MotionShineShort answer: open QuickTime Player, choose File, then New Screen Recording (or press Control-Command-N), click Record, then click the screen to record all of it or drag to pick an area. Stop with the Stop button in the menu bar or press Command-Control-Esc. QuickTime opens the recording when you stop. Checked on 24 October 2026 on two Apple pages: "Record your screen in QuickTime Player on Mac" (the QuickTime Player User Guide, no publish date shown) and "How to record the screen on Mac" (dated 14 September 2026).
This post is the full walk through plus the limits. If you only need sound, read QuickTime screen recording with audio. If you are stuck mid recording, read how to stop a QuickTime screen recording.
Step by step: record your screen in QuickTime Player
These are Apple's steps, in order.
- Open QuickTime Player from your Applications folder.
- In the menu bar choose File, then New Screen Recording. You can also press Control-Command-N.
- Open the settings if you need them. Click the arrow next to the Record button, or click Options if you see the Screenshot toolbar. This is where you pick a microphone, a save location and whether to show mouse clicks.
- Click Record.
- Choose what to record. Click anywhere on the screen to record the whole screen. Or drag to select an area, then click Start Recording inside it.
- Stop. Click the Stop button in the menu bar, or press Command-Control-Esc.
- Review. Apple's page says QuickTime Player opens the recording automatically after you stop. From there you can play it, trim it and save it.
To cancel before you start, press Esc.
Why you may see a toolbar instead of QuickTime's own window
Apple's two pages describe this a little differently. The QuickTime Player guide says File, New Screen Recording opens Screenshot and shows its tools. The "How to record the screen on Mac" page says that if you see the Screenshot toolbar, the Screenshot app handles the recording. In practice, on a recent Mac you will usually see the same toolbar that Shift-Command-5 opens. Either way, the steps above are the same.
The settings QuickTime gives you
Apple's page lists these options for the Screenshot toolbar, which is what you use to record:
| Option | What Apple says it does |
|---|---|
| Record Entire Screen | Records the full screen |
| Record Selected Window | Records one window. Needs macOS Tahoe 26 or later |
| Record Selected Portion | Records an area you drag. You can adjust its borders |
| Timer | Waits a set number of seconds after you click Record |
| Microphone | Records your voice or other audio from the mic you choose |
| Show Mouse Clicks | Shows a black circle around the pointer when you click |
| Save to | Where the file goes. The default is the desktop |
| Capture format | On supported Macs running Tahoe 26 or later, choose SDR (H.264) or HDR (HEVC) |
Want the file to land somewhere you can find it? Where do screen recordings go on Mac covers the folders.
QuickTime's limits, in one table
This is the part most guides skip. The table separates what Apple's pages state from what they leave out. "Not found" means I looked on the two Apple pages above and the line is not there. It does not prove the feature is missing.
| Question | What Apple's pages say |
|---|---|
| Is there a maximum recording length? | Not found. The QuickTime guide states no limit |
| Can it record sound your Mac plays (system audio)? | Not found for QuickTime. Apple lists a system audio option in the Screenshot app's Options only on macOS 27 Golden Gate or later |
| Can it record a single window? | Yes, but Apple says Record Selected Window needs macOS Tahoe 26 or later |
| Can it record the whole screen or an area? | Yes |
| Does it show clicks? | Yes, a black circle around the pointer when you click (Show Mouse Clicks) |
| Does it zoom in on what you click? | Not found. No zoom setting is listed |
| Can it smooth the cursor path? | Not found |
| Can it add text, music or captions? | Not found. Apple's related guide for editing is "Trim a movie or clip" |
| Can it record a webcam beside the screen? | Not found on the screen recording page. Apple's QuickTime guide has a separate "Record a movie" guide |
If you need more than the first four rows, you have outgrown QuickTime. That is not a flaw. QuickTime is built to be simple, and it does simple very well.
Common problems and fixes
- The recording is silent. Check that a Microphone is chosen in the options, then check the volume slider in QuickTime. Apple says QuickTime has a volume slider to monitor the sound while you record, and that headphones help if you hear feedback. If the sound you want is your Mac's own audio, read QuickTime screen recording with audio and how to record computer audio on a Mac without a plugin.
- You cannot find the file. QuickTime opens the recording in a window, and where it saves depends on your Save to setting. Save it from the File menu while it is open so you choose the folder.
- The recording is blank. Open System Settings, Privacy & Security, then Screen & System Audio Recording, and turn the app on.
- You cannot get it to stop. Use Command-Control-Esc, or see how to stop screen recording on Mac.
QuickTime Player or Shift-Command-5?
Both use the same recording tools on a modern Mac. The difference is where you start. Shift-Command-5 opens the toolbar straight away. QuickTime Player gets you to the same toolbar through the File menu, and then opens the finished file in its own player. If you want the clip to open in QuickTime for a quick trim, start there. If you want speed, use the keyboard shortcut. The wider picture is in how to screen record on Mac.
When QuickTime is not enough, try something built for finished videos. MotionShine, by the maker of this blog, is a free Mac screen recorder that records a display, a window or an area. It adds auto zoom on clicks, a smooth cursor, click effects and motion blur, and it has a full editor with text, pictures, music lanes, voice over and on-device captions. Free exports go up to 720p at 30 fps, with no watermark and no time limit. Pro unlocks 1080p, 1440p, 4K and 60 fps, and it is a one-time price. It is not worth installing for a one-off clip you will send and forget. For that, QuickTime is fine. It also does not do GIF export, so for that job use the free video to GIF tool in your browser.
What to do with the file next
QuickTime recordings are .mov files. Most sites take them, but some want MP4. Convert QuickTime to MP4 on Mac shows how, and MOV vs MP4 for screen recordings explains the difference. If the file is too big to share, see how to compress a video on Mac.
FAQ
How do I screen record on a Mac with QuickTime Player?
Open QuickTime Player, choose File, New Screen Recording, click Record, then click the screen or drag an area. Stop with the menu bar Stop button or Command-Control-Esc.
What is the shortcut for a QuickTime screen recording?
Control-Command-N starts a new screen recording from QuickTime Player, according to Apple's page. Command-Control-Esc stops it.
Does QuickTime have a time limit for screen recording?
Apple's QuickTime Player page states no length limit. In practice your free disk space is what matters, but Apple's page does not say so, so treat that as general advice.
Can QuickTime record my screen and my voice?
Yes. Click the arrow next to Record, or open Options, and choose a Microphone before you click Record.
Can QuickTime record just one window?
Apple says Record Selected Window needs macOS Tahoe 26 or later. On older versions, record the whole screen or drag an area around the window.
Why does QuickTime show a toolbar instead of its own recorder?
Because on recent macOS versions the Screenshot app handles the recording. Apple's pages say File, New Screen Recording opens Screenshot and its tools.
