How To Record A Video On A Mac

Tips
1

I’m trying to record a video on my Mac for a tutorial, but I’m confused about which built‑in tools to use and what settings I need so the audio and screen both capture correctly. I’ve seen QuickTime mentioned, but I’m not sure if that’s the best or easiest option. Can someone walk me through the simplest way to record high‑quality video on a Mac, including any hidden settings or shortcuts I should know?

2

For built in stuff you have two main options on macOS: QuickTime Player and the Screenshot toolbar.

  1. Fast method, Screenshot toolbar
  • Press Shift + Command + 5
  • Bottom bar pops up
  • Pick:
    • Record Entire Screen
    • or Record Selected Portion
  • Click Options
    • Microphone: pick “Internal Microphone” or your USB mic
    • Save to: pick Desktop or wherever
    • Decide if you want timer, mouse clicks, etc
  • Hit Record
  • When done, click the small stop icon in the menu bar
  • Video saves as .mov

This records the screen and your mic. It does not record system audio by default.

  1. QuickTime Player method
  • Open QuickTime Player
  • Menu bar: File > New Screen Recording
  • In the small recording window click the little arrow next to the record button
  • Microphone: select your mic
  • Quality: leave at High for most tutorials
  • Click the red record button
  • Click on the screen to record full screen, or drag a box for area
  • Stop with the menu bar stop icon
  • File > Save

Again, you get screen + mic, not system audio.

  1. If you need system audio too
    macOS blocks direct system audio capture without extra software. You need a virtual audio device.

Common combo:

  • Install BlackHole (free, by ExistentialAudio) or Loopback (paid, by Rogue Amoeba)
  • Set a Multi Output Device in Audio MIDI Setup:
    • Open Audio MIDI Setup
    • Plus button > Create Multi Output Device
    • Check your speakers or headphones
    • Check BlackHole
  • System Settings > Sound > Output: pick the Multi Output Device
  • In QuickTime or the Screenshot toolbar, pick BlackHole as the input mic
  • You now record system audio, but you will not hear it unless Multi Output is setup right

This setup is a bit fiddly, so test a 10 second recording.

  1. Audio tips
  • Use an external USB mic if you have one, built in mic sounds thin.
  • Speak close to the mic, but not breathing into it.
  • Quiet room, fan off if possible.
  • Do a quick test: record 5 seconds, play back, check volume and sync.
  1. Screen settings for clarity
  • If your display is huge, text looks tiny in the video.
  • Go to System Settings > Displays
    • Set “More Space” or “Larger Text” depending on how your monitor is currently set, aim so app UI looks readable at 1080p export.
  • Keep apps full screen and avoid fast mouse flicks.

Quick recipe for a tutorial:

  • Shift + Command + 5
  • Record Selected Portion around your main app
  • Options > Microphone > your mic
  • Optionally Show Mouse Clicks
  • Do a 10 second test clip
  • Then record your real tutorial.

If you share on YouTube, it handles .mov, so you can upload straight from QuickTime file.

3

If QuickTime and the Screenshot toolbar have you kinda spinning, here’s another angle that plays nicer for tutorials specifically, without rehashing what @waldgeist already laid out.

1. Decide if you want live narration or voiceover later

This actually changes which settings matter most:

  • Live narration

    • Use the Screenshot toolbar or QuickTime like they said.
    • Focus on getting your mic level right and keep the recording in one take.
    • Slight disagreement with @waldgeist: I don’t always recommend recording both system audio and mic in one pass for tutorials. It’s easy to mess up levels and then you’re stuck.

  • Voiceover later (often cleaner)

    • First record just the screen, no mic.
    • Then record your audio separately in QuickTime (File > New Audio Recording) or GarageBand.
    • Sync them in iMovie / DaVinci Resolve after.
    • You get way better control over volume and mistakes. You can just re‑do a line instead of the whole screen recording.

2. Avoid the classic “tiny UI” problem

Instead of only tweaking “Larger Text” like @waldgeist said, another trick:

  • If you’re on a high‑res monitor, set the app you’re showing to:
    • Bigger font sizes inside the app itself (editors, terminals, browsers zoomed in to 125–150%).
    • Full screen the app and hide the Dock (System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Automatically hide).
  • People care more about reading your text than seeing your whole desktop aesthetic.

3. Make the cursor part of the tutorial, not noise

The built‑in “Show mouse clicks” is ok, but a bit ugly IMO.

Alternative:

  • Turn off “Show mouse clicks” and just:
    • Move your cursor slower and more deliberately.
    • Zoom in when needed using macOS Zoom:
      • System Settings > Accessibility > Zoom
      • Enable “Use scroll gesture with modifier key to zoom”
    • Then hold Control + scroll to zoom during the recording.
  • Viewers can actually follow what you’re doing instead of chasing a tiny cursor.

4. Get clean mic audio without buying stuff

If you’re stuck on the internal mic:

  • Record in a soft room (bedroom with curtains, not kitchen).
  • Put your Mac on a book or stand to distance the mic a bit from the keyboard.
  • In System Settings > Sound > Input:
    • Turn Input Level down slightly so it doesn’t clip when you get loud.
  • Talk slightly to one side of the mic so your P and B sounds don’t pop as much.
  • Do a 10–15 second test and actually listen to it in headphones, not laptop speakers.

5. If you must capture system audio and don’t want to fight with virtual devices

Yeah, Apple blocks it by default and BlackHole / Loopback work, but they are fiddly.

Alternative workflow that’s less fragile:

  • Use another device (even your phone) to play or record the system audio separately:
    • Example: if your tutorial includes app sounds, just keep them low and re‑create them later in editing or add a short SFX track.
  • For many tutorials, system audio is cosmetic, not critical. Half the time you’re better off muting it and just having background music under your voiceover anyway.

6. Editing basics so the recording doesn’t have to be perfect

Instead of stressing about the perfect one‑take with all the right settings:

  • Record in chunks:
    • One section of the tutorial at a time.
    • If you mess up, stop, back up a step, start a new recording.
  • Throw all clips into iMovie:
    • Cut out mistakes.
    • Add titles / callouts for important steps.
    • Adjust audio levels per clip (make your voice consistently loud and clear).

This way your recording tool is basically “dumb screen capture” and your clarity comes from the edit, not juggling settings perfectly on the first try.

Short version:
Use the built‑in tools for capture, but don’t obsess over stuffing screen, mic, and system audio into one perfect recording. Think in two layers: get a clean visual pass, then get clean audio, then fix everything else in editing. Much less stress, much better tutorial.