MotionShineShort answer: to record your screen, press Shift-Command-5, pick what to capture and click Record. To record yourself with the camera, open QuickTime Player and choose File, then New Movie Recording. Photo Booth also records video from the camera. All three are already on your Mac. If you want your screen and your face in one video, Apple's pages describe the two as separate recordings, so you either record twice or use an app with a camera bubble.
The steps below come from Apple Support, read on 23 October 2026: "Take screenshots or screen recordings on Mac" (published 14 September 2026), the QuickTime Player guides "Record a movie in QuickTime Player on Mac" and "Record your screen in QuickTime Player on Mac", and the Photo Booth guide "Take a photo or record a video in Photo Booth on Mac". The wording of the options is Apple's.
Which way should you record?
| You want to record | Use | File |
|---|---|---|
| Your screen | Screenshot app (Shift-Command-5) or QuickTime Player, File, New Screen Recording | .mov, named "Screen Recording" plus the date and time |
| Yourself, with the Mac camera | QuickTime Player, File, New Movie Recording | You choose the name and place when you save |
| Yourself, quick and simple | Photo Booth, Video button, Record Video | Apple's page does not say where it is saved |
| Screen and face together | An app with a camera bubble, or two recordings joined later | Depends on the app |
How to record your screen
This is Apple's method for the Screenshot app.
- Press Shift-Command-5 to open the toolbar.
- Choose Record Entire Screen, Record Selected Window (macOS Tahoe 26 or later) or Record Selected Portion. For a portion, drag the borders to set the area.
- Click Options before you record. Apple's page lists these settings: a microphone for voice or other audio, Show Mouse Clicks (a black circle around the pointer when you click), a timer that waits a set number of seconds after you click Record, Save to, and SDR or HDR capture on supported Macs with macOS Tahoe 26 or later. Include System Audio is listed for macOS 27 Golden Gate or later.
- Click Record. If you chose Record Selected Window, click the window you want.
- To stop, click the Stop button in the menu bar, or press Command-Control-Esc.
- Click the thumbnail in the corner to edit the recording, or wait for it to save. The default place is your desktop.
To cancel before you start, press Esc. The full list of ways to stop is in how to stop a screen recording on Mac. More detail on every setting is in how to screen record on Mac.
Sound: if you want your voice, choose a microphone in Options. Capturing the sound your Mac plays is a separate question. See how to screen record on Mac with audio, and how to record audio from your computer on Mac for the options.
How to record yourself with the camera
In QuickTime Player
Apple's QuickTime Player guide gives these steps:
- Open QuickTime Player and choose File, then New Movie Recording. A green light beside the built-in camera shows it is on.
- Click the Capture Device Selection Menu button. If you have more than one camera or microphone, pick the ones you want.
- Set Quality. Apple says High records H.264 video and 44100 Hz AAC audio. Maximum records Apple ProRes 422 video and Linear PCM audio, which makes large files.
- Move the volume control to check the sound you are recording.
- Click the Start Recording button. Click Stop Recording when you finish.
- To pause, Option-click the Start Recording button, and click it again to resume.
- Choose File, then Save, and name the recording.
Choose High unless you have a reason not to. Apple's own description says Maximum makes large files.
In Photo Booth
Apple's Photo Booth guide is shorter. Click the Video button at the bottom left, then click Record Video, and click the Stop button when you finish. Hold the Option key while you click Record Video to skip the three-second countdown. If you use an external camera, connect it and turn it on first. Apple's page does not say where the file is saved, so look for it inside Photo Booth.
Check your camera and mic first
A black picture or a silent take wastes a recording. The free webcam and mic test runs in your browser and shows whether the camera and mic work before you start.
How to record your screen and your face together
Apple's pages treat these as separate tools: the Screenshot toolbar records the screen, and QuickTime Player's New Movie Recording records the camera. Neither page describes a way to put the camera in the corner of a screen recording. You have two choices.
- Record twice. Make the screen recording, make the camera recording, and combine them in an editor. This works, but you must line up the two and keep the voice in sync. The best video editing software for Mac lists editors with prices.
- Use an app with a camera bubble. The camera sits in a circle over the screen while you record, so you get one file.
MotionShine is one such app, and this guide is by its maker. It is a free Mac screen recorder with a camera bubble, auto zoom on every click and a smooth cursor, and it has an editor with text, pictures, music lanes, voice over and captions on device. It runs on macOS 13 and later. The free version exports up to 720p at 30 fps with no watermark and no time limit. Pro unlocks 1080p, 1440p, 4K and 60 fps, with one-time prices.
It is not for you if you only need a quick camera clip. QuickTime Player does that already, and it is free. It also has no share links, so you send the file yourself. For other recorders, the best screen recorder for Mac compares them.
Where does the video go?
For the Screenshot app, the default is your desktop, according to Apple, and the file is named "Screen Recording" followed by the date and time. For QuickTime, you pick the name and place when you choose File, then Save. Where do screen recordings go on Mac has the full search steps.
What to do with the video afterward
- Trim it. Open the clip in QuickTime Player, choose Edit, then Trim, drag the yellow handles and click Trim. How to edit a screen recording on Mac has the steps, and the free video trimmer does it in a browser.
- Shrink it. If the file is too large for email or chat, the free video compressor reduces it.
- Change the format. If a site asks for MP4, use the free MOV to MP4 converter.
- Make it better. Video editing tips for screen recordings covers cuts, zooms, sound and captions.
If the recording does not work
- The picture is blank or the screen is missing. Open System Settings, Privacy & Security, and check that the app has permission under Screen & System Audio Recording. For the camera, check the Camera section in the same place (Apple's pages read today do not cover this).
- No sound. In the Screenshot app, open Options and check the microphone. In QuickTime, check the Capture Device Selection Menu and the volume control.
- A window will not record. Apple's page says some apps, such as the Apple TV app, may not allow recording of their windows.
- You cannot stop it. Click Stop in the menu bar or press Command-Control-Esc.
FAQ
How do I record a video on my Mac?
For your screen, press Shift-Command-5 and click Record. For the camera, open QuickTime Player and choose File, then New Movie Recording. Photo Booth also records video from the camera.
Can I record my screen and webcam at the same time on a Mac?
Apple's pages describe them as separate recordings. You can record both and join them in an editor, or use an app with a camera bubble, which gives you one file.
Does a Mac screen recording include sound?
Only if you choose a microphone in Options. Apple's page lists Include System Audio for macOS 27 Golden Gate or later. How to screen record on Mac with audio covers other ways.
Where are videos saved on a Mac?
Screen recordings from the Screenshot app go to your desktop by default. QuickTime asks you to name and save camera recordings. For Photo Booth, Apple's page does not say, so look inside the app.
How long can I record a video on a Mac?
Apple's pages read today did not give a time limit. The limit in practice is the free space on your disk, so check it before a long recording.
What file type do Mac recordings use?
Screen recordings are .mov files. In QuickTime, Apple says High quality records H.264 video and AAC audio, and Maximum records Apple ProRes 422. For a more detailed explanation, see MOV vs MP4 for screen recordings.
