Sometimes screenshots are not enough to convey the whole picture! You need to record the entire screen or portions of it. For example, if you are trying to send tech support the repeated error you are facing, or maybe you want to record FaceTime video calls, or make a Mac tutorial for YouTube! The use cases are indefinite. So, without delay, let me show you three ways to record the screen on Mac.
If you've got a modern Mac,you've got a built in screen recorder in Quicktime 10. To start a screen recording, do a spotlight search for QuickTime player, then click File, then New Screen Recording. MacX Video Converter Pro - Free Record Screen on Mac with Audio. Free download the best free screen recorder for Mac - MacX Video Converter Pro to easily record screen with sound on Mac and convert the recorded video to MP4, MOV, H264, MPEG4, MKV, AVI, FLV, etc for playing on iPhone, iPad, Android or uploading to YouTube. Way 3: Record Video with Camtasia Mac. The last screen recorder in our list is Camtasia from TechSmith company. This video capture is a best combination of screen recording and video editing. It's more than a simple screen recorder, but gives you the tools you need to truly customize and edit your videos.
Note: The steps below apply to all recent macOS versions, including Catalina and Big Sur. Similarly, you can follow these steps on any MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, Mac Mini, Mac Pro, or other Macs.
How to Record Mac Screen Using Onscreen Controls
On macOS Mojave and later, pressing Command + Shift + 5 launches the screenshot and screen recording tools. This makes it effortless to record the entire screen or selected part of your Mac’s screen. Here is how.
Record Screen Video Mac Os X 10.10
Record the Entire Mac Screen
- Press together Command + Shift + 5.
- Click on the left icon of the second partition. It will show Record Entire Screen.
- Now click on Record. Screen recording will begin immediately. You will see an icon in the top menu bar.
To stop the recording, press Command + Control + Esc. Or, click on the stop icon in the top menu bar. On MacBooks with TouchBar, tap on Stop.
A thumbnail of the screen recording will appear in the lower bottom of the screen. Click on it to trim, share, save, delete. If you do nothing, the thumbnail will automatically disappear in a few seconds, and the screen recording file will be saved.
To chose audio for screen recording or set timer, etc. click on Options before step 3.
Record a Selected Portion of the Mac Screen
- Press Command + Shift + 5 together.
- Click on the second icon of the second partition of the toolbar. It says Record Selected Portion.
- Drag the mouse pointer to make a selection. Place the mouse pointer in the middle of the selection tool to drag it anywhere. Place the mouse pointer on the edges to decrease or increase the size.
- Click on Record. macOS will record only the screen inside the selected area.
To stop the screen recording, press Command + Control + Esc or click on the stop icon in the top menu bar.
Immediately Trim, Share, Save, and Delete the Screen Recording
After you stop the screen recording, its thumbnail appears in the bottom right of the Mac screen. Click on it to:
- Play the screen recording: Click on the triangle play button. You may also use AirPlay or play in full screen.
- Trim the screen recording: Click on the trim icon from the top of the window. Drag one or both ends to adjust the length. Click on Done when satisfied. The trimmed video will save automatically.
- Share the screen recording: Click on the share icon from the top right (or bottom right) of the window and choose an option.
- Delete the screen recording: Click on the trash can icon.
- Tap on Done to save the video.
Change the Screen Recording Settings on Mac
- Press Command + Shift + 5 to launch the screen capture tools.
- Next, click on Record Entire Screen or Record Selected Portion. After that, click on Options.
- From here, you can choose where to save the screen recording. For this, select a location under Save To. Click on Other Location to select your own.
- Under Timer, choose a 5 second or 10-second timer. Once you click on the Record, the recording process will begin after the chosen time period.
- Click on an input source under the Microphone to record audio with the screen recording. If none (default) is selected, no voice will be recorded.
- Finally, under Options, you can choose whether you want to see the thumbnail in the lower right of the screen after stopping the recording or not. You can also set it to remember the selections you made while using this tool the last time or use the default options. Finally, you may also choose to show the mouse clicks in the screen recording.
How to Record Screen on Mac with QuickTime Player
- Open QuickTime Player. For this, use the Launchpad, Spotlight Search, or go to Finder → Applications.
- Click on File from the top menu bar and choose New Screen Recording.
- The screen capture tools (similar to Command + Shift + 5) will open. Choose whether you want to record the full screen or just a selected portion. Finally, click on the Record to start the screen recording.
- To stop press, Command + Control + Esc or click on the stop icon from the top menu bar.
Best Screen Recorders for Mac in 2020
Besides the inbuilt tools and app, you can also record Mac’s screen using third-party apps. If you want just to record the screen, the above options are perfect. However, if you need more tools like if you are a video podcaster or streamer, it makes sense to invest in third-party screen recording apps. Here are some of the options to look at.
Wrapping Up…
This is how you can record the screen on your Mac. You can play them in QuickTime Player, iMovie, Final Cut Pro, VLC Media Player, etc.
- The recordings are saved in .mov format by default. If needed, you can use one of the best video converter apps for Mac to export the file into the desired video format.
- The file name for the screen recording is in this format – Screen Recording Date at Time.
- Finally, some apps like DVD Player might prevent you from recording their window.
READ NEXT:
I have been an Apple user for over seven years now. At iGeeksBlog, I love creating how-tos and troubleshooting guides that help people do more with their iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, and Apple Watch. In my free time, I like to watch stand up comedy videos, tech documentaries, news debates, and political speeches.
- https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/ankur/How to Turn ON or OFF Facebook Nearby Friends on iPhone
- https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/ankur/How to Reset Hosts File to Default on Mac and Windows PC
- https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/ankur/
- https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/ankur/How to Turn off Unread Mail Count in Mail App on iPhone
Mac OS X El Capitan has become popular among Mac users since published. According to what was mentioned on the press conference, it has added many innovative functions such as Split View, Spotlight, all of which are feasible and helpful applications. As a result, many Apple users like me have quickly updated to this new OS and some of them are also willing to record screen on El Capitan sharing their experience and tricks or uploading the HD game videos while using this new OS. However, this task cannot be simply done on this latest OS because many existing software are unable to record audio along with screen activity. Hence, if you want to record videos on El Capitan and share with your friends, below are the eligible solutions for you to record videos on Mac OS X El Capitan.
How To Record Screen On El Capitan Without Difficulty?
1. Make Use Of A Professional Program
2. A Usable Tool For Recording Screen
3. The Defaulted Screen Recorder For Mac
1
Apowersoft Mac Screen Recorder
A highly recommended professional tool is Apowersoft Mac Screen Recorder. It lets you record screen in various modes, including a specific region, full screen and Web camera. Also, it has perfectly solved the problem of many programs in recording the sound with screencast, you can easily sync the sound from your microphone together with your video. For those people who want to record screen during their absence, they can select the “Task Scheduler” and set a certain record task. Here is how it works.
- Click the “Download” button below and install it on your Mac.
- Launch this program, and configure some necessary settings like hotkeys in the “Options” menu.
- Prepare the video part or the apps you want to display.Next, pick a recording mode like “Region” to record.
- Then, drag the cross-hair along a portion on your screen to record, release the mouse and click “Ok”. The recording process will start immediately.
- If you want to end recording, click the “Stop” button and the file will be stored in the output folder that you have selected before.
This program not only serves as a screen recorder for OS X El Capitan, but also has a built-in video converter which can convert videos into different formats and merge multiple files into a whole one. As a result, one can transfer and view the video on other devices.
2
Jing for Mac
Free Screen Recorder Mac Os
Another screen recorder that you can use on Mac OS X El Capitan is Jing. It can record videos as well as capture images. And it supports recording system sound and also microphone. But you may not record them both at the same time. That is to say, you may not record your narration along with the background music in a screencast for tutorial or other purposes. Additionally, one has to sign up for an account before using. Here is instruction about how to record screen on Mac OS X El Capitan with this program.
- Download the software and launch it on Mac.
- Move the mouse to the icon and three icons will rise up. First, click “More”>”Preference” to configure the settings like capture hotkey and output video format.
- Next click “Capture” and select a specific region. After that, choose “Capture Video”, the record will start immediately.
- When recording is over, click “Stop” and you can choose to upload your video or save it in your Mac.
Jing is a good tool for recording but it also has some restrictions. It can create videos but one cannot record system and microphone together. Plus, The output video will be saved as SWF format. And it only allows recording for no more than 5 minutes unless you purchase Camtasia or Snagit for longer time use.
3
Apple QuickTime Player
For Mac users, QuickTime Player is the default video player. But more than playing videos, it also serves as a screen recorder on El Capitan. It supports recording sound from system or microphone. And one can choose a specific region or full screen to record video. The operation is easy. After completion, the output files will automatically be in MOV format. Here is how it works.
- Open the QuickTime Player and go to “File”>”New Screen Recording”.
- A toolbar will then pop out and you can adjust the volume, choose the voice source, and show the mouse clicks by clicking the down arrow.
- Hit the “Record” button to start.
- After completion, just click “Stop” button on the top-right of the interface. Then you can choose the folder to save your recorded video.
Mac Os Video Screen Capture
If you are a newbie user, QuickTime Player is a suitable tool. But it cannot satisfy the needs of advanced users for extra functions such as converting videos to compatible formats for other devices or edit screen during recording.
Conclusion
All aforementioned are the appropriate tools that can be applied for recording screen on Mac OS 10.11. People with different needs for recording are able to select the one that suits them best. For users who don’t like to install anything on Mac, QuickTime Player is a feasible tool for you to choose. And For those who want to create more instructive videos while recording, Apowersoft Mac Screen Recorder may be the best choice for you to use freely.