MotionShineShort answer: you can record your Mac's own sound with no plugin in two cases. On macOS 27 Golden Gate or later, Apple's Screenshot toolbar has an Include System Audio option for screen recordings. On macOS 13 or later, apps such as OBS Studio 30 and newer capture it themselves. On an older macOS, the built-in tools cannot do it, and you need a virtual audio driver or an app that handles it.
"Computer audio" here means system audio: the sound a video, a call or an app plays. If you only want your voice, see how to record audio from your computer on Mac, and for video with sound see how to screen record on Mac with audio. This post covers one thing: what is allowed, and by whom.
Apple's facts come from its Support page "How to record the screen on Mac", published 14 September 2026. App facts come from each maker's own pages, checked on 23 October 2026 unless a date is given.
What macOS itself allows
| macOS version | Built-in way to record the Mac's sound | Source |
|---|---|---|
| macOS 27 Golden Gate or later | Yes. Choose Include System Audio in the Options menu of the Screenshot toolbar (Shift-Command-5) | Apple Support, 14 Sep 2026 |
| macOS 26 and earlier | Not listed on Apple's page | Apple Support |
| QuickTime New Audio Recording, any version | Records from a microphone or another input device you choose | Apple QuickTime Player guide |
| Voice Memos, any version | Records from the internal mic, a headset or an external mic | Apple Voice Memos guide |
Two cautions from Apple's page. First, the system audio option is described for screen recordings, so what you get is a screen recording with sound, not a sound-only file. Second, the page says some apps, such as the Apple TV app, might not let you record their windows. A protected video can still come out blank.
The steps on macOS 27:
- Press Shift-Command-5.
- Click Options.
- Choose Include System Audio. Choose a microphone too if you want your voice.
- Pick the whole screen, a window or a part, and click Record.
- Stop with the Stop button in the menu bar or Control-Command-Esc.
Apps that capture Mac sound without a plugin
On an older macOS, the next easiest route is an app that does the capturing. Here is what each maker says.
| App | Records Mac sound without a driver? | What the maker says | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| OBS Studio | Yes, on macOS 13 or later with OBS 30 or later | A "macOS Audio Capture Source" captures all desktop audio or one application (OBS guide, dated 2022-04-19, checked 23 Oct 2026) | Free |
| MotionShine | Yes, with your microphone | Both in one recording, each with its own volume in the editor | Free, Pro from $49 once at launch |
| Screen Studio | Yes | Records all apps or chosen apps (checked 14 Oct 2026) | $9 a month billed yearly, $29 monthly |
| Cap | Yes | Checked 14 Oct 2026 | Free for personal use |
| CleanShot X | Yes, no driver | Checked 14 Oct 2026 | $35 once |
| ScreenFlow | Yes, no driver since version 10.5 | Checked 14 Oct 2026 | $199 once |
| Camtasia | Yes | Its support guide may ask you to install TechSmith's audio component (checked 14 Oct 2026) | From $39 a year |
| Loom desktop | Yes | Loom's page says the desktop app is needed to capture system audio from other apps, and the Chrome extension only records one tab's audio. Whether Mac needs a driver: not found | Free plan, then paid |
| ScreenPal | Paid plans only | Needs a capture filter install; the free plan has no system audio (checked 14 Oct 2026) | Free, then paid |
Prices change, so check each maker's page before you buy. More apps are in the best screen recorders for Mac.
MotionShine, by the maker of this site, records your microphone and your Mac's sound together, and in the editor each has its own volume. It runs on macOS 13 and later. The free version exports up to 720p with no watermark and no time limit, and Pro adds 1080p up to 4K. It is a screen recorder, so it is not the tool for an audio-only file.
When you do need a plugin
The old route, and still the one for a Mac with no new enough macOS and no suitable app, is a virtual audio driver. It behaves like a microphone but carries the sound your Mac plays.
BlackHole is the best known. Its GitHub page calls it a modern macOS virtual audio loopback driver, licensed GPL-3.0, for macOS 10.10 and newer, with builds for Intel and Apple silicon. It passes audio from one app to another: you set the sending app's output to BlackHole, and the receiving app's input to BlackHole.
The catch is hearing it. BlackHole's page says you need a Multi-Output Device to hear audio while also sending it to BlackHole, and that the Built-in Output must be enabled and listed as the top device. OBS's own guide describes the same idea with VB-CABLE for older macOS, and says it needs manual setup and does not support per-application capture. The OBS guide also names Loopback by Rogue Amoeba and Sound Siphon as routing tools with per-application capture, without giving prices.
So the plugin route works, but it adds setup steps and a second device to manage. For a one-off recording, an app that captures the sound itself is usually less work.
Why is my computer audio silent?
- The app blocks recording. Apple says some apps, such as the Apple TV app, might not let you record their windows.
- No permission. Open System Settings, Privacy & Security, then Screen & System Audio Recording, and check that the recorder is on.
- Wrong version. Include System Audio is a macOS 27 option. Earlier versions do not show it.
- You are on the virtual device. If you routed sound to a driver and it was your only output, you will hear nothing from the speakers. Set the output back, or use a Multi-Output Device.
- You chose a microphone, not system audio. The two are separate settings in most recorders.
Which route should you pick?
- You are on macOS 27 or later and want a screen recording with sound: use the built-in Include System Audio option. It is free and needs no install.
- You are on macOS 13 to 26 and want a recording: use an app from the table that captures it, such as OBS Studio or a screen recorder.
- You want the Mac's sound alone, with no video: Apple's audio tools do not list system audio. Record the screen with system audio and keep the sound, or use OBS with its audio capture source.
- You cannot install anything and run an older macOS: the built-in tools do not capture the Mac's sound, so there is no plugin-free route.
FAQ
Can a Mac record internal audio without any software?
On macOS 27 Golden Gate or later, yes, as part of a screen recording with Include System Audio. On earlier versions, Apple's page does not list it, so you need an app or a driver.
Is BlackHole safe and free?
Its GitHub page says it is licensed under GPL-3.0, which means the source is open. Any driver runs deep in the system, so read the project's page and install only from there.
Does QuickTime Player record computer audio?
QuickTime's New Audio Recording records from the microphone or input you choose. Apple's page for it does not list a system audio option. Screen recordings in QuickTime and the Screenshot app are covered above.
Can I record a Zoom meeting with everyone's voices?
The other voices are your Mac's sound. Use Zoom's own Record button or a recorder that captures system audio. See how to record a Zoom meeting on Mac.
Does OBS record computer audio on a Mac?
Yes on macOS 13 or later with OBS 30 or later, per OBS's own guide. How to use OBS Studio on Mac for screen recording walks through it.
Why does my recording have my voice but not the video's sound?
The microphone is selected but system audio is not. Choose Include System Audio on macOS 27 or later, or use an app that captures it.
