Record a movie in QuickTime Player on Mac (original) (raw)

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You can make a movie using the built-in camera on your Mac or using your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. When you make a movie, controls appear that allow you to start recording, control the volume, and choose recording options.

The recording controls, including the volume control, the Record button, and the Options pop-up menu.

Open QuickTime Player for me

Use the built-in camera on your Mac

  1. In the QuickTime Player app on your Mac, choose File > New Movie Recording.
    When the recording controls appear, you see a green light next to the built-in camera in your Mac.
    Tip: If your Mac doesn’t have a built-in camera, you can connect an external camera.
  2. Click the Capture Device Selection Menu button, then choose any of the following recording options:
    • Camera: Choose a camera if you have more than one camera available.
    • Microphone: Choose a microphone if you have more than one microphone available.
    • Quality: Choose the recording quality. Maximum-quality recordings produce uncompressed files, which can use large amounts of storage space.
      Setting Description
      High H.264 video and 44100 Hz AAC audio
      Maximum Apple ProRes 422 video and Linear PCM audio
  3. Adjust the volume control to hear the audio you’re recording.
  4. Click the Start Recording button to start recording; click the Stop Recording button when you’re done.
    To pause recording, Option-click the Start Recording button; click it again to resume recording.
  5. Choose File > Save to save and name the recording.

Use an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch connected to your Mac

You can capture what you’re seeing on a connected device and save it as a movie file on your Mac.

The QuickTime Player window on Mac while recording using an iPhone.

  1. Connect your device to your Mac.
  2. Open the QuickTime Player app on your Mac.
  3. Choose File > New Movie Recording.
  4. Click the Capture Device Selection Menu button, then choose any of the following recording options:
    • Camera: Choose your connected iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
    • Microphone: Choose a microphone (if you have more than one available).
    • Screen: Choose a screen to display on (if you have more than one available).
    • Speaker: Choose an external speaker (if you have more than one available).
    • Quality: Choose the recording quality. Maximum-quality recordings produce uncompressed files, which can use large amounts of storage space.
      Setting Description
      High H.264 video and 44100 Hz AAC audio
      Maximum H.264 video and Linear PCM audio
  5. Adjust the volume control to hear the audio you’re recording.
  6. Click the Start Recording button to start recording; click the Stop Recording button when you’re done.
    To pause recording, Option-click the Start Recording button; click it again to resume recording.
  7. Choose File > Save to save and name the recording.

Tip: If your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch supports AirDrop, you can record a video on your device and wirelessly send it to your Mac, then open the video in QuickTime Player. See Use AirDrop to send items to nearby Apple devices.

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