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How to Screen Record on Mac With Internal Audio

Updated November 2, 2026

You start a screen recording on your Mac, play a video or a call, stop the recording, and there's no sound. That's not a bug in your settings. Here's exactly what macOS can and can't do, and three reliable ways to record your Mac's own audio.

What the built-in Mac recorder can do

macOS has a capable screen recorder built in. Press ⇧⌘5 to open the Screenshot toolbar, choose the tool to record the entire screen, a window or a portion of the screen, then click Record. To stop, click the stop button in the menu bar. QuickTime Player's File > New Screen Recording opens the same tools (Apple Support).

In the toolbar's Options menu you can choose where to save, set a timer, show the mouse pointer or clicks, and pick a Microphone (Apple Support). Recordings are saved as .mov files, and the floating thumbnail lets you trim the clip.

What it can't do: record internal audio

Apple's documentation lists only one audio option for screen recordings: Microphone (a microphone, or None). There's no setting for the sound your Mac itself plays, often called system audio, internal audio or computer audio.

That means:

• Microphone selected: you get your voice, and any speaker sound the mic happens to pick up from the room, at low quality and with background noise.
• None selected: the recording is silent.

To record the actual audio from apps (a browser video, a meeting, a game, a song in a tutorial), you need extra software.

Option 1: OBS Studio (free, more setup)

OBS Studio is free, open-source recording and streaming software. It supports macOS 13 or later, and on macOS 13+ it can capture desktop audio without any extra drivers (OBS guide).

Basic steps in OBS 30 or later:

1. Install and open OBS, and allow the screen recording permission when macOS asks.
2. Under Sources, click + and add a macOS Screen Capture source for your display or a window.
3. Click + again and add a macOS Audio Capture source. Choose all desktop audio, or audio from a single app.
4. Add your microphone too if you want narration.
5. Click Start Recording, then Stop Recording when you're done.

Pros: free, very flexible, can capture audio from just one app. Cons: it's built around scenes and sources, so there's a learning curve for a quick recording.

Option 2: A virtual audio driver (free or paid, most setup)

Before macOS 13, the usual trick was a virtual audio device that routes your Mac's output into a recordable input. Tools such as BlackHole work this way. You typically create a Multi-Output Device in Audio MIDI Setup so you can hear the sound while it's being routed, then select the virtual device as the input in your recorder.

It works, but it's the most fiddly option and easy to leave misconfigured (for example, with no sound from your speakers afterward). On macOS 13 or later, Options 1 and 3 are simpler.

Option 3: A screen recorder app that records system audio

Several Mac screenshot and recording apps can record system audio directly, with no drivers. Prices were checked on each official site on November 2, 2026:

How to record your screen with internal audio in KoalaShot

KoalaShot is our screenshot and screen recorder app for macOS 13 or later.

1. Press ⇧⌘2 (you can change the shortcut).
2. Drag to select an area, or click a window to record it.
3. In the toolbar, tick System Audio. Tick Microphone too if you want narration.
4. A 3-second countdown starts, then recording begins. A red dot with a timer shows in the menu bar.
5. To stop, press ⇧⌘2 again or click the red dot.

You get an MP4 file, which plays almost anywhere and is easy to share. A thumbnail appears in the corner: click to convert to GIF in one step, or copy the file.

Good to know:

• Microphone recording requires macOS 15. On macOS 13 and 14 you can still record system audio; KoalaShot tells you when the mic option isn't available.
• Screen Recording permission: the first time, macOS asks you to allow KoalaShot to record the screen. KoalaShot's welcome screen walks you through it.
• Settings let you choose the frame rate, highlight mouse clicks, and turn the countdown on or off.

What KoalaShot doesn't do: webcam overlays, keystroke display, or per-app audio capture. If you need those, CleanShot X or OBS are better fits.

Tips for better recordings with sound

• Check the volume first. System audio is recorded at the level apps play it, so do a 5-second test.
• Turn on Do Not Disturb so notification sounds and banners don't end up in your video.
• Use headphones when narrating. It stops your mic from picking up the speakers as an echo.
• Record a window, not the whole screen, to keep files small and avoid showing private tabs.

Which option is right for you?

• Silent screen recordings, or voice only: the built-in ⇧⌘5 recorder is all you need.
• Free, and you don't mind learning: OBS Studio.
• Quick recordings with system audio, MP4 and GIF, no setup: a recorder app like KoalaShot.

Need a still image of something long instead? See how to take a scrolling screenshot on Mac, or compare apps in the best screenshot apps for Mac.

Try KoalaShot free

KoalaShot records your screen with system audio in two keystrokes and also handles screenshots, scrolling capture and OCR. Try it free for 7 days, no account needed, then it's a one-time purchase of $4.99.