How to Screen Record on Mac Without a Watermark (With Audio)

Every Mac can already record your screen without a watermark. Apple's two built-in recorders, the Screenshot app (Shift-Command-5) and QuickTime Player, add no logo and need no account. So the real question isn't how to avoid a watermark. It's how to get the audio you need, and that depends on your macOS version.

Here's the short answer:

• Voice only (narration, bug reports): use Screenshot. Press Shift-Command-5, open Options, pick your microphone, and record.
• Sound from your Mac (a browser tab, an app, a video) on macOS 27 Golden Gate or later: use Screenshot and turn on Include System Audio in Options. Apple added this in macOS 27, which shipped on September 14, 2026.
• Sound from your Mac on macOS 13 Ventura to macOS 26 Tahoe: Apple's tools can't record it. Use OBS Studio 30 or later (free, open source, no watermark) with its macOS Audio Capture source.
• Want a polished product video, not a raw clip: record with any of the above, then edit. Recording is the easy part.

The table below is the decision in one place. The rest of the guide gives the exact steps, the settings that cause problems later, and a short checklist to run before you hit Record.

Check your macOS version first

Choose Apple menu > About This Mac. The version name and number are on the first line.

This matters because Apple's screen recording guide ties two key features to specific versions:

• Record Selected Window is available in macOS Tahoe 26 or later.
• Include System Audio is available in macOS 27 Golden Gate or later.

Most "my recording has no sound" problems come from following a guide written for a different version. Know your number before you pick a method.

Method 1: The Screenshot app (Shift-Command-5)

This is the fastest route and the one to try first.

1. Press Shift-Command-5. A toolbar appears at the bottom of the screen.
2. Pick Record Entire Screen, Record Selected Window (macOS 26+), or Record Selected Portion.
3. Click Options and set:
   • Microphone: your mic, or None for a silent clip.
   • Include System Audio: on, if you're on macOS 27 or later and need app sound.
   • Show Mouse Clicks: on for tutorials. Apple draws a black circle around the pointer on each click, so viewers can follow along.
   • Save to: recordings go to the desktop by default. Pick a folder if your desktop is cluttered.
   • Timer: a 5-second delay gives you time to move the pointer out of the way.
4. Click Record.
5. To stop, click the Stop button in the menu bar or press Command-Control-Esc.

The file saves as a .mov named "Screen Recording [date] at [time]".

One setting to watch: Screenshot lets you choose SDR (Most Compatible), which records H.264 video, or HDR, which records HEVC. HDR footage can look washed out or fail to upload in some editors and web players. For anything you'll share, pick SDR.

Takeaway: if you're on macOS 27 or later, Screenshot now covers voice, app sound and watermark-free output, so you may not need anything else.

Method 2: QuickTime Player

QuickTime does the same basic job with a slightly different flow. It's useful if you're already opening the recording in QuickTime to trim it.

1. Open QuickTime Player from Applications.
2. Choose File > New Screen Recording (or press Control-Command-N).
3. Click the arrow next to Record to choose a microphone and turn on Show Mouse Clicks.
4. Click Record. Click anywhere to record the full screen, or drag to select an area.
5. Stop with Command-Control-Esc or the Stop button.

QuickTime records microphone audio. Apple lists system audio as a Screenshot option, not a QuickTime one. So if you need app sound, use Screenshot on macOS 27 or OBS on earlier versions.

Takeaway: use QuickTime for quick mic-only recordings you'll trim straight away. It isn't the tool for capturing app sound.

Method 3: OBS Studio (for app sound on macOS 13 to 26)

OBS Studio is free and open source. It adds no watermark and has no recording time limit. It's the most reliable way to capture system audio on Macs that don't have macOS 27 yet.

According to the OBS macOS desktop audio guide:

• On OBS Studio 30 or later with macOS 13 Ventura or later, add a macOS Audio Capture source. You can capture all desktop audio or just one app.
• On OBS 28 or 29, the macOS Screen Capture source records audio too. The catch: if you hide that source, its audio is removed from the mix as well.
• On macOS 12 or earlier, OBS can't capture system audio on its own. The guide points to routing tools such as Loopback or Sound Siphon.

A minimal setup for a narrated demo:

1. Add a macOS Screen Capture source and pick your display or window.
2. Add a macOS Audio Capture source for app sound.
3. Make sure your microphone appears in the Audio Mixer.
4. Record a 10-second test and play it back. Check that both your voice and the app sound are there before you record the real take.

The first time you record, macOS will ask for permission. You can review it later in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Screen & System Audio Recording. Apple's privacy guide explains that each app can be allowed to record the screen and audio, or audio only.

Takeaway: OBS has more setup than Screenshot, but on macOS 13 to 26 it's the free, watermark-free way to get both voice and app sound in one file.

What about third-party recorders?

Plenty of paid Mac recorders do a good job. The risk is the free tier. Some freemium recorders add a watermark, cap recording length, or lock high-resolution export until you pay.

Before you record anything important with a new tool, do this:

1. Record a 15-second test.
2. Export it with the settings you'll actually use.
3. Watch the whole export full screen, and check every corner.

Takeaway: the built-in tools and OBS are free with no catch. Only pay for a recorder when it saves you editing time, not to remove a watermark.

A 2-minute checklist before you hit Record

A watermark isn't the only thing that makes a screen recording look unfinished. These do too:

• Turn on a Focus mode (Control Center > Focus) so notifications don't pop up mid-take.
• Close unrelated tabs and apps. Hide personal bookmarks, emails and other customers' data.
• Increase the text size in the app you're recording. Text that's readable on a 27-inch monitor can be unreadable on a phone.
• Record a window or area, not the whole screen, unless you need the Dock and menu bar. Less clutter means less cropping later.
• Pick SDR, not HDR, in Screenshot's Options for files you'll edit or upload.
• Move the pointer slowly and pause for a beat after each click.
• Do a 10-second sound check with the same settings and play it back.

Takeaway: two minutes of setup saves the retake you'd otherwise need when a notification appears halfway through a demo.

After the recording: turning a clip into a product video

A raw .mov is fine for a bug report or a quick message to a teammate. For a customer-facing demo, you'll usually still need to trim the dead time, add captions so it works with the sound off, and export versions for each platform.

That's the step where the time goes. You can do it by hand in an editor, or hand the footage to Poko Motion. Poko can use an existing screen recording as footage and build motion, captions and narration around it. If you'd rather not record at all, it can also build a product video from your website URL, code repository or deck. Here's how to choose which source to give it.

For more on the editing side, see our guides on adding captions to videos and choosing the right aspect ratio. On a PC? Read the best screen recorders for Windows.

Your next step: check your macOS version, then do a 10-second test recording with the method above that matches it. If you hear both your voice and the app sound on playback, you're ready to record the real thing.