Record video on Mac

You can record video on a Mac with built-in apps: QuickTime Player, Photo Booth or the Shift-Command-5 screen recording toolbar. For several takes of yourself talking, record in ClipsPal instead, which cuts the failed takes afterwards.

Record video on Mac with QuickTime Player

QuickTime Player has two ways to record under Create a new recording in Apple's QuickTime guide: record your screen, and record a movie. Record a movie is the one for filming yourself, and it has its own page in that guide.

To record your screen, which is the same Screenshot toolbar Shift-Command-5 opens:

1. Open QuickTime Player and choose File > New Screen Recording. Screenshot opens with its tools.
2. Pick what to record: the entire screen, a window or a portion of the screen. For a portion, drag the frame or its edges to set the area.
3. Click Options and choose what you need: - where to save the file - a timer delay before recording starts - a microphone, or None to turn it off - show or hide the mouse pointer and clicks - the floating thumbnail, which you can click to trim or share the recording
4. Click Record. To stop, click the stop button in the menu bar.

Depending on where you chose to save the recording, an app may open when you stop.

Record yourself on a Mac in ClipsPal

ClipsPal is a desktop editor for talking-head videos, and on Mac it records inside the app, so the take lands in the project it will be edited in. Recording yourself works like this:

1. Choose New video, then Record screen.
2. Select the display, window or area, the microphone and the camera. Choose No camera for a screen-only take, or record just your voice.
3. Grant the permissions the setup asks for. Check the live picture and the microphone level before you start.
4. Start recording. The editor hides and floating controls let you pause, resume, stop or discard the take. With a camera selected, a floating preview shows your framing.
5. Stop to review the take, then add it to your video. Record more takes if you need them.

Native screen and camera recording is Mac only, on Apple Silicon and Intel alike.

Read a script while you record

In the recording setup, open Teleprompter, turn on Use teleprompter and paste your text into Script. Set the speed in words per minute and the text size. Scrolling starts after the recording countdown. A browser version is also available as the online teleprompter.

Record your screen with Shift-Command-5

Press Shift-Command-5 to open the same Screenshot toolbar without QuickTime Player, then follow steps 2 to 4 above. Apple lists the shortcut on its Mac Help page.

Which way to record video on a Mac

Method	Records	Best for
QuickTime Player	Your screen (File > New Screen Recording), or a movie	A quick capture saved where you choose
Photo Booth	A selfie or a video: Apple's guide has a Take a photo or record a video page	A casual clip of yourself
Screenshot toolbar (Shift-Command-5)	Entire screen, a window or a portion, with a microphone option	Fast screen recordings with a trim option
ClipsPal	Display, window or area, microphone, optional camera, several takes	Talking-head videos you plan to edit

Record several takes, then cut the bad ones

Record or import the takes in ClipsPal and the automatic edit cuts failed takes and silences, so you review a timeline instead of raw files. How to make a talking-head video covers the recording, and How to edit videos on Mac covers the cut.