Screen Record on Mac with Sound: System Audio + Mic (2026)

macOS records your screen but doesn't capture system audio by default. The Screenshot toolbar and QuickTime Player both record microphone audio fine — but the sounds your Mac plays (music, browser audio, app notifications) won't appear in the recording unless you set things up properly.

There are three ways to fix this. Here's what each one involves.

What "sound" means in screen recording#

Two audio sources can appear in a screen recording:

Microphone audio — your voice, captured by the Mac's built-in mic or an external microphone. Every macOS screen recording method captures this.

System audio — everything your Mac's speakers play: browser audio, video playback, app sounds, notifications. This is what QuickTime can't record without a workaround.

Most people searching for how to record screen with sound actually need both: their voice narrating, plus the app audio playing underneath. That requires either a virtual audio driver or a dedicated recording app.

Method 1: QuickTime + BlackHole (free)#

BlackHole is a free, open-source virtual audio driver from Existential Audio. It creates a virtual audio device on your Mac that apps can route audio through. QuickTime can then treat that virtual device as a microphone input, capturing what your system plays.

Setup takes about 10 minutes:

1. Download and install BlackHole 2ch from Existential Audio's website. The 2-channel version is sufficient for screen recording.

2. Open Audio MIDI Setup (find it in Applications > Utilities or search in Spotlight).

3. Click the + button at the bottom left and choose Create Multi-Output Device.

4. In the Multi-Output Device, check both BlackHole 2ch and your normal output (Built-in Output or your headphones). Make sure BlackHole is the master clock source.

5. Open System Settings > Sound and set your output to the Multi-Output Device you just created. This routes all Mac audio through BlackHole.

6. Open QuickTime Player > File > New Screen Recording (or press Cmd+Shift+5).

7. In the recording options, set the microphone source to BlackHole 2ch.

8. Start recording. QuickTime will now capture system audio via BlackHole. Add your voice by also selecting your microphone — but QuickTime only accepts one audio input, so you'd need to select either BlackHole (system audio) or your mic, not both simultaneously.

The catch: With QuickTime, you choose one audio source. If you want both system audio and your microphone at the same time, you need to create an Aggregate Device in Audio MIDI Setup that combines both BlackHole 2ch and your microphone input, then select that aggregate device in QuickTime.

You also lose audio monitoring while recording — with audio routed through BlackHole, you won't hear your Mac through speakers unless the Multi-Output Device is configured correctly.

Who this is for: Anyone who wants system audio recording for free and is comfortable spending 10-15 minutes on the one-time setup. Good for developers and power users who already know their way around Audio MIDI Setup.

Method 2: OBS Studio (free, macOS 13+)#

OBS Studio added native system audio capture on macOS in version 30, released in 2023. If you're on macOS 13 Ventura or later, OBS can record your screen and capture system audio without BlackHole.

Setup in OBS:

1. Download OBS Studio and open it.
2. In the Sources panel, click + and add a Screen Capture (ScreenCaptureKit) source.
3. In the same source settings, enable Capture Audio — this is what captures system audio.
4. Add a separate Audio Input Capture source for your microphone.
5. In the Audio Mixer panel, you'll see separate volume sliders for desktop audio and your mic.
6. Hit Start Recording.

OBS records everything to a local file (MKV by default, configurable to MP4 in Settings > Output).

On macOS 12 or earlier: OBS can't capture system audio natively. You still need BlackHole and an Aggregate Device, then add that as an audio input source.

Who this is for: People already using OBS for streaming, or anyone who needs multi-source recording (multiple screen captures, webcam, external inputs) and doesn't mind OBS's complexity. For a simple screen recording with sound, OBS is overkill — but it's free and handles the audio without extra drivers on modern macOS.

If OBS feels like more than you need, see our OBS alternative for Mac guide.

Method 3: Dedicated screen recorders#

Apps built specifically for screen recording handle system audio natively, without any setup. You install the app, hit record, and both microphone and system audio appear in the recording.

Rekort captures microphone and system audio natively. Select your recording area, choose your audio sources in the pre-recording setup, and both are captured automatically. No virtual audio drivers, no aggregate devices.

Screen Studio works the same way. Both apps use ScreenCaptureKit under the hood on macOS 13+, which is the same API that lets OBS 30 capture system audio — the difference is that dedicated recorders make it one step instead of a multi-panel setup.

ScreenFlow captures system audio but is primarily a video editor. The price is harder to justify if audio routing is your main issue.

Loom uploads to the cloud rather than saving locally, which may or may not suit your workflow.

Who this is for: Anyone who wants to record with sound and not think about it. If the BlackHole setup in Method 1 sounds annoying, a dedicated recorder is the practical choice.

Choosing the right method#

You want free and already know your way around Mac audio settings: Use QuickTime + BlackHole. One-time setup, reliable results.

You want free and you're on macOS 13+: OBS with ScreenCaptureKit audio capture is simpler than the BlackHole workaround, assuming you can tolerate OBS's interface.

You want to record, hear everything back in the recording, and move on: Use a dedicated recorder. Rekort and Screen Studio both handle this in one step.

You're on macOS 12 or earlier: BlackHole is required for any system audio capture. Neither OBS nor dedicated recorders can bypass this on older macOS versions.

For a broader look at audio options including mic-only setups and the built-in Screenshot toolbar, see our complete Mac screen recording with audio guide.

Common issues#

Recording has no audio at all: In QuickTime, check that a microphone is selected in the options dropdown before hitting record. If the selector is empty, macOS didn't detect a microphone.

System audio missing but mic works: You're using QuickTime without BlackHole, or BlackHole isn't set as the audio input. Switch to a dedicated recorder or complete the BlackHole setup above.

Hearing a high-pitched ringing or feedback: The Multi-Output Device in Audio MIDI Setup is creating a loop. Check that your Mac's output isn't routing back into the same input. Headphones help avoid this.

Audio is out of sync with video: This happens with OBS on some configurations. In OBS, go to Audio > Advanced Audio Properties and add a delay offset to sync the tracks.

BlackHole doesn't appear as an audio option: The driver didn't install correctly, or macOS security blocked it. Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security and allow the BlackHole system extension.

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For more Mac screen recording tips, see:

• Every Mac screen capture shortcut you need to know
• How to enable screen recording on Mac (permissions guide)
• How to stop screen recording on Mac