Practical ways to how to screen record on mac with only internal audio

Hannah Aren

2 min read

·

25-12-2024

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Screen recording your Mac is a handy skill for tutorials, presentations, and more. But often, you only need to capture the internal audio – the sounds emanating from your Mac itself, not from an external microphone. This guide outlines several practical methods to achieve just that, focusing on capturing only your Mac's internal audio during screen recordings.

Method 1: QuickTime Player (Built-in and Simple)

QuickTime Player, a pre-installed app on every Mac, offers a surprisingly robust screen recording capability. While it doesn't explicitly label "internal audio only," it effectively achieves this by default.

Steps:

1. Open QuickTime Player: Find it in your Applications folder.
2. Start a New Screen Recording: Go to File > New Screen Recording.
3. Choose Microphone: Before clicking the record button, click the small arrow next to the record button. Crucially, select "None" in the microphone dropdown menu. This ensures only your Mac's internal audio (system sounds, app sounds, etc.) is captured.
4. Select Recording Area: Choose your entire screen or a specific window.
5. Record: Click the record button. A countdown timer will appear.
6. Stop Recording: Click the stop button in the menu bar or press Command-Control-Esc.
7. Save: Save your recording as a .mov file.

Keyword Focus: Mac screen recording, internal audio, QuickTime Player, screen recording software, Mac recording, audio recording Mac, system sounds recording, no external microphone, internal audio recording

Method 2: OBS Studio (Free and Feature-Rich)

OBS Studio is a powerful, free, and open-source screen recording and streaming software. Its advanced settings allow for precise control over audio sources.

Steps:

1. Download and Install OBS Studio: Download it from the official website.
2. Add a Display Capture Source: Click the "+" button under the "Sources" section and select "Display Capture." Configure it to capture your desired screen area.
3. Add an Audio Input Capture Source: Click the "+" button again and select "Audio Input Capture." This will list your available audio devices. Importantly, select your Mac's internal audio output. You might see it listed as "System Audio," "Internal Speakers," or similar. Avoid selecting any microphone inputs.
4. Configure Audio Mixer: In the audio mixer section, adjust levels and ensure only your internal audio source is enabled and the microphone input is muted or disabled.
5. Start Recording: Click the "Start Recording" button.
6. Stop Recording: Click the "Stop Recording" button.
7. Save: Save your recording as a .mp4 or other compatible format.

Keyword Focus: OBS Studio, screen recording software, free screen recorder, advanced screen recording, internal audio capture, audio mixer, audio settings, open-source software

Method 3: Built-in macOS Screenshot Functionality (Limited but Quick)

For very short recordings, you can leverage macOS's built-in screenshot functionality. While less versatile, it's a quick option for grabbing a short clip with internal audio.

Steps:

1. Use the Screenshot Shortcut: Press Shift-Command-5.
2. Select "Record Entire Screen" or a specific area.
3. (Crucially) Click the Options menu and Select "None" under Microphone (Usually hidden, you might have to click the "Options" menu to show this).
4. Record: Click the record button.
5. Stop Recording: Click the stop button in the menu bar or press the escape key.
6. Save: The recording will automatically be saved to your desktop.

Keyword Focus: macOS screenshot, screen recording mac, quick screen recording, shortcut recording, built-in mac tools

Remember to always respect copyright and privacy when recording anything. These methods allow you to capture your Mac's internal audio cleanly and efficiently for various uses. Choose the method that best fits your needs and technical proficiency.