How to Screen Record on Mac with Audio (3 Methods)

Recording your Mac screen is easy. Recording it with audio is where things fall apart.

By default, macOS screen recording captures video but not system audio. No app sounds, no music, no call audio. Your mic works, but if you want to capture what’s actually playing on your Mac, you need a workaround.

Here are three ways to screen record on Mac with audio, from free to purpose-built.

Method 1: QuickTime Player + BlackHole (Free)

QuickTime can record your screen, but it can only capture microphone audio, not system audio. To record what’s coming out of your Mac, you need a virtual audio driver like BlackHole.

Setup

1. Install BlackHole (the 2-channel version is fine for most uses)
2. Open Audio MIDI Setup (search for it in Spotlight)
3. Click the + button and create a Multi-Output Device that includes both BlackHole and your speakers/headphones
4. Set this Multi-Output Device as your system output in System Settings > Sound
5. Open QuickTime, then File > New Screen Recording
6. Click the dropdown arrow next to the record button and select BlackHole as your microphone input
7. Record

The downsides

• You lose speaker control. Multi-Output Devices don’t have a volume slider, so you need to control volume from individual apps.
• Everything is one track. Your mic and system audio get merged together. If a notification dings during your voiceover, it’s baked in.
• You have to undo the routing when you’re done. Forget to switch your audio output back and you’ll wonder why your Mac sounds weird.
• No editing. QuickTime lets you trim the start and end. That’s it.
• Audio driver conflicts. BlackHole installs a kernel-level audio driver that can interfere with other apps that use system audio. DAWs, video editors, and conferencing tools may behave unexpectedly.

It works, but it’s duct tape.

Method 2: macOS Built-in Screenshot Toolbar (Free)

macOS has a built-in screen recorder in the screenshot toolbar. It captures video and microphone audio, but not system audio.

Steps

1. Press ⌘ + Shift + 5 to open the screenshot toolbar
2. Choose Record Entire Screen or Record Selected Portion
3. Click Options and select your microphone if you want voice narration
4. Click Record
5. Click the stop button in the menu bar when done

The downsides

• No system audio. The built-in recorder captures your microphone, but not the sounds coming from apps on your Mac. You still need BlackHole or a third-party app for that.
• No editing. You get a raw .mov file. Trim in QuickTime if needed.
• No camera overlay. If you want a face cam for a demo or walkthrough, you need another app.
• Limited export options. Whatever resolution you recorded at is what you get.

Simpler than the QuickTime + BlackHole setup, but you only get microphone audio.

Method 3: ShipClip (Multi-Track Audio)

ShipClip records your screen, system audio, microphone, and camera as separate tracks. Like how a music studio records each instrument independently.

How it works

1. Open ShipClip and pick your screen or window
2. Toggle on the audio sources you want: system audio, microphone, or both
3. Optionally enable the camera overlay (with background removal)
4. Hit record
5. When you’re done, ShipClip opens a timeline with each audio track on its own lane

What you get

• System audio on its own track. Adjust it, mute it, or solo it independently.
• Microphone on its own track. Lower the mic volume during a section where you coughed? Just drag the volume down for those few seconds. The system audio stays untouched.
• Volume automation. Drop keyframes on any audio track to fade volume up or down at specific moments.
• Camera picture-in-picture. Built-in face cam with real-time background removal. No green screen needed.
• Zoom-to-click. ShipClip records your mouse movements and smoothly zooms into wherever you click on playback. Small UI details stay visible even at 1080p.
• Non-destructive editing. Your raw stems are never modified. Every edit can be undone.

ShipClip is a native macOS app. No Electron, no browser tabs, no uploading to someone else’s server. Your recordings stay on your Mac.

Download ShipClip. It’s built for people who need to record demos, walkthroughs, and presentations with clean audio.

Comparison

	QuickTime + BlackHole	macOS Screenshot Toolbar	ShipClip
System audio	Yes (with setup)	No	Yes
Microphone	Yes	Yes	Yes
Separate audio tracks	No	No	Yes
Per-track volume control	No	No	Yes
Volume automation	No	No	Yes
Camera overlay	No	No	Yes (with background removal)
Timeline editing	Trim only	Trim only	Full timeline
Zoom-to-click	No	No	Yes
Price	Free	Free	$4.99/mo
Setup required	Yes (BlackHole + Audio MIDI)	None	None

FAQ

Does screen recording on Mac record audio?

By default, no. macOS screen recording captures video and optionally your microphone, but not system audio (the sounds coming from apps). The built-in screenshot toolbar (⌘ + Shift + 5) and QuickTime both only capture microphone audio. To record system audio, you need a virtual audio driver like BlackHole or a third-party recorder like ShipClip.

How do I screen record on Mac with internal audio?

“Internal audio” means the sound coming from apps on your Mac (also called system audio). The built-in macOS screen recorder does not capture internal audio. You need either a virtual audio driver like BlackHole (see Method 1 above) or a third-party recorder. For separate control over system audio and mic audio, use a multi-track recorder like ShipClip.

Can you screen record on Mac with sound?

Yes. If you just need microphone audio, QuickTime and the built-in screenshot toolbar both work. If you need system audio (app sounds, music, call audio), you need either a virtual audio driver like BlackHole or a third-party recorder like ShipClip. If you need both mic and system audio on separate tracks, ShipClip is the only option that keeps them independent.

How do I screen record with audio on Mac without BlackHole?

Use a third-party recorder that captures system audio natively. ShipClip captures system audio, mic audio, and camera on macOS 14+ without any virtual audio drivers or extra setup. The built-in screenshot toolbar (⌘ + Shift + 5) does not capture system audio, so without BlackHole you need an app that handles it for you.

Does Mac screen recording record audio from apps?

No. The built-in macOS screen recorder (QuickTime and the screenshot toolbar) does not capture app audio. You need a virtual audio driver like BlackHole to route app audio into your recording, or a third-party app like ShipClip that captures app audio natively on macOS 14+.