How to record your screen with audio on Mac
The short answer: the built-in recorder (⌘⇧5) can record your microphone, but it cannot capture system audio — the sound your Mac is playing. To record internal sound you need a dedicated tool. ShotScreen records screen video to MP4 and captures system audio and the mic together as separate tracks (mic requires macOS 15+).
Step by step
- 1
Know what ⌘⇧5 records
Press ⌘⇧5 for the built-in Screenshot toolbar, then choose Record Entire Screen or Record Selected Portion. Under Options you can enable a microphone — but the toolbar does not capture the sound coming out of your Mac (system audio).
- 2
Record with system audio in ShotScreen
Press ⌘⇧6 in ShotScreen and pick an area, a window or the whole screen. ShotScreen records to MP4 (H.264) and can capture your Mac's system audio and your microphone at the same time, kept as separate tracks.
- 3
Choose your frame rate
Record at 24, 30 or 60 fps depending on whether you are demoing an app, walking through a document, or capturing something with motion. The cursor can be included too.
- 4
Trim and export
When you stop, ShotScreen opens a trim editor with draggable in and out handles and a live scrubber, so you can top-and-tail the clip before you export or drag the finished MP4 into another app.
Why ⌘⇧5 misses your system sound
Apple's Screenshot toolbar was built for quick screen recordings with optional narration, so it only wires up microphone input. The audio playing through your speakers — a video, a call, an app's sound effects — is never recorded. That is fine for a talking-head demo, but it is the reason tutorials and bug reports where the on-screen sound matters need a different tool.
What ShotScreen records
ShotScreen uses ScreenCaptureKit to record an area, a window or the full screen to a hardware-encoded MP4. It captures system audio and your microphone as separate tracks, records at 24, 30 or 60 fps, and can include the cursor. When you stop, a trim editor lets you cut the start and end with a live scrubber, and you can play back at 1×, 1.5× or 2× before exporting. Everything happens on your Mac.
FAQ
Does the Mac ⌘⇧5 screen recorder capture system audio?
No. The built-in recorder can record your microphone, but it does not capture system audio — the sound your Mac is playing. To record internal sound you need a tool like ShotScreen, which captures system audio and mic as separate tracks.
How do I record my screen with internal sound on a Mac?
Press ⌘⇧6 in ShotScreen, choose an area, window or full screen, and enable system audio. It records to MP4 with your Mac's internal sound, plus the microphone if you want narration on a separate track.
Do I need a newer macOS to record the microphone?
Screen recording with system audio works on macOS 13 and later. Microphone capture in ShotScreen requires macOS 15 or newer. ShotScreen requires a Mac with Apple Silicon; Intel Macs are not supported.
Record your screen with real sound
ShotScreen is free to use, with 5 popup-free captures a day. System audio, 60 fps recording and the trim editor are included from the start.
Related guides: Where screenshots go · Screenshot part of the screen · Annotate a screenshot · Screenshot shortcuts · FAQ