How to Screen Record on Mac with Voiceover?

To screen record on your Mac with voiceover commentary, you'll need to screen record first and then record your voiceover separately. macOS doesn't offer simultaneous screen and voice recording in its native tools. Here's how to achieve that:

Part 1: Screen Recording

1. Open the Screen Recording Tool: You can do this in one of two ways:

   • Using the Screenshot Toolbar: Press Command (⌘) + Shift + 5. This will bring up the screen recording toolbar at the bottom of your screen.
   • Using QuickTime Player: Open QuickTime Player (found in your Applications folder). Go to File > New Screen Recording.

2. Configure Recording Options: Before starting the recording, click on "Options" (in the screenshot toolbar or within QuickTime). Here's what you should be aware of:

   • Save To: Choose where you want the screen recording file to be saved (e.g., Desktop, Documents).
   • Timer: Set a timer for a delayed start if needed.
   • Show Floating Thumbnail: Choose whether or not to show a small preview after you're finished recording.
   • Remember Last Selection: If checked, this will make the tool use the same capture region as the last time you screen recorded.
   • Show Mouse Clicks: This option highlights your mouse clicks in the recording (helpful for tutorials). Make sure microphone option is set to "None". We will be recording a voiceover later.

3. Select the Recording Area:

   • Record Entire Screen: Click anywhere on the screen to record everything.
   • Record Selected Portion: Drag your cursor to select a specific area of the screen to record.

4. Start Recording:

   • If you're recording the entire screen, the recording will begin immediately.
   • If you're recording a selected portion, click "Record" within the selected area.

5. Stop Recording:

   • Click the stop button in the menu bar (a small square inside a circle).
   • Or, press Command (⌘) + Shift + 5 again and click the stop recording button on the toolbar.

Part 2: Recording Voiceover

1. Open QuickTime Player: Launch QuickTime Player from your Applications folder.
2. Start a New Audio Recording: Go to File > New Audio Recording.
3. Select Your Microphone: Click the dropdown arrow next to the record button. Choose the microphone you want to use for your voiceover.
4. Adjust Audio Quality: You can adjust the audio quality using the Quality dropdown. Higher quality results in larger file sizes.
5. Start Recording: Click the red record button.
6. Speak Your Voiceover: Watch your screen recording and provide commentary as needed.
7. Stop Recording: Click the record button again to stop.
8. Save the Audio File: Go to File > Save and choose a location and name for your voiceover audio file.

Part 3: Combining Screen Recording and Voiceover

You'll need video editing software to combine the screen recording and voiceover audio.

1. Choose a Video Editor: Options include:

   • iMovie (free with macOS)
   • Final Cut Pro (paid)
   • Adobe Premiere Pro (paid)
   • DaVinci Resolve (free and paid versions)

2. Import Files: Import your screen recording video and the voiceover audio file into your chosen video editor.

3. Add Audio Track: Add the audio file as a separate audio track to your video project, usually below the video track.

4. Synchronize Audio: Carefully align the voiceover audio with the corresponding actions in the screen recording. You may need to move the audio track slightly earlier or later to match the visuals. Listen carefully and make adjustments until the audio and video are synchronized.

5. Adjust Audio Levels: Adjust the volume levels of both the screen recording's original audio (if any) and your voiceover audio to create a balanced mix.

6. Export Video: Once you're satisfied with the result, export your video in your desired format (e.g., MP4).

By following these steps, you can effectively create a screen recording on your Mac with a separate, high-quality voiceover.