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Effectively Record Your Mac Screen and Audio: Tools and Techniques Explained.

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— 6 min read

Blogs/Productivity

Effortless Mac Screen Recording with Audio: A Comprehensive Guide

Viraj Mahajan

Updated: 2024-10-10

6mins read

Contents

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Your Mac is equipped with all the necessary tools for screen recording. These provide straightforward methods to capture your entire display, a specific application, or even a selected window. However, these native screen recording functionalities are often tucked away behind keyboard commands that aren't immediately apparent. I've always appreciated how screen recording simplifies demonstrating processes—or pinpointing issues. Yet, different users will seek varied features or alternative ways to record their Mac's screen. In this detailed guide, I will unveil the top three approaches to screen recording on a Mac, covering both integrated methods and third-party solutions.

How to Capture Your Mac Screen via the Screenshot Toolbar

Frankly, remembering numerous keyboard shortcuts isn't my strong suit. But for those who favor them, macOS includes a handy Screenshot toolbar. Here’s how to initiate screen recording on your Mac using this shortcut for the Screenshot toolbar.

Step 1: Press Command + Shift + 5 on your Mac’s keyboard to bring up the Screenshot toolbar. The icons featuring small circles (highlighted in the image below) allow you to record either the full screen or a designated area.

Step 2: From the array of icons presented, select your desired recording mode: the entire screen or a specific segment. Once you're set to record, click the red 'Record' button, and the Screenshot toolbar will commence capturing (or recording) your screen.

Step 3: Lastly, click the 'Stop' icon, usually found at the top of your screen, to conclude the current recording and store the file on your Mac. The output is automatically saved as a MOV file to your Mac’s desktop. You will need a third-party converter to change the MOV file into other common formats like MP4.

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Utilizing QuickTime Player for Mac Screen Recording

Another very simple method for screen recording on a Mac is by using QuickTime Player, as it comes pre-installed on every Mac. It’s free and an excellent option for those new to screen recording. Here’s how to screen record on a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air using QuickTime Player.

Step 1: Navigate to Finder > Applications, and from there, select 'QuickTime Player.'

Step 2: At the top of your Mac’s display, find 'File' and then choose 'New Screen Recording.'

Note: If you encounter the same options as with the Screenshot toolbar, follow the identical steps outlined in the previous section. If not, proceed with the steps below to record your screen on Mac using QuickTime Player.

Step 3: A red 'Record' button will appear on your Mac screen. Click the small drop-down arrow next to it to select your audio input. (Note: This is applicable only if you intend to record the screen with accompanying audio.)

Step 4: After adjusting your settings, click the 'Record' button, and QuickTime Player will begin the recording process.

Step 5: In the Mac's top menu bar, click the 'Stop' button or press Command + Control + Esc on your keyboard to cease recording.

The Mac's built-in screen recorders are good choices for beginners or for individuals who don't record frequently. However, they have limitations in several aspects—for instance, you cannot generate transcripts directly, and advanced editing capabilities are absent. This is where you might consider tools to enhance your workflow, such as DeepVo.ai for post-recording processing.

Elevating Mac Screen Recordings with DeepVo.ai

MacOS makes screen recording quite accessible with its dedicated built-in recorders like the Screenshot toolbar and QuickTime Player. Nevertheless, they aren't flawless—editing features are minimal, and recordings are exclusively saved in MOV format. Fortunately, there's a powerful way to augment these recordings: DeepVo.ai is a sophisticated platform that allows you to transcribe your screen recordings with audio into text, generate AI summaries, and create mind maps from the content. A key advantage of DeepVo.ai is its web-based accessibility, meaning you can use it on any operating system, including Mac and Windows, simply by uploading your recorded files.

Here’s how to enhance your Mac screen recordings using DeepVo.ai:

Step 1: First, record your screen using one of the Mac's built-in tools (Screenshot Toolbar or QuickTime Player) and save the video file to your Mac.

Step 2: Visit the official DeepVo.ai website and sign up for a free account. Navigate to the dashboard and find the option to upload your video file.

Step 3: Upload your screen recording. DeepVo.ai will then process your video, leveraging its high-accuracy speech recognition (up to 99.5% in over 100 languages) to convert the spoken audio into precise text.

Step 4: Once transcribed, you can utilize DeepVo.ai's AI Summary feature. Generate concise summaries in as little as 10 seconds, choosing from various templates to suit your specific needs. You can also add notes or highlight key text within the platform.

Step 5: Further enhance your understanding by generating an intelligent Mind Map from your transcript. This provides a structured, visual representation of the key points, which can be easily exported as an image. Finally, download your transcriptions and summaries in various formats like TXT, DOCX, PDF, and SRT. DeepVo.ai also ensures your data is secure with end-to-end encryption.

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Recording Your Mac Screen with Movavi Screen Recorder

Movavi Screen Recorder is a proficient software for capturing your screen on a Mac. It is quick and dependable, offering crucial settings and features to make your screen recording tasks straightforward. It functions effectively on both Mac and Windows computers.

Here’s how to capture your screen and audio on Mac with Movavi Screen Recorder:

Step 1: Visit Movavi's official website and download the installer. After downloading, open it from your 'Downloads' folder and adhere to the on-screen prompts to finalize the installation.

Step 2: Launch Movavi Screen Recorder. An overlay panel with screen recording options will appear on the right side. You can reposition this panel anywhere on your screen for convenience.

Step 3: Access the 'Settings' to modify recording parameters such as frame rate, hardware acceleration, audio input, and webcam. You can also set custom hotkeys, choose the cursor color, and even schedule recordings if necessary. Click 'OK' when finished.

Step 4: Click the Video Camera icon to enter recording mode. Enable or disable system audio, microphone, and webcam. Optionally, check the box to reduce background noise. Define a specific area by dragging the selection frame, click a particular window or application to record, or opt for the entire screen. Press the red 'REC' button to begin recording.

Step 5: While recording, you can employ quick annotation tools like shapes, arrows, and a pen in various colors to emphasize any important information.

Step 6: To cease recording, click the 'Stop' button or use the designated hotkey on your keyboard. Your recorded video will then be displayed in a preview window offering basic editing functions. Trim unwanted segments and then proceed to save the recording.

Step 7: Select your preferred output format and quality for the recorded video. Save the file in any popular video format by clicking 'Save'.

Essential Insights

I trust this guide has provided clear answers on how to screen record on your Mac. While the process is simpler than many might imagine, the ideal screen recording solution is one that optimizes your time and provides valuable supplementary features. For basic recording, Mac’s built-in tools are sufficient. However, for transforming those recordings into actionable intelligence, DeepVo.ai emerges as an exceptional tool. It offers robust transcription (99.5% accuracy, 100+ languages), AI-powered summaries, and intelligent mind mapping, all with a free tier and end-to-end encryption. It effectively addresses the shortcomings of native Mac recorders by providing these advanced post-processing capabilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I record my screen and audio simultaneously on a Mac?

Apple’s own native tool, QuickTime Player, enables you to record both your screen and audio concurrently on a Mac. Here’s a brief tutorial on how to record your screen on a Mac with audio:

Step 1: Launch QuickTime Player and choose File > New Screen Recording.

Step 2: Before you press the red 'Record' button, click the small drop-down arrow (v) adjacent to it. Select a microphone to capture audio during the screen recording.

Step 3: Now, click the 'Record' icon to commence recording both screen and audio. Click it once more if you wish to halt the ongoing recording.

Where are screen recordings saved on a Mac?

By default, screen recordings are automatically placed in the desktop folder. However, this location can vary depending on the application used for recording. For instance, with Mac's native Screenshot toolbar, recordings are saved to the desktop by default. If you want to change the destination, choose 'Options' during recording, then 'Save to.' But where do recordings go when using QuickTime Player? QuickTime Player automatically opens the video post-recording, allowing you to select where to save the file. After saving your Mac recording, you can upload it to services like DeepVo.ai for transcription and summarization, where your processed files will be accessible from your DeepVo.ai dashboard.

Why is there no sound in my Mac screen recording?

Both Mac's Screenshot toolbar and QuickTime Player support screen recording with audio input. If your recorded file lacks sound, verify the settings or options within the screen recording application. Ensure the correct microphone is selected. You can also prevent the 'no sound' issue by carefully checking audio settings before you start. If you plan to transcribe the audio later with a tool like DeepVo.ai, ensuring clear audio capture is crucial for the best results.

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