How to Record Your Mac Screen

Step by step

1. 10 sec

   Open the Screen Capture Toolbar

   Press Command + Shift + 5 simultaneously to trigger the system-level capture overlay. This menu provides options for both still screenshots and video screen recordings.

   Note: Command + Shift + 5
2. 20 sec

   Define the recording area

   Select Record Entire Screen to capture your full display or Record Selected Portion to draw a bounding box around a specific application window or region. The pointer will change to a camera icon when selecting a specific window.

   Note: Recording a selected portion reduces file size and focuses viewer attention.
3. 30 sec

   Adjust recording preferences

   Click the Options menu within the toolbar. Select the desired save location under Save to, set a timer delay if needed, and ensure the correct microphone input is selected under the Microphone heading if you intend to record audio narration.

   Note: Select Show Mouse Clicks to provide visual feedback during your recording.
4. 5 sec

   Begin the capture process

   Click the Record button on the toolbar or inside your selected region. Recording starts immediately if no timer is configured; otherwise, the timer counts down before capture begins.

5. 5 sec

   End the recording session

   Click the small stop icon located in the menu bar at the top right of your screen. The recording will automatically save to your designated location, typically the Desktop.

   Note: Using the keyboard shortcut is the cleanest way to stop recording without capturing the stop menu in your final video.