Panwise

Guide ·

How to record your screen on a Mac with system audio

Press Cmd + Shift + 5 and your Mac will record the screen, but not the sound it’s playing: the video from a call, a demo’s audio, a notification chime. Here’s how the built-in recorder works, and how to include system audio.

The built-in way: Cmd + Shift + 5

  1. Press Cmd + Shift + 5.
  2. Choose Record Entire Screen or Record Selected Portion.
  3. Under Options, pick a microphone if you want your voice.
  4. Click Record. To stop, click the stop button in the menu bar.

Limits: no system audio, no quality settings, and the files are large .mov videos. QuickTime Player’s New Screen Recording opens the same tool, with the same limits.

The usual workaround, and why it’s fiddly

The common fix is a virtual audio driver that routes your Mac’s sound into a fake microphone. It works, but you have to set up a multi-output device in Audio MIDI Setup, remember to switch back afterwards, and your voice and the system sound end up mixed into one track.

With Panwise: system audio on its own track

Panwise uses macOS’s own screen capture, which can record system audio directly. No extra driver is needed.

  1. Download and open Panwise. The first time, allow Screen & System Audio Recording in System Settings › Privacy & Security.
  2. Click Choose what to record and pick a screen or a window.
  3. Turn on System audio and Microphone.
  4. Click Record, or press Cmd + Shift + 2 from any app.
  5. Click Stop. In the editor, system audio and your voice are separate tracks, so you can turn one down without touching the other.

macOS may ask you to confirm screen recording permission again after some updates. That’s the system, not Panwise; approve it and recording carries on.

Record your screen with Panwise

Free for Windows 11, Windows 10 and Mac. System audio, microphone and webcam, zooms from your clicks, and an MP4 on your disk. Free exports have no watermark.

Download free

Questions

Why doesn’t my Mac screen recording have sound?
The built-in recorder (Cmd + Shift + 5 and QuickTime) only records a microphone, not the sound your Mac plays. You need a recorder that captures system audio, such as Panwise, or a virtual audio driver.
Can I record system audio and my voice separately on a Mac?
Yes. Panwise records system audio and your microphone on separate tracks, so you can adjust or mute each one in the editor.
Is Panwise free on Mac?
Yes. The free version has no time limit and no watermark, and exports up to 1080p. Pro, billed monthly or yearly, adds 4K, captions and share links.

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