MotionShineShort answer: Apple's Support page says that, by default, recordings made with the Screenshot app (Shift-Command-5) are saved to your desktop. They are .mov files named "Screen Recording" followed by the date and time. If you changed the folder, or you used another app, the file is somewhere else. Press Shift-Command-5, click Options and read Save to, and you will see the folder the Screenshot app uses now.
Apple's facts come from its Support pages "How to record the screen on Mac" and "Take screenshots or screen recordings on Mac", read on 18 October 2026. Neither page shows a publish date. Other apps' facts come from that app's own pages or source, and anything from a third-party guide is named as theirs.
Where each recorder saves
| Recorded with | Where the file goes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Screenshot app (Shift-Command-5) | Your desktop, unless you chose another folder under Save to | Apple Support |
| QuickTime Player (New Screen Recording) | Apple's page gives no default. After you stop, QuickTime opens the recording so you can play, edit or share it, and Options has a Save to setting | Apple Support |
| Zoom, Record on this Computer | Zoom's default recording folder. Zoom's page gives no Mac path and advises keeping it on a local drive | Zoom help center |
| MotionShine | A folder named MotionShine inside your Movies folder, until you choose another in the app, as of version 1.0.12 | The app's source |
For a recorder not in this list, open its settings and look for a folder or "save to" option.
How to find a recording that is not on the desktop
- Check what the Screenshot app uses now. Press Shift-Command-5, click Options and read the Save to line.
- Search for the name. Press Command-Space, type "Screen Recording" and look for a .mov with the date you recorded. Apple's page says that is how automatic names start.
- Open Recents in Finder. It lists files you opened or saved lately, newest first.
- Look in the app you used. QuickTime Player, Zoom and other recorders can save somewhere else. Check the table above.
- Search by file type. In Finder, search for ".mov" and sort by date.
How to change where recordings go
Apple's steps for the Screenshot app:
- Press Shift-Command-5.
- Click Options.
- Under Save to, choose a place, or choose Other Location and pick any folder.
Apple's page says the new location applies after you stop recording. In QuickTime Player, Apple's page says you use Options in the same tools to set the save location.
The file: name and format
Apple's page says recordings are .mov files and that automatic names follow the pattern "Screen Recording" plus the date and time. It also says that on supported Macs running macOS Tahoe 26 or later, the capture format sets the codec: SDR uses H.264 and HDR uses HEVC. You change the capture format in Options. If a site wants MP4, the free MOV to MP4 converter runs in your browser, and the video compressor shrinks a file that is too big to send.
It is not there at all: why
- You did not stop it. The recording only ends when you click Stop in the menu bar or press Control-Command-Esc. How to stop a screen recording on Mac lists every way.
- The folder changed. Someone, or a past you, picked another folder under Save to.
- It is in a QuickTime window. QuickTime opens the recording after you stop it. Save it from the File menu while it is open, so you choose where it goes.
- The app has no permission. If the clip is blank, open System Settings, Privacy & Security, Screen & System Audio Recording and switch the app on.
- The disk is full. Free some space, then record again.
Third-party guides mention a hidden folder, ~/Library/ScreenRecordings, where QuickTime may keep an unsaved recording. Cisdem's guide says so for macOS Big Sur and later. Apple's pages do not mention it, so treat it as a place to look, not a promise.
Keep recordings in order from the start
A recorder with a library saves every take in one place and lists them in the app, so there is nothing to hunt for. MotionShine is a free Mac screen recorder with a camera bubble, auto zoom on every click and a smooth cursor, and it keeps all your recordings in one library, in folders you make. It runs on macOS 13 and later. The free version exports up to 720p with no watermark and no time limit.
If you only need the basics, how to screen record on Mac has the steps and every Options setting.
FAQ
Where are screen recordings saved on a Mac?
By default, on your desktop, according to Apple's Support page. They are .mov files named Screen Recording with the date and time.
How do I change where screen recordings are saved?
Press Shift-Command-5, click Options and choose a place under Save to, or Other Location for any folder.
Where does QuickTime save screen recordings?
Apple's page gives no default. QuickTime opens the recording when you stop, and Options has a Save to setting. Save the file from the File menu so you know where it is.
Why can't I find my screen recording?
Check Options, Save to, search Spotlight for "Screen Recording", and open Recents in Finder. Also check that you stopped the recording and that the app you used is not saving to its own folder.
What file type is a Mac screen recording?
A .mov file. Apple's page says that on supported Macs running macOS Tahoe 26 or later, SDR recordings use H.264 and HDR recordings use HEVC.
Where does Zoom save a recording on a Mac?
In Zoom's default recording folder. Zoom's page gives no Mac path. See how to record a Zoom meeting on Mac.
