You’re likely here because you:
- Are using an Apple Mac computer
- But you don’t know how to screen record on it
Well, your Mac has the power to do it — without installing any app! Now, I’ll quickly show you how to use that power feature 100% for free.
How to Make a Screen Recording on Mac
Answer: The fastest way to screen record on a Mac is to use press “shift + ⌘ command + 5” at the same time. This is the screen record shortcut.
- Open your Mac computer
- Press “
shift + command ⌘ + 5
” at the same time - Choose how to record: “Selected Screen” or “Entire Screen“
- Optionally, click “Options” for settings
- Click “Record” > Being your recording
- To finish, press the new button on the menu bar (top of the screen)
In essence, steps 1 → 3 are the ones you care most about. The rest are just for confirmation and finishing the recording.
Pro Tip: When finished, you’ll find the recording on your Desktop.
That’s how easy it is to create a screen record. No need to ever pay for any other screen recording software!
You can make as many as your Mac’s storage permits (which is a lot, unless you’re not screen recording for +1 hour).
Troubleshooting: I Can’t Find Screen Recordings on My Mac
Most often, people can’t find their screen recordings because they’ve changed the storage folder by mistake.
To check that: Command (⌘) + Shift + 5 > “Options” > “Save to” > Choose a folder.
Though, this just one potential fix.
If you’ve finished your screen recording and it doesn’t turn out to be on your desktop, here’s what you can do:
- Check Default Save Location: Look in the settings of the recording software for the default save path.
- Search Your Computer: Use your file search feature to look for common video file types like
.mp4
or.mov
. - Look in Temporary Files: Check your system’s temporary files folder for unsaved recordings.
- Review Recent Files in the Software: Open the recording app and check for a “Recent” or “History” section.
- Check Cloud Storage: Look in any linked cloud services like Google Drive or OneDrive.
- Reopen the Application: Close and reopen the recording software to see if it recovers the file.
- Restart Your Computer: A quick restart can refresh file caches.
- Check for Auto-Save Options: See if the software has an auto-save feature and how to access those files.
If you still can’t find it, you may need to redo the recording.
Frequently Asked
1. Does Mac screen record include sound?
Answer: Yes, Mac screen recordings include sound by default.
On Mac, you can only turn off your microphone during a screen record like so: Shift + Command (⌘) + 5 > Options > Microphone > None.
2. How to stop screen recording on Mac?
Answer: To stop screen recording on a Mac, click the “Stop” button in the menu bar or press “Command (⌘) + Control + Esc”. The recording will save automatically.
Your recording will automatically save to the designated location.
3. Is there an app to screen record on Mac?
Answer: Yes, QuickTime is the best app to screen record on Mac. It is Apple’s built-in software that comes with every Mac computer.
Thanks a lot for reading this,
David Ch
Head of the Editing Team at SendShort