Capturing video on a Mac can be an essential task for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, recording gameplay, or capturing video calls. Fortunately, macOS provides several built-in tools and supports third-party applications to facilitate video capture. This article will guide you through the process of capturing video on macOS using both native and third-party solutions.

Using QuickTime Player

QuickTime Player, a built-in application in macOS, offers a straightforward way to capture video from your screen or an external camera.

1. Screen Recording with QuickTime Player:

   • Open QuickTime Player from the Applications folder.
   • Click on "File" in the menu bar and select "New Screen Recording."
   • A small recording window will appear. Click the red record button to start recording.
   • You can choose to record the entire screen or just a portion by selecting the desired area.
   • To stop recording, click the stop button in the menu bar or press "Command + Control + Esc."

2. Video Recording from a Camera:

   • Open QuickTime Player.
   • Click on "File" and select "New Movie Recording."
   • A window will open showing the camera feed. Click the red record button to start recording.
   • To stop recording, click the stop button in the window.

Using Screenshot Toolbar in macOS Mojave and Later

macOS Mojave introduced a Screenshot Toolbar that simplifies screen recording.

1. Press "Command + Shift + 5" to open the Screenshot Toolbar.
2. Choose between capturing the entire screen, a selected window, or a portion of the screen.
3. Click the "Record" button to start capturing.
4. To stop recording, click the stop button in the menu bar.

Using Third-Party Applications

For more advanced features, consider using third-party applications such as OBS Studio or ScreenFlow.

1. OBS Studio:

   • Download and install OBS Studio from the official website.
   • Open OBS Studio and configure your video sources (e.g., screen, webcam).
   • Set up scenes and transitions if needed.
   • Click "Start Recording" to begin capturing video.
   • Click "Stop Recording" to end the session.

2. ScreenFlow:

   • Download and install ScreenFlow from the official website.
   • Open ScreenFlow and create a new recording.
   • Select the video sources you want to capture.
   • Click the record button to start.
   • Use the built-in editor to refine your video after recording.

Examples:

• QuickTime Player Screen Recording:

  # No command-line example as QuickTime Player is GUI-based.

• OBS Studio Basic Configuration:

  # Launch OBS Studio from Applications
  open /Applications/OBS.app

• ScreenFlow Recording:

  # Launch ScreenFlow from Applications
  open /Applications/ScreenFlow.app