# How to screen record on a Mac (with or without audio) > Screen record on a Mac with Shift + Command + 5, QuickTime or free NeetoRecord. How to add audio, stop a recording and find where it is saved. - **Authors**: Kirti Gulati - **Published**: 2026-11-05 - **URL**: https://www.neeto.com/neetorecord/blog/how-to-screen-record-on-mac - **Page title**: How to screen record on a Mac with audio (2026) | NeetoRecord - **Meta description**: Screen record on a Mac with Shift + Command + 5, QuickTime or free NeetoRecord. How to add audio, stop a recording and find where it is saved. - **Keywords**: how to screen record on mac, screen record mac, how to screen record on mac with audio, how to stop screen recording on mac, and macbook --- To screen record on a Mac, press **Shift + Command + 5**. Choose to record the whole screen, one window or a part of it, then click **Record**. To stop, click the stop button in the menu bar or press **Command + Control + Esc**. The video is saved to your desktop. This works the same on a MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac and Mac mini. That is perfect for a quick clip. If you want to share the recording with someone, [NeetoRecord](https://www.neeto.com/neetorecord) is a free screen recorder for Mac that records your screen, webcam and voice, then copies a share link the moment you stop. No large file to upload or email. The free plan gives you 200 videos a month, up to 15 minutes each, in up to 4K, with AI titles, summaries and transcripts. Below are the exact steps for each method, how to record with sound, where your recordings go, and how to stop a recording. ## Quick answer: which method should you use? - **Screenshot toolbar (Shift + Command + 5):** best for most people. Built into every Mac, records the screen, a window or a part of it, with your microphone. - **QuickTime Player:** the older built-in way. Useful if you already have QuickTime open, or want the recording to open right away for trimming. - **NeetoRecord (free):** best when the video is for someone else. Adds your webcam, and gives you a link to share instead of a file. ## Method 1: Screen record on a Mac with Shift + Command + 5 1. Press **Shift + Command + 5**. A toolbar appears at the bottom of the screen. 2. Pick what to record: **Record Entire Screen** , **Record Selected Portion** , or, on macOS Tahoe 26 or later, **Record Selected Window**. For a portion, drag the edges of the box to fit what you want to show. 3. Click **Options** to choose a microphone, add a timer, show mouse clicks, or change where the file is saved. 4. Click **Record**. If you chose a window, click the window you want. 5. To stop, click the stop button in the menu bar at the top of the screen, or press **Command + Control + Esc**. A small thumbnail appears in the corner. Click it to trim the video, or leave it and the recording saves to your desktop as a .mov file named "Screen Recording" with the date and time. **First time?** Your Mac may ask for permission. Go to **System Settings \> Privacy & Security \> Screen & System Audio Recording** and turn on the app you're using. ## Method 2: Screen record with QuickTime Player 1. Open **QuickTime Player** from your Applications folder. 2. Choose **File \> New Screen Recording** , or press **Control + Command + N**. On newer versions of macOS, this opens the same Screenshot toolbar as Method 1. 3. Pick your microphone in the options, then click **Record**. 4. Click the stop button in the menu bar, or press **Command + Control + Esc**. QuickTime opens the recording as soon as you stop, so you can trim it with **Edit \> Trim** and then save it with **File \> Save**. ## Method 3: Screen record on a Mac with NeetoRecord (free) Use NeetoRecord when the video is going to a teammate, a client or a student. Instead of a big .mov file, you get a link they can watch in their browser. 1. [Download NeetoRecord for Mac](https://www.neeto.com/neetorecord/download). It works on both Apple silicon and Intel Macs. Open the .dmg file and move NeetoRecord to your Applications folder. You can also use the [Chrome extension](https://www.neeto.com/neetorecord/features/chrome-extension) if you only need to record your browser. 2. Sign up for free and log in. Allow screen recording, camera and microphone access when your Mac asks. 3. Choose your full screen, one window or a custom area. Pick your microphone and camera. 4. Click **Start recording** , or press **Option + Shift + E**. After a 3-second countdown, recording begins. 5. Click **Finish recording**. The share link is copied to your clipboard. What you get on the free plan: - 200 videos a month per user, up to 15 minutes each. - Recording quality up to [4K](https://www.neeto.com/neetorecord/features/4k-screen-recording). - Your webcam in a bubble, with background blur. - AI titles, [summaries](https://www.neeto.com/neetorecord/features/ai-video-summaries), chapters and [transcripts](https://www.neeto.com/neetorecord/features/video-transcripts). - Auto zoom on clicks, mouse-click highlights and trimming. - An option to save the video to your Mac as well as in your workspace. Need longer videos? The [Pro plan](https://www.neeto.com/neetorecord/pricing) allows up to 2 hours per recording for $5 per user a month, or $30 a year. ## How to screen record on a Mac with audio There are two kinds of sound: your voice (microphone) and the sound playing on your Mac (system audio). - **Your voice:** in the Screenshot toolbar, click **Options** and pick a microphone, such as MacBook Air Microphone. If it says None, nothing is recorded. - **Sound from your Mac:** on macOS 27 Golden Gate or later, click **Options** and turn on **Include System Audio**. On older versions of macOS, the built-in recorder can't capture the sound playing on your Mac. You need to update macOS or use an app that records system audio. - **NeetoRecord:** your microphone is recorded on the free plan. The Mac app can also record system audio on macOS 15 or later. Turn on **Record system audio** in Settings \> Recording. System audio is a Pro feature. **Tip:** wear headphones when you record system audio. Otherwise your microphone can pick up the sound from your speakers and cause an echo. ## Where do screen recordings go on a Mac? By default, recordings made with Shift + Command + 5 are saved to your **desktop**. If you changed the **Save to** setting in Options, they go to that folder instead. Can't find one? Open Finder, press **Command + F** and search for "Screen Recording". All recordings start with that name, followed by the date and time. Recordings made with NeetoRecord are saved in your NeetoRecord workspace, where you can share or download them any time. ## How to stop screen recording on a Mac - Click the **stop button** (a small circle with a square) in the menu bar at the top of your screen. - Or press **Command + Control + Esc**. - Can't see the menu bar because an app is in full screen? Move your pointer to the very top of the screen to show it, or use the keyboard shortcut. In NeetoRecord, click **Finish recording** on the control bar, or press **Option + Shift + E**. ## Keyboard shortcuts for screen recording on a Mac - **Shift + Command + 5:** open the screen recording toolbar. - **Command + Control + Esc:** stop recording. - **Esc:** cancel before you start. - **Control + Command + N:** new screen recording in QuickTime Player. - **Option + Shift + E:** start or stop a recording in the NeetoRecord desktop app. - **Option + Shift + K:** pause or resume a NeetoRecord recording. ## Frequently asked questions ### How do I screen record on a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro? The steps are the same on every Mac. Press Shift + Command + 5, choose what to record, and click Record. Press Command + Control + Esc to stop. ### Why is my Mac screen recording missing sound? Check that a microphone is selected under Options, not None. If you want the sound playing on your Mac, you need macOS 27 or later and Include System Audio turned on. Some apps also block recording of their content. ### Why is my screen recording black or blank? Your Mac probably hasn't given the app permission. Open System Settings \> Privacy & Security \> Screen & System Audio Recording, turn on the app, and restart it. Some apps, such as the Apple TV app, don't allow their windows to be recorded at all. ### Is there a time limit on Mac screen recordings? Apple doesn't list a time limit for the built-in recorder, but long recordings make very large files, so keep an eye on your free disk space. NeetoRecord's free plan allows up to 15 minutes per video, and Pro allows up to 2 hours. ### Can I record my screen and my face at the same time on a Mac? The built-in recorder only records the screen. NeetoRecord adds your webcam in a bubble you can move and resize, with an option to blur your background. ## Start recording in a minute For a quick clip, Shift + Command + 5 is already on your Mac. For videos you share with other people, [try NeetoRecord for free](https://www.neeto.com/neetorecord). You get 200 videos a month, 4K quality and a share link with every recording.