How to record one window on a Mac

The short answer

If you are unsure which system you have, open the Apple menu and choose About This Mac. The version matters here: a missing window-recording button on an older Mac is expected, not a broken installation.

Record the window in macOS Tahoe 26 or later

1. Open the app and put the window at the size you want viewers to see. Close private tabs, files, and notifications first.
2. Press Shift–Command–5. In the Screenshot toolbar, choose the video control labeled Record Selected Window. Do not confuse it with the still-image Capture Selected Window control.
3. Open Options before recording. Choose a Save To folder, a microphone for narration, and whether to show mouse clicks. On macOS 27 or later, the same menu can also offer Include System Audio.
4. Click the window you want to record. Complete the demonstration, then click the stop icon in the menu bar or press Command–Control–Esc.
5. Play back the saved movie once. Check that the correct window, pointer, and intended audio made it into the file.

The window option and stop shortcut come from Apple's Screenshot guide. If an app such as Apple TV restricts capture, switching recorders will not necessarily make that content recordable.

Frame a window on older macOS versions

Before Tahoe, Screenshot offers Record Entire Screen and Record Selected Portion for video. Choose the portion option, then drag the outline over the window. Leave a small margin if you want the window border visible, or crop closely to hide the desktop.

This captures a screen area, not an app object. If you move or resize the window after recording starts, the capture frame stays where you placed it. Other windows and notifications can also appear if they enter that rectangle. Keep the app still, turn on Focus, and do a short test before a long take. Apple's Mac User Guide shows how to move and resize the selected capture area.

Opening QuickTime Player → File → New Screen Recording does not usually provide a separate window-capture mode on current systems; Apple says it opens Screenshot's controls. Use it if you prefer to start from QuickTime, then select the same screen area. Our general Mac recording guide covers both entry points.

Make the result easier to watch

• Choose the smallest useful frame. Text should remain readable when the video is viewed on a laptop or phone. A browser window at a sensible zoom level often works better than a full 4K desktop.
• Keep menus inside the frame. Open each dropdown once in a test recording. Menus or dialogs outside the selected rectangle will be cut off.
• Use a quiet desktop. Focus can suppress notifications; hiding private tabs and file names avoids accidental disclosure. A selected portion is not a privacy filter for anything entering that area.
• Check the file before sharing. A ten-second test reveals black windows, clipped menus, unreadable text, and missing narration while they are still easy to fix.

Common questions

Why do I only see “Capture Selected Window”?

That camera-shaped control makes a still screenshot. Look for the video-recording controls to its right. If Record Selected Window is absent there, check your macOS version; Apple lists it for Tahoe 26 and later.

Can I capture only the window's sound?

A window and its audio are separate choices. Apple's Screenshot toolbar can include system audio in macOS 27 or later; earlier versions need a recorder with suitable system-audio capture. See our screen-and-audio guide, and test the exact app before the real recording.

Where is the finished file?

Screenshot saves to the location shown under Options → Save To. The default is Desktop. Follow our file-location checklist if it seems to be missing.