Find which sound is missing
Open the file in QuickTime Player and listen with a known working output device. Then compare what you expected with what you hear. This prevents changing recording settings when the real problem is muted playback.
| What you hear | Likely place to check first |
|---|---|
| No voice, but app sound is present | Screenshot's Microphone choice or the recorder's microphone track |
| Your voice, but no app or game sound | System-audio capture; a microphone does not automatically record internal audio |
| The file sounds fine elsewhere, but not on this Mac | Playback volume, selected output device, or the player |
| Echo or doubled voices | Speakers feeding back into the microphone, or the same source captured twice |
If the missing sound was never recorded, raising the volume in an editor cannot reconstruct it. Save time by fixing the source and recording a short replacement take.
If your voice is missing
- Press Shift–Command–5, then open Options → Microphone. Select the intended built-in or external mic instead of None. Apple's Screenshot instructions document this choice.
- For a third-party recorder, open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone and allow that app. If macOS asks you to reopen it, do so. A permission for screen capture does not replace microphone permission.
- Open Sound settings, confirm the input device, and speak while checking the input level. If an external headset is selected but disconnected or muted, choose a working input.
- Record ten seconds while speaking, stop, and play that file back. A moving input meter alone does not prove that the final video contains a voice track.
Use headphones if speaker sound leaks into your mic; this also reduces the chance that a meeting participant's voice is recorded twice.
If app or system audio is missing
Sound from a browser tab, game, or app is system audio. Choosing a microphone in Screenshot does not turn it into a clean internal-audio track. The built-in options differ by macOS version:
- macOS 27 or later: Apple's current Screenshot guide says to choose Options → Include System Audio. Check that it is selected, then make a short playback test.
- Earlier macOS: use a recorder that explicitly supports Mac system-audio capture. For example, OBS documents a macOS Audio Capture Source for OBS Studio 30 on macOS 13 or later. The precise source and permissions depend on the app you use.
If you use a third-party recorder, review System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen & System Audio Recording. Apple explains that screen and system-audio access can be allowed separately. Grant it only to software you trust. Then check the recorder's audio meter and the resulting file, rather than assuming that a permission switch alone creates an audio track. Apple's permission guide explains the control.
If the test file is still silent
- Try a different source. Play a short, ordinary local sound and record it. If that works, the original app may route audio differently or restrict capture.
- Check the recorder's mixer. A source can exist but be muted, assigned to an unselected track, or set too low. Play the resulting file, not just the live meter.
- Rule out playback. Open the file in QuickTime Player, check Mac output volume, and switch to another output device or headphones.
- Test sources one at a time. Make one microphone-only clip and one system-audio clip. Combine sources only after both individual tests succeed.
Calls and protected media: Some apps restrict capture, and people on a call may need to consent. Do not assume a screen-recording permission grants the right or technical ability to record every app's audio.
A 30-second audio preflight
Before a long tutorial, choose the screen area, select your microphone, turn on system-audio capture if needed, and record ten seconds of both speaking and app playback. Stop, listen, and check for echo. This one small test is faster than rebuilding a silent twenty-minute demonstration.
If the screen itself is blank, use our screen-recording permission guide. If the file is missing, start with where Mac screen recordings are saved.
Explore the Mac recorder beta
Our unsigned Mac beta is available for testing. Try a short, noncritical recording and export on your own Mac before relying on it for important work. The editor preview and current download options are on the homepage.
See the Mac beta →