# How to screen record on a Mac with audio

Source: https://thebestscreenrecorder.com/how-to-screen-record-on-mac-with-audio/
Part of The Best Screen Recorder (https://thebestscreenrecorder.com/), an independent guide to screen recorders.


Macs record the screen with the **Screenshot** app, which opens with **Shift-Command-5**. **QuickTime Player** has a screen recording command too (**File > New Screen Recording**); in macOS 27 Golden Gate it opens the same Screenshot tools.

## Record your screen

1. Press **Shift-Command-5**.
2. Choose **Record Entire Screen**, **Record Selected Window** (macOS Tahoe 26 or later) or **Record Selected Portion**.
3. Click **Record**.
4. To stop, click the **Stop** button in the menu bar, or press **Command-Control-Esc**.

The recording is saved to your desktop as a .mov file. Click the thumbnail that appears to trim it or share it.

## Record with audio

Click **Options** in the Screenshot bar before you start:

- **Your voice:** choose a microphone.
- **The Mac's own sound:** choose **Include System Audio**. This option is in macOS 27 Golden Gate or later. On earlier versions the built-in tools can't record the sound your Mac plays, so use a screen recorder that records system audio.

Some apps, such as the Apple TV app, don't let you record their windows.

## Edit and export with QuickTime

Open the recording in **QuickTime Player** to trim it (**Edit > Trim**), split it into clips or remove the audio. **File > Export As** saves it at 4K, 1080p, 720p or 480p. QuickTime doesn't export MP4 files.

## When the built-in tools aren't enough

The built-in tools have no webcam overlay, no share link and only basic editing. The apps below add some or all of those.