How To Screen Record With Audio On Mac

Tips
1

I’m trying to screen record on my Mac and capture the system audio at the same time, not just microphone sound. QuickTime only seems to record video and external mic audio. I’m confused about what settings, apps, or plugins I actually need so the recording includes the internal sound from apps, games, or browsers. Can someone walk me through the best way to do this step by step, including any free tools or native options that work reliably on the latest macOS

2

QuickTime on macOS does not record system audio by itself. You need a virtual audio device, then route sound through it, then pick it as the source.

Here are a few solid options and how to set them up.

  1. Easiest all in one apps

These apps record screen and system audio without extra routing:

• CleanShot X
Paid. Simple UI. Lets you pick “System audio” directly.
Good if you do this often.

• ScreenFlow
Paid. Screen recorder and editor. Select “Record Computer Audio” in the capture settings.

• Camtasia
Paid. Similar idea. Screen + system audio + editing.

If you want quick results and do this for work or content, one of these saves time.

  1. Use BlackHole (free) with QuickTime

This is a common free combo.

Step 1. Install BlackHole
Go to the BlackHole GitHub page (search “BlackHole virtual audio driver”).
Download and install. Restart your Mac after install.

Step 2. Create a Multi-Output Device
Open Audio MIDI Setup (search in Spotlight).
Bottom left, click the plus button.
Choose “Create Multi-Output Device”.
In the right panel, check:
• Your real output device, example: MacBook Speakers or your headphones
• BlackHole 2ch

Rename it to something like “ScreenRecord Out” so you remember it.

Step 3. Set system output
In Audio MIDI Setup or in System Settings → Sound → Output.
Select your Multi-Output Device as the output.
Now your Mac plays to both your speakers and BlackHole.

Step 4. Set up QuickTime
Open QuickTime Player.
File → New Screen Recording.
Next to the record button, click the little arrow.
For Microphone, pick BlackHole 2ch.
Start the recording.

Result
Your system audio goes into BlackHole.
QuickTime captures it as “microphone” input.
You still hear sound on your normal speakers due to the Multi-Output device.

If you need your mic too, you need an Aggregate Device or a loopback app.

  1. Use BlackHole with mic and system audio

If you want system audio plus your voice:

Option A. Aggregate Device
Audio MIDI Setup → plus → Create Aggregate Device.
Add:
• Your mic
• BlackHole

In QuickTime, choose that Aggregate Device for audio.
You might need to adjust sync in an editor if it drifts.

Option B. Use an app like Loopback or Audio Hijack
Loopback (from Rogue Amoeba) lets you build a virtual device with:
• Source: System Audio
• Source: Your mic
Then you pick that virtual device inside QuickTime or OBS.
Loopback is paid but easier than MIDI tinkering.

  1. Use OBS instead of QuickTime

OBS is free and flexible.

• Install OBS.
• Add “Display Capture” for video.
• Add “Audio Output Capture” for system audio.
• Add “Audio Input Capture” for your mic.
On macOS you still need a virtual device like BlackHole or the OBS virtual audio tools.
Once set, hit Start Recording in OBS. Outputs to .mkv or .mp4.

  1. Mac built in screenshot toolbar

On newer macOS versions, press Shift + Command + 5.
You get screen recording tools.
Click Options, pick microphone.
To record system audio, you again need a virtual device such as BlackHole or Loopback as the input, same idea as with QuickTime.

Quick rundown for your case

If you want free and are ok with some setup:

• Install BlackHole
• Create Multi-Output Device
• Route system audio to that device
• In QuickTime, pick BlackHole as your audio source

If you want simple, pay and forget:

• CleanShot X, ScreenFlow, or Camtasia
Pick screen + system audio inside their settings and hit record.

Watch your levels and do a short 10 second test recording first so you do not find out later the audio was muted or peaking.

3

You’ve already got a solid rundown from @cacadordeestrelas on the whole “virtual audio device + QuickTime” route, so I won’t rehash the exact same dance with BlackHole and Audio MIDI Setup.

If you’re confused and just want it to work without wiring virtual devices, here are some alternative angles:

  1. Use apps that hook system audio directly
    Some recorders grab system audio at a low level and don’t make you think about multi‑output devices at all. Examples:

    • Capto: Screen recorder with system audio capture and basic editing. Lighter than ScreenFlow / Camtasia.
    • Snagit: More of a screenshot tool, but recent versions do screen video with system audio too.

    These still install helper components, but they hide the routing complexity that BlackHole exposes.

  2. Use the browser route for web-only stuff
    If you only need to capture a browser tab (like Zoom, YouTube, web apps):

    • Chrome / Edge: start a tab recording with audio via extensions like Loom or similar.
    • They record tab video plus tab audio automatically, no virtual devices.
      Not great for full desktop, but perfect for tutorials or web demos.

  3. For games or heavy apps, try a different recorder than QuickTime
    QuickTime is honestly pretty barebones. For smoother recording with system audio:

    • OBS with its own plugin / virtual device (yes, still a “virtual device,” but its UI is more explicit than Audio MIDI Setup).
    • Once configured once, you just hit “Start Recording” and forget your Mac’s sound settings.

  4. If you’re on Apple Silicon and recent macOS
    Some older guides are slightly off now. Things to watch for:

    • Security & Privacy prompts for microphone and screen recording.
    • Some virtual drivers break after macOS updates. If BlackHole is glitchy, try Soundflower forks or Loopback as alternatives.
    • Always do a 5–10 second test clip after OS updates. macOS loves silently changing audio routes.

  5. Easiest “I don’t want to touch system settings” workaround
    It’s ugly, but it actually works decently:

    • Play the Mac’s audio through external speakers.
    • Use an external mic (or headset) close to the speakers, record with QuickTime using that mic.
    • In a quiet room at reasonable volume, it’s not as terrible as it sounds. Echo and room noise can be minimized.
      This is the caveman method, but it avoids the whole virtual driver chaos if you just need a quick one‑off recording and do not care about “perfect” quality.

Honestly, I disagree a bit with the idea that everyone should jump straight to MIDI devices and aggregate setups. That’s fine if you plan to do this all the time, but for a single project I’d:

  • Try a dedicated recorder that has “record system audio” built in.
  • Or, if it’s just a browser thing, use a browser-based recorder for that tab.

If you end up doing this weekly and want precision + flexibility, then learn the BlackHole / Loopback route. Otherwise you’re just rage‑configuring Audio MIDI Setup at 1 a.m. for no reason.

4

Short version: if QuickTime + virtual devices already melted your brain, there are two other “real” paths worth considering: use Control Center’s native recorder properly, or go all‑in with a single dedicated app and never think about routing again.

1. Double‑check the built‑in macOS screen recorder

Not repeating the whole BlackHole / Audio MIDI Setup maze that @cacadordeestrelas walked through, but one thing people miss:

  1. Click the Control Center icon in the menu bar.
  2. Choose Screen Recording.
  3. In the small pop‑up, click the Options dropdown.
  4. Under Microphone, you will only see mics, not “system audio.”
    • That is the key limitation: native tools simply do not expose internal sound directly.

So if you must have perfect system audio, the built‑in tools alone are not enough. You always end up with either virtual devices or third‑party recorders that bundle their own driver.

I slightly disagree with the idea that you should avoid learning any routing if you intend to do this repeatedly. Spending 15 minutes once is better than silently recording bad audio for months.

2. One‑app solution approach

Instead of wiring stuff manually, pick a recorder that handles routing under the hood and basically acts as a “How To Screen Record With Audio On Mac” in app form:

Typical pros of this type of app:

  • Simple “Record screen + system audio” toggle
  • Bundled virtual driver configured automatically
  • Basic editing, trimming, maybe annotations
  • Less fiddling with Audio MIDI Setup

Typical cons:

  • Needs a helper / driver install that may break on major macOS updates
  • Payware or subscription in many cases
  • Extra CPU usage compared to QuickTime

You mentioned confusion with plug‑ins and settings, so the trade‑off is: pay with money instead of time and frustration.

3. Where I’d personally draw the line

  • One‑off recording: honestly, use the ugly method @cacadordeestrelas hinted at but I’m less forgiving about: speakers + external mic. It works, but you will hear room tone and any fan noise. Fine for “I just need to show something once,” not for tutorials you care about.
  • Recurring tutorials, classes, or streaming: bite the bullet and either
    • learn the virtual device route once, verify it with a 10 second test clip, or
    • adopt a single paid app that abstracts it.

Whichever option you choose, always run a tiny test recording before doing a long session, especially after macOS or app updates. The worst failure mode on Mac is everything seems fine, but the captured video is silent.