How to Screen Record on a Laptop: PC & Mac

Recording your laptop screen is useful for tutorials, presentations, or saving a video call. You don’t need to install anything—Windows and macOS both include free screen recorders. This guide covers the built-in methods for both systems.

What You’ll Need

A Windows 10/11 laptop or a Mac with macOS Mojave (2018) or later
Enough free storage space (a 10-minute video can use about 100 MB)
Microphone (optional) if you want to record your voice

Step-by-Step

Open the screen recorder. On Windows, press Win + G to open the Xbox Game Bar. On Mac, press Shift + Cmd + 5 to open the screenshot toolbar.
Choose your recording area. On Windows, click the Record button (a circle) in the Game Bar’s capture widget. On Mac, select either Record Entire Screen or Record Selected Portion from the toolbar.
Turn on the microphone (optional). On Windows, click the mic icon in the Game Bar. On Mac, click Options in the toolbar and select your microphone.
Start recording. On Windows, click the Record button or press Win + Alt + R. On Mac, click the Record button on the right side of the toolbar. A timer appears to show recording is active.
Stop recording. On Windows, click the square Stop button in the Game Bar widget or press Win + Alt + R again. On Mac, click the Stop button in the menu bar (the small icon with a square).
Find your video. On Windows, recordings save as MP4 files in Videos > Captures by default. On Mac, recordings save to your Desktop by default, unless you changed the location in Options.

Common Mistakes

Recording the wrong area: On Mac, if you select “Record Selected Portion” but don’t drag a rectangle, it records nothing. Always confirm the dashed outline before starting.
Forgetting to enable audio: Many users record video but no sound because the mic was off. Check the mic icon before you start.
Using the Print Screen key: That only takes a screenshot, not a video. Use the Game Bar or QuickTime.
Recording the entire screen when you only need a window: This makes the video larger and less focused. Use “Record Selected Portion” on Mac, or on Windows, resize the Game Bar capture area (though it’s less flexible).

Tips

Close unnecessary apps: Notifications and pop-ups can ruin a clean recording. Close chat apps and mute notifications.
Use a wired microphone: For clearer audio, use a USB mic or headphones with a mic instead of the built-in laptop mic.
Record in a quiet room: Background noise is distracting. If you can’t avoid it, record with the mic off and add a voiceover later.
Test first: Record 30 seconds, then play it back to check the video and audio quality before doing a long take.
Keep your screen clean: If you’re recording a tutorial, close any personal tabs or windows you don’t want viewers to see.

Troubleshooting

Windows: Game Bar doesn’t open

Make sure your laptop meets the requirements (Windows 10 or 11). If it still doesn’t open, go to Settings > Gaming > Game Bar and turn on “Open Game Bar using this button.” If the toggle is off, turn it on.

Windows: Recorded video is black

This often happens when your laptop uses a dedicated graphics card. In the Game Bar, click the settings gear, go to Capturing, and turn off “Record audio” temporarily. If the video is still black, try closing any apps that use hardware acceleration (like browsers) and record again.

Mac: The record button is grayed out

This means you haven’t selected a recording area. Click “Record Entire Screen” or drag a rectangle for “Record Selected Portion” before the button becomes active.

Mac: Recordings are saving to the wrong place

In the toolbar (Shift+Cmd+5), click Options and select “Save to” to choose a different folder. The default is Desktop.

No sound in the recording

On Windows, open the Game Bar and click the mic icon to unmute. On Mac, in the toolbar (Shift+Cmd+5), click Options and ensure the microphone is set to “Built-in Microphone” or your external mic. Also, test your mic in system settings.

Recording stops by itself

This can happen if you run out of disk space. Free up space or record shorter clips. On Windows, check the Game Bar settings for “Max recording length” – by default it’s 30 minutes, but you can change it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I record a specific window only?

Windows Game Bar records the entire screen, not a single window. On Mac, you can drag a rectangle around the window you want, but the recording will include everything inside that rectangle, so move other windows away.

How long can I record?

There’s no time limit in either tool, but your storage space is the real limit. A 10-minute 1080p video can be around 100–200 MB. On Windows, the Game Bar has a default max of 30 minutes per clip, but you can change that in settings.

Does screen recording capture system audio (like music or game sounds)?

On Windows, the Game Bar records system audio by default (you can toggle it in the capture widget). On Mac, QuickTime does not record system audio by default; you’ll need to use a third-party tool or a virtual audio cable to capture internal sound.

Can I record my face and screen at the same time?

Not with the built-in tools. You can record your screen and your voice, but not your webcam. For a picture-in-picture effect, you’ll need a third-party app like OBS Studio.

Are the recordings in HD?

Yes, both tools record in the resolution of your screen (usually 1080p or higher). You can change the video quality in Windows Game Bar settings (Settings > Capturing). On Mac, the quality is tied to your screen resolution.

Can I edit the recording after?

Yes. Windows has a built-in video editor in the Photos app (Video Editor). Mac users can use iMovie, which is free and preinstalled on many Macs.

Sources: Microsoft Support. Menus and buttons can differ slightly by version. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.