How to Record Your Screen and System Audio

Recording your screen with the sound your computer plays is useful for tutorials, bug reports and saving a presentation. The video part is usually simple. Most problems come from audio, because system sound and your microphone are separate sources that have to be captured on purpose.

Before you start

System audio is the sound sent to your output device, such as speakers or headphones. Your voice comes from an input device, such as a microphone. A recorder captures these independently, so decide in advance whether you need system sound only, your voice only, or both. Also find out whether your recorder works locally on your computer or uploads footage to an online service. Check the tool's own documentation for where files are stored and processed rather than assuming either way.

• Close apps and notifications you do not want in the recording.
• Play a short test sound and confirm it comes from the output device you plan to capture.
• If you will narrate, connect the microphone first so it appears in the recorder's input list.
• Check free disk space, because screen recordings can grow quickly.
• Allow screen and microphone access when your operating system asks; some systems need this permission before audio or video can be captured.

Step-by-step instructions

Exact labels and menus differ between operating systems, app versions and updates. The sequence below applies to most recorders. Platform notes follow, so check the names against what you see on screen.

• 1. Open your recorder and choose the capture source: full screen, one window, or a selected region.
• 2. Enable system audio (often labelled desktop audio, computer audio or app audio).
• 3. If you need narration, enable the microphone and select the correct input device.
• 4. Make a 10–20 second test with sound playing and, if used, while speaking.
• 5. Stop the test and play it back before recording the real session.
• 6. Adjust settings if needed, then record. Stop with the recorder's stop control or shortcut, not by closing the app.

Windows

Windows 10 and 11 include the Xbox Game Bar. Press Windows key + G to open it, or Windows key + Alt + R to start and stop recording. It records a single app window with that app's audio, and it cannot record the desktop or File Explorer. Recent Windows 11 versions of the Snipping Tool can record a screen region and offer options for system audio and the microphone. If your version shows no audio options, update the app or use a dedicated recorder.

macOS

The built-in Screenshot toolbar (Shift + Command + 5) and QuickTime Player can record the screen, with an option to add a microphone. They have not traditionally captured system audio directly. For computer sound you usually need a recorder that supports system audio capture on your macOS version, or a virtual audio device that routes output into the recorder. Check that the tool you choose says it supports system audio on your macOS version before relying on it.

Dedicated recorders such as OBS Studio

Free and paid recorders give more control. In OBS Studio, add a display or window capture source and check that a desktop audio source is present in the audio mixer. Add a microphone source only if you need one. Watch the mixer meters while sound plays: if a meter does not move, that source is not being captured. Output settings, including recording format and encoder, are in the application's settings. Their exact location can change between versions.

Settings that matter

• Frame rate: 30 fps is usually enough for slides and documents; fast motion such as games looks smoother at 60 fps, but files are larger.
• Bitrate: higher bitrate keeps more detail and makes larger files; too low causes blocky text and smearing during motion.
• Encoding: hardware encoders reduce CPU load; software encoding can be more efficient but may slow a busy computer.
• Sample rate: keep the recorder's audio sample rate consistent with your devices, commonly 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz, to avoid crackling or drift.
• Recording format: MP4 is widely compatible. Some recorders recommend MKV because an interrupted MKV recording is more likely to remain playable; convert or remux it to MP4 afterwards if needed.

Check the output

Play the file in a different player from the one used to record. Confirm that the correct area of the screen is visible and text is readable at full size. Check that system sound and narration are both audible and roughly balanced, and that audio stays in sync near the end of a longer recording. In the file's properties, check the duration, resolution and format against what you expected. If you plan to upload the file, also confirm that the destination accepts that format and file size.

Common problems and next steps

• No system audio: make sure the system or desktop audio option is enabled and points to the output device actually playing the sound. Switching headphones or Bluetooth devices during recording can break this.
• Only your voice is recorded: on macOS this usually means the tool captures the microphone but not system sound; use a recorder or virtual audio device that supports system audio.
• Echo or doubled sound: if you use speakers, the microphone may pick up the system audio a second time. Use headphones or disable the microphone when narration is not needed.
• Voice too quiet or distorted: adjust the microphone input level so normal speech moves the meter well above silence without hitting the maximum.
• Background noise: record in a quieter space, move closer to the microphone, or enable the recorder's noise suppression if available.
• Black video for some content: protected video playback may appear black or be blocked in recordings; this is expected behaviour and not a settings fault.
• Audio drifts out of sync: match sample rates across devices and the recorder, and reduce load on the computer by lowering frame rate or resolution.
• Files too large: lower the bitrate or frame rate, or record a smaller region instead of the full screen.

If a problem persists, change one setting at a time and make another short test recording before a long session. This shows which change fixed the issue and lets you undo anything that made it worse.