How to record your screen on a Mac

howtosimply.com/guides/how-to-record-your-screen-on-a-mac/ · Checked October 2026 · MacBook Neo · macOS 27.0.1

7 of 7 steps with real screenshots · 1 official source below

Device

Mac

Shown on

macOS 27.0.1 (MacBook Neo)

Real screenshots

7 of 7 steps

Checked

October 2026

Sources

1 official, linked below

Step by step

1. 

   Press Shift + Command + 5

   A toolbar appears at the bottom of the screen.

   The buttons with a small circle record video. On our MacBook Neo there are three of them.

   Done

2. 

   Choose what to record

   Click Record Entire Screen, the first button with a circle, or one of the others to record only part of the screen.

   The Capture button on the right then reads Record.

   Done

3. 

   Click Options to add sound

   Under Microphone, choose MacBook Neo Microphone to record your voice. On our MacBook Neo, None was ticked by default.

   Timer offers 5 Seconds or 10 Seconds, and Save to sets where the file goes.

   Done

4. 

   Click Record

   Click Record at the right of the toolbar. Apple says that if you chose Record Selected Window, you click the window you want to record instead.

   Apple says you can press Esc to cancel before you start.

   Done

5. 

   Stop the recording

   Click the stop button, a square in a circle, in the menu bar to the left of the status icons.

   Apple says you can also press Command + Control + Esc.

   Done

6. 

   Check the preview

   A small preview appears in the bottom-right corner, because Show Floating Thumbnail is ticked in Options.

   Click it to trim the recording, or leave it and the file is saved.

   Done

7. 

   Find the video on the Desktop

   On our MacBook Neo the recording was saved as Screen Recording 2026-10-18 at 07.18.50.mov at the top right of the Desktop.

   Done

What we saw on our device

• Press Shift + Command + 5: On our MacBook Neo there are three of them.
• Click Options to add sound: On our MacBook Neo, None was ticked by default.
• Find the video on the Desktop: On our MacBook Neo the recording was saved as Screen Recording 2026-10-18 at 07.18.50.mov at the top right of the Desktop.

If you do not see this option

• The button says Capture, not Record A screenshot button is selected. Click one of the buttons with a small circle and the button changes to Record.
• No option for the Mac's own sound On our MacBook Neo it is called Include System Audio and sits under Capture at the bottom of the Options menu.
• No stop button in the menu bar Apple says you can also stop the recording with Command + Control + Esc. Source: How to record the screen on your Mac

If this does not work

• The video has no sound Under Microphone in Options, None is ticked by default on our MacBook Neo. Choose MacBook Neo Microphone before you click Record.
• You cannot find the file Check Save to in Options; Desktop was ticked on our MacBook Neo. The file is named Screen Recording followed by the date and time.
• The recording of an app is black or blank Apple says some apps, such as the Apple TV app, might not let you record their windows. Source: How to record the screen on your Mac

About this guide

macOS records the screen without extra software: the same toolbar that takes screenshots also records video, with your voice if you want.

Screenshots: MacBook Neo, macOS 27.0.1, dark mode.

Good to know

To trim the start and end, click the preview, or open the file and press Command + T in QuickTime Player.

On our MacBook Neo, Options has Include System Audio under Capture to record the Mac's own sound; it is off by default, so otherwise only the microphone is captured.

On our MacBook Neo, Options also has Show Mouse Clicks under Capture, to highlight your clicks in the video.

In short: Shift + Command + 5 › record button › Options › Record › stop button in the menu bar.