How to record your Mac screen with auto zoom

How do I start a screen recording on a Mac?

Press ⌘⇧⌥R to open the pinned frame, switch the tab under the bar to Record, then click Record on the bar or press R. Once it starts, the dimmed surroundings clear, the border turns red and a timer runs on the bar. The tab you pick is remembered for next time.

1. Open the frame⌘⇧⌥R

   Open the frame with the shortcut. The tab you pick is remembered.

2. StartR

   Click Record on the bar, or press R.

Screen recording requires a Pro license.

Can I record the full screen, one window or just an area?

All three. Choose Display, Window or Area on the bar. Display records the whole screen; Window records just the window you click, with the frame snapped onto it; Area records exactly the region you drag the frame to. You can keep using the apps under the frame while you record.

1. Window

   Click a window and the frame snaps onto it. Shrink the frame to record just part of it.

2. Area

   Drag the frame to exactly the size you want.

How do I record at an exact size like 1920×1080?

Click the size readout on the bar to open the size menu. Pick a preset such as 1920×1080, a size by aspect ratio or one you saved, or type your own. If the frame is snapped to a window, that app's window is resized too, so you can record a window at an exact size.

1. Presets

   Sizes like 1920×1080, sizes by aspect ratio, saved sizes and custom input.

2. Resize the window too

   A window the frame is attached to resizes too.

Can I record sound and the keys I press?

Yes. Turn system audio (what plays through your speakers) and the microphone on or off right on the Record tab's bar; the microphone needs macOS 15 or later. Each is recorded on its own track so you can set their levels separately in the editor, and the ⌘ · ⌥ · ⌃ combos you press are shown on the video.

1. Microphone · System audio

   Record your voice, speaker sound, or both.

2. Shortcuts

   The ⌘ · ⌥ · ⌃ combos you press show up in the video. Typing is never recorded.

How do I stop recording?

Press ↩ or esc, or click Record on the bar again. The video editor opens as soon as the recording stops. Finished recordings stay under Recent recordings on Home, so you can close the editor and come back to keep working on a recording any time you like.

1. Stop↩esc

   Press ↩ or esc. Finished recordings stay under Recent recordings on Home.

How do I zoom in where I clicked automatically?

You don't have to do anything. The video editor briefly zooms in wherever you clicked while recording and pans to follow your cursor. Move, stretch or delete zoom segments on the timeline, and press Z to add one at the playhead. The cursor is redrawn smoothly, with a ripple on every click.

1. Auto zoomZ

   Adjust zoom segments on the timeline; add with Z.

2. Cursor

   The cursor isn't baked into the video; the editor redraws it. Pick a cursor style you like.

How do I trim a recording and change its speed?

Press S or C to split the clip at the playhead. Drag a clip's edges to trim it, select a clip you don't need and press delete, and set each clip's speed from 0.5× to 3×. Screen, system audio and microphone sit on separate layers, so you can balance each track's level while watching its waveform.

1. ClipsS

   Split with S and drag the edges to trim. Set each clip's speed too.

2. SoundM

   Balance each track's level; M mutes or unmutes all sound.

3. Background

   Use the same wallpapers, gradients, colors or your own image as screenshots.

How do I export to MP4 or GIF?

Press ⌘S to open the export sheet and choose MP4 (H.264 or HEVC), WebM or GIF. Pick the resolution (original, 1080p or 720p) and frame rate (30 or 60 fps), or a platform preset such as YouTube or Shorts that sets the aspect ratio and size for you. You can also copy the video to the clipboard instead of saving a file.

1. Format⌘S

   Pick MP4, WebM or GIF, resolution, frame rate or a platform preset.

2. Clipboard

   Skip saving — put it on the clipboard and paste it right in.