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How to record a video of yourself on a Mac

Open Photo Booth, switch to the video clip button and click the red button to record; click it again to stop. QuickTime Player gives you more control, and the recorder below saves an MP4 with background blur and a teleprompter.

Jump to the step-by-step guide

Online Screen Recorder

Free, no sign-up, no watermark. Pick what to record to begin.

What do you want to record?

Pick one to start.

Your browser will ask for permission. Recordings stay on this device, nothing is uploaded.

Pick what to record

Then tap the red button

Recording yourself on a MacBook or iMac

Every Mac with a camera can record video out of the box. Photo Booth is the quickest: one click to start, one to stop. QuickTime Player lets you choose the camera, microphone and quality and saves a MOV file. A browser recorder such as the one on this page adds a teleprompter, background blur, sizes for social video and an MP4 download.

All three use the same camera, so the picture depends more on your light than on the app. This guide walks through each, shows how to use an iPhone as a sharper camera, and ends with fixes for a black or silent recording. Want your screen in the video too? See recording your screen and webcam together.

How to record a video on a Mac with Photo Booth

  1. Open Photo Booth

    Open Photo Booth from the Applications folder, or press Command-Space and type Photo Booth. The camera light next to the lens turns on and your picture appears.

  2. Switch to video

    At the bottom left of the window, click the Record a video clip button (the third of the three small buttons). The large red button in the middle now records video.

  3. Record

    Click the red button to start. Photo Booth records your camera and the Mac’s microphone. Click the button again to stop.

  4. Export the clip

    Select the clip in the strip at the bottom and choose File > Export, or drag it to the desktop. Photo Booth saves it as a MOV file you can share or open in QuickTime.

Record with QuickTime Player

  1. Open QuickTime Player from Applications (click Cancel if a file window opens) and choose File > New Movie Recording.
  2. Click the arrow next to the record button to pick the Camera, the Microphone and the Quality. Maximum keeps the most detail; High gives smaller files.
  3. Click the red button to start and click it again to stop.
  4. Choose File > Save, name the movie and pick a folder. QuickTime saves a MOV file.

QuickTime shows a volume slider while you record: leave it down to avoid feedback through the speakers. To trim the recording afterwards, choose Edit > Trim.

Record yourself in your browser and get an MP4

The online webcam recorder on this page runs in Safari, Chrome, Edge or Firefox on your Mac, with nothing to install. It records straight to MP4 in recent browsers, which suits job applications, course uploads and messaging apps that don’t like MOV files.

  1. Choose Camera under What do you want to record? and allow the camera and microphone.
  2. Pick your camera and mic, set Background to Blur in the camera menu if your room is untidy, and choose a Size such as 16:9 or 9:16.
  3. Open the Prompter if you’re reading a script, then press Start recording or R.
  4. Click Stop, drag the yellow handles to trim, and click Download MP4. Nothing leaves your Mac.

Use your iPhone as the camera (Continuity Camera)

An iPhone’s rear camera is far sharper than most built-in Mac cameras. With macOS Ventura or later and an iPhone XR or newer on a recent iOS, both signed in to the same Apple Account with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on, the iPhone shows up as a camera in Photo Booth, QuickTime and your browser. Mount it in landscape near the top of the screen, rear camera facing you, and pick it from the camera menu.

You can also choose the iPhone’s microphone, which helps if the Mac is further away than the phone.

Better light and sound for webcam videos

  • Face a window, not away from one. Light behind you turns your face into a silhouette.
  • Raise the laptop so the camera is at eye level; a stack of books does the job.
  • Close the door and windows. Mac microphones pick up the room, so a quiet, soft-furnished space sounds better than a big empty one.
  • Use a headset or a USB microphone for anything long, and check the level first with the microphone test.
  • Check the camera with the webcam test if you’re not sure which one the Mac is using, and the webcam resolution test to see whether it really sends 1080p.

Troubleshooting Mac camera recordings

The picture is black

Another app may be using the camera; quit video call apps and try again. For a browser, check System Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera and make sure the browser is switched on, then reopen it.

The video has no sound

In QuickTime, check the microphone chosen under the arrow menu. In a browser, allow the microphone and check System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone. Your input level is under System Settings > Sound > Input.

The video looks mirrored

Photo Booth flips the preview like a mirror. In recorder.video, turn off Mirror camera in More > Settings when text behind you needs to read correctly.

Recording questions

How do I record myself on a MacBook?

Open Photo Booth, click the video clip button at the bottom left and click the red button. Click it again to stop, then choose File > Export to save the clip.

Why is my Mac recording a black screen?

Usually another app is using the camera, or the browser doesn’t have camera access in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera. Quit other video apps and reopen the one you’re recording with.

How do I record video and screen at the same time on a Mac?

The built-in tools record one or the other. recorder.video records your screen with your webcam in a movable bubble; choose Screen + camera to start.

What format does a Mac save videos in?

Photo Booth and QuickTime save MOV files. recorder.video downloads MP4 in recent Safari, Chrome and Edge, which is easier to upload to most sites.

Can I use my iPhone as a webcam on a Mac?

Yes, with Continuity Camera on macOS Ventura or later and an iPhone XR or newer. It appears as a camera in Photo Booth, QuickTime and browsers.

How long can I record on a Mac?

Photo Booth, QuickTime and recorder.video are limited by free storage rather than a set time. Close other apps and keep the Mac plugged in for long recordings.

Other ways to record