How to Take a Screen Recording on a Mac 2025

Whether you’re creating a tutorial, recording a gameplay session, or capturing a video call, knowing how to take a screen recording on your Mac can be incredibly useful. macOS offers built-in tools for screen recording, which are easy to use and provide high-quality results. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to capture your screen effortlessly.(How to Take a Screen Recording on a Mac 2025)

Using macOS’s Built-in Tools

Using the Screenshot Toolbar (macOS Mojave and Later)

Since macOS Mojave, Apple has included a handy screenshot toolbar that simplifies screen recording. Here’s how to use it:

Open the Screenshot Toolbar:

Press Shift + Command + 5 on your keyboard. This will bring up the screenshot toolbar at the bottom of your screen.

Select the Screen Recording Option:

You’ll see several icons in the toolbar. For screen recording, choose either the “Record Entire Screen” button (a solid square inside a circle) or the “Record Selected Portion” button (a dotted square inside a circle).

Record Entire Screen: Captures everything displayed on your monitor.

Record Selected Portion: Allows you to drag to select a specific area of your screen to record.

Start Recording:

Click the chosen recording button. If you selected “Record Selected Portion,” drag to define the area you want to capture, then click “Start Recording” within that area.(How to Take a Screen Recording on a Mac 2025)

You can also click anywhere on the screen to start recording the entire screen.

Stop Recording:

To stop the recording, click the stop button in the menu bar (a small square icon) or press Command + Control + Esc.

Save and Review:

Once you stop recording, a thumbnail of your video will appear in the lower-right corner of the screen. Click it to review and edit if needed, or wait for the video to save automatically to your desktop or a specified location.

Using QuickTime Player (All macOS Versions)

For those using older versions of macOS or preferring a different method, QuickTime Player is a versatile tool for screen recording. Here’s how to use it:

Open QuickTime Player:

Go to Applications > QuickTime Player, or use Spotlight by pressing Command + Space and typing “QuickTime Player.”

Start a New Screen Recording:

Click File in the menu bar, then select New Screen Recording. A recording window will pop up.

Configure Recording Settings:

Click the small arrow next to the record button to choose recording options:

Microphone: Select a microphone if you want to record audio along with your screen.

Options: Choose whether to show mouse clicks in the recording.

Begin Recording:

Click the red Record button. You’ll be prompted to either click anywhere on the screen to start recording the entire screen or drag to select a specific area to record.(How to Take a Screen Recording on a Mac 2025)

Stop Recording:

To stop the recording, click the stop button in the menu bar (next to the time/date).

Save and Edit:

After stopping, QuickTime will open the recording automatically. You can review and trim the video if needed. To save, click File > Save and choose your preferred location.

Tips for Effective Screen Recording

Plan Your Recording:

Outline what you want to capture before starting. This ensures a smoother recording process and avoids unnecessary edits.

Check Your Settings:

Make sure your microphone and camera settings are configured correctly if you’re recording audio or video along with your screen.(How to Take a Screen Recording on a Mac 2025)

Prepare Your Desktop:

Clean up your desktop and close unnecessary applications to avoid distractions and ensure your recording looks professional.

Use Keyboard Shortcuts:

Familiarize yourself with shortcuts like Shift + Command + 5 to quickly access the screenshot toolbar and Command + Control + Esc to stop recording.

Edit as Needed:

Use macOS’s built-in editing tools or third-party software if you need to trim or enhance your recording.