How to record a screen on Mac: Check out the steps using quicktime player and screenshot toolbar

Recording your screen on a Mac is a simple process thanks to built-in tools like QuickTime Player and the Screenshot Toolbar. Whether you're creating a tutorial, capturing gameplay, or documenting an issue, macOS provides user-friendly options to get the job done efficiently. Here's a quick introduction on how to record your screen using these native tools.


Record a screen on Mac using Quicktime Player

QuickTime Player is a versatile media player that comes pre-installed on all Macs. It also offers a straightforward screen recording feature. Listed below are the steps you can follow:


Open QuickTime Player

You can find QuickTime Player in your Applications folder or by searching for it using Spotlight (Command + Space, then type "QuickTime Player").


Start a new screen recording

• Click on "File" in the menu bar.
• Select "New Screen Recording."

Adjust recording settings

• A small screen recording window will appear. Click the drop-down arrow next to the record button to adjust settings like choosing your microphone if you want to record audio.

Start recording

• Click the red record button. You will be prompted to either click to record the entire screen or drag to select a portion of the screen to record.
• Once you start recording, a small control bar will appear at the top of the screen.

Stop recording

• To stop recording, click the stop button in the menu bar or press Command + Control + Esc.

Save your recording

• Once you stop recording, a preview of the recording will appear. You can then save it by clicking "File" > "Save" and choosing a location on your Mac.

Record a screen on Mac using the Screenshot Toolbar

For those running macOS Mojave or later, the Screenshot Toolbar offers a more integrated solution. Follow the steps below to record a screen on Mac using Screenshot Toolbar (macOS Mojave and later).


Open Screenshot Toolbar

Press Command + Shift + 5 to open the screenshot toolbar.

• Select recording option

You'll see several options. To record the entire screen, click the icon that looks like a screen with a circle in the corner. To record a selected portion, click the icon that looks like a dashed box with a circle in the corner.

• Adjust settings

Click "Options" to adjust settings like where to save your recording, whether to include audio, and whether to set a timer.

• Start recording

Click "Record" to start recording. If you select to record a portion of the screen, drag to select the area you want to record, then click "Start Recording" within that area.

• Stop recording

Click the stop button in the menu bar or press Command + Control + Esc.

• Save your recording
• The recording will be saved to the location you specified in the settings.

Other options

While QuickTime Player and the Screenshot Toolbar cover basic needs, you might require more advanced features like live streaming, detailed editing, or higher quality recordings. For these purposes, third-party applications offer enhanced capabilities.