuickTime Player from your Applications folder.
2. In the File menu choose New Screen Recording, or press Control-Command-N. If the Screenshot toolbar appears instead, follow Method 1.
3. To pick a microphone, click the arrow next to the Record button. A volume slider lets you check the audio level.
4. Click Record, then click anywhere to record the full screen, or drag to select an area and click Start Recording.
5. Stop in the same ways as above. QuickTime Player opens the recording when you stop.

Files

Recordings from the Screenshot toolbar are .mov files named “Screen Recording” plus the date and time. They go to the Save to location. Apple’s article says that QuickTime Player opens the recording automatically after you stop and does not state a default save location for it, so save it yourself from QuickTime Player if you need to know where it lives.

Sound

Apple’s pages describe only a microphone choice. They do not describe recording the sound that plays inside the Mac. If you need that, the pages give no steps, so check the tool you use.

Limits

Some apps may block capture of their windows. See how to screenshot on a Mac for the still image shortcuts and what is new on Tahoe.

NotchStar’s Screenshot Tray is for screenshots, not recordings, so it is not part of this task.