Mac Tutorials
How to Record Your Screen on a Mac
Are you attempting to make a tutorial video or trying to guide your grandma on how to delete her Facebook account? Fear not! Screen recording on a Mac is quite simple! Today, we will guide you on how to record your screen on a Mac, including computer audio and even mouse clicks and keyboard sounds. 🖥️🎧🐭 Let’s dive in!
Step 1: Using QuickTime for Screen Recording
QuickTime is a tool that comes pre-installed on every Mac and can readily be used for screen recording. To launch QuickTime, use the keyboard shortcut Shift Command 5. This will bring up the Screenshot toolbar. From this toolbar, you can choose to record your entire screen or select a specific portion of your screen to record. 🎥💻
Moreover, you can customize settings such as the save destination or set a timer for your video recording. If your computer has a built in mic, you can even set it to record the sound from your speakers. Additionally, the toolbar offers the option of highlighting your mouse clicks, showing a black circle around your mouse cursor every time you click. 🎙️🔊
To start recording your screen, either click the record button or move your mouse cursor off the screenshot toolbar, which will then turn into a camera icon. Clicking anywhere on the screen will start the screen recording. To stop recording, use the keyboard shortcut Command Control Escape or click the Stop button in the menu bar. Your screen recording clip will be saved to the destination you selected earlier. 📹🚀
Step 2: Adjusting the Video Resolution and Aspect Ratio
One issue with using QuickTime for screen recording is the video resolution and the aspect ratio of your recorded file. This can be particularly problematic if you are recording your laptop screen and want the recording in a conventional video format without black bars on the sides. Luckily, there’s an app to solve this problem – SwitchResX. 😎
You can customize your own display settings with SwitchResX. For instance, if you want your laptop screen recording to be in the conventional 16:9 aspect ratio, go to your System Preferences, select SwitchResX and click the Launch Daemon button. This displays your screen in the selected resolution, and when you record it with QuickTime, it will ignore the black letterbox bars, and your saved file will be in your selected resolution and aspect ratio. 🛠️👌
Step 3: Using KeyBell for Enhanced Screen Recordings
Another app that can enhance your screen recordings is KeyBell, which allows you to assign specific sounds to each mouse or keyboard click. These subtle touches in your screen recordings can make a huge difference. KeyBell lives in your menu bar and provides you with a variety of sounds, volume adjustment options, and the ability to set the app to only play sounds when specific apps are in use. 💡🔔
Step 4: Setting Up a Virtual Driver to Record Internal Audio
If you want to record your internal audio directly, QuickTime alone won’t suffice. Fortunately, there’s a workaround! You’ll need a virtual audio driver – BlackHole Audio being one of them. After downloading and installing BlackHole Audio, you need to set up Input and Output aggregate devices in your Audio MIDI setup. These configurations allow you to capture high-quality internal audio, including mouse and keyboard sounds. 🎶🎧
Conclusion: 🏁
Being able to record your screen on a Mac is a handy skill. Whether you’re trying to make a tutorial video or showing someone how to perform a certain task, these helpful tools and methods can get the job done effectively. Just be sure to follow the steps in this guide to ensure an optimal screen recording experience on your Mac. 👍✨
FAQ
What tools are available to screen record on a Mac?
You can use pre-installed tools like QuickTime Player, Screenshot toolbar or use third-party apps like OBS Studio, ScreenFlow, Camtasia.
How to record screen using QuickTime Player?
Open QuickTime Player, click on ‘File’ then ‘New Screen Recording’. Click the record button, select the screen area you want to record and click ‘Start Recording’.
How do I stop recording on QuickTime?
To stop recording, click on the ‘Stop’ button in the menu bar, or press ‘Command + Control + Esc’.
How do I save my screen recording on QuickTime?
Once you stop recording, QuickTime Player automatically opens the recording. Click ‘File’, then ‘Save As’ to save your recording.
How to record screen using Screenshot toolbar?
Open Screenshot toolbar by pressing ‘Command + Shift + 5’. Select the option for screen recording from the toolbar and click ‘Record’.
Can I edit my screen recording on a Mac?
Yes, with iMovie, a built-in app in Mac, you can edit your screen recording.
Can I add sounds to my screen recording on a Mac?
Yes, while starting a screen recording using either QuickTime Player or Screenshot toolbar, you can enable the ‘Microphone’ option to record sounds.
Can I record a specific area of my screen?
Yes, both QuickTime Player and Screenshot toolbar allow you to record a specific area of the screen.
Are there any free tools for screen record on Mac?
Yes, QuickTime Player and Screenshot toolbar are free tools pre-installed in Mac for screen recording.
Why is my QuickTime screen recording black?
This could be due to insufficient system resources, outdated software, or issues with hardware acceleration. Try updating your software or rebooting your computer.
What’s the best format to save my screen recording for YouTube?
The best format to save your screen recording for YouTube is MP4.
Can I record a Zoom meeting on my Mac?
Yes, you can record a Zoom meeting on your Mac either using the built-in recording feature on Zoom or with a screen recording tool.
Can I use Quick Time Player for live streaming my screen?
No, Quick Time Player does not support live streaming. For live streaming, you can use OBS Studio, a free and open source tool for video recording and live streaming.
Does Apple provide any support for issues while screen recording?
Yes, Apple provides support for any issues you might encounter while screen recording. Check out Apple’s official website or contact Apple Support for assistance.
How to record FaceTime calls on my Mac?
You can record FaceTime calls using the screen recording feature on your Mac. Note: It’s important to ensure you have the other party’s consent before recording.
Is screen recording legal?
Screen recording is generally legal for personal use, but it may not be legal to share or distribute without permission. Always check local laws and obtain necessary permissions.
Why is there no sound in my screen recording?
Check if you have enabled the ‘Microphone’ option while setting up your screen recording. If not, the recording doesn’t include any sound.
Can I screen record in HD on a Mac?
Yes, the screen recording tools on Mac can capture in HD. The quality of the recording depends on your screen resolution.
Can I do a screen recording with webcam on a Mac?
Yes, third-party tools like OBS Studio, ScreenFlow, Camtasia allow you to do a screen recording with webcam on a Mac.
Does screen recording slow down a Mac?
Screen recording may slow down your Mac if you have limited memory or storage available. Close any unnecessary applications to free up resources.
How to record a PowerPoint presentation on a Mac?
You can record a PowerPoint presentation by running the slideshow on full screen and using the screen recording function on your Mac.
Can I pause my screen recording on a Mac?
The default tools (QuickTime Player and Screenshot toolbar) on Mac do not allow pausing a screen recording. However, third-party tools like ScreenFlow or Camtasia offer this feature.
Where does the screenshot toolbar save the screen recordings?
By default, screen recordings from the screenshot toolbar are saved to your desktop.
Can I schedule a screen recording on a Mac?
The default tools on Mac do not support scheduled screen recording. You may need third-party software with this feature.
Can I share my screen recording directly to social media?
QuickTime Player doesn’t have a direct share feature. However, after saving your recording, you can upload it to social media platforms manually.
Why is my screen recording blurry?
The blurriness may be due to a low screen resolution, or you may have resized the video making it lose its original quality. Try recording at higher resolutions.
How to record a Skype call on my Mac?
You can record a Skype call by using the in-built recording feature in Skype or use the screen recording tools on your Mac.
Can I screen record Netflix on a Mac?
Screen recording Netflix may violate their use policy and digital rights management. It’s recommended to use legitimate methods to watch Netflix content.
Can I highlight mouse clicks during screen recording?
The default tools on Mac do not support highlighting of mouse clicks. Third-party applications like ScreenFlow or Camtasia have this feature.
How to improve the quality of my screen recordings?
To improve the quality of your screen recordings, ensure you’re recording in high resolution, have sufficient lighting (for webcam), maintain high audio quality, and use a stable system.