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Screen recording on mac with audio

These days, Mac laptops provide a number of screen recording capabilities. We've put all the methods to the test and gathered the ones that are quick, simple, and enjoyable to use.

Here are the options we have gathered for you:

1. Built-in screen recording
2. Screen recording with system audio
3. Screen recording for QA, PMs and Engineers

Built-in screen recording

Many of us often fail to notice the built-in screen recording feature that comes with Mac OS! The built-in screen capture feature on your Mac is the simplest way to record the screen. Simply press Command + Shift + 5 to activate it. Make a note of it.

To stop the recording, click stop ⏹ icon in the Mac OS menu bar on top right.

But, with mac's built-in screen recording utility, is it possible to capture a screen with sound? Absolutely.

To allow sound in your screen capture, go to Options > Microphone before hitting Record and toggle on recording with Mac mic.

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However, using the above method only audio from microphone is captured. To capture the screen recording along with the system audio, follow the below method.

Screen recording on mac with system audio using Quicktime

Follow the steps below and start recording your mac screens with audio right away.

Step 1- Install BlackHole, an audio driver. Click the given link> Sign-up> E-mail confirmation> Install the software.

Step 2- Open the "Audio MIDI setup" on your system> Click the "+" button in the bottom left corner and click "Create Aggregate device" and name it> Select the "BlackHole 16 ch" checkbox> Click the"+" again and click "Create multi-output device" and name it> Select the "Built-In Output" and "BlackHole 16 ch" check boxes and make sure you have "Built-In Output" under the Master Device multiselect.

Step 3- Go to System preferences> Sound> Output> Select the newly created "multi-output device"

Step 4- Now open QuickTime and select the newly created "Aggregate device" under the "Options" and start recording.

Voila! The recorded videos can be saved in your preferred location.  

The above method is one of the methods to record your mac screen with audio. But, it is a basic feature and you cannot perform complex functions with it.

Capturing the screen has become a vital part of our jobs these days, be it a teacher taking virtual lessons or a software tester reporting a bug. There is a vast variety of screen recording tools available for various different needs, which leads us to the next method.

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Screen recording for QA, PMs and Engineers

Bug reporting is a vital part of any software project, but it can be time-consuming and frustrating. Even with all the details in a bug report, developers often find it difficult to reproduce the bug. That is why attaching an annotated screenshot or giving a video walk-through can be so helpful.

Disbug is a great tool for this – you can take screenshots, screen recordings, and even technical logs are automatically uploaded in the bug report, making it much easier for developers to debug the issue.

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Here are the steps on how to use Disbug, record your screen and submit a bug:

1. Signup Disbug for free
2. Click on the chrome extension/ widget to start recording
3. Annotate your bugs or give a video walk-through explaining the bug
4. After you're done recording, Disbug captures all the technical logs and uploads in your bug report automatically
5. Submit your bug report.

You can even integrate Disbug with your favorite project management tool like Jira, Trello, GitHub, Slack etc.

How to choose the best screen recording tool based on your need?

1. If you are a software tester, you will often have to submit screen recordings with your bug reports. For this, you have to choose a tool that allows you to annotate, edit and gives a shareable link. Bonus points for tools that can upload technical logs automatically along with the recording!
2. If you are a teacher/ content creator, you will have to record yourself and the screen at times. For this, you can opt for a basic screen recording with a few editing features.
3. There are screen recording tools made exclusively for gamers! If you are a gamer, you can choose a tool that allows you to host live gaming videos.

It might get overwhelming to choose among the available tools. After all, a video is worth a thousand words and a good screen recording software can save you from typing 1000 words!

We have put together a list of 9 Best Screen Recording Tools for Mac with their pros and cons. Some of these tools are completely free. We believe that you will be able to land on the right tool with the help of this article.

Let's explore the list!

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