Does Cmd+Shift+5 Record Audio? What Changed in macOS 27

Most guides still say "no system audio" because they were written before macOS 27 shipped. Below is exactly what each version captures, and three reliable ways to get system audio on a Mac that can't run macOS 27. The Apple details come from Apple's support documentation; the OBS and BlackHole details from their own docs, checked September 2026.

TL;DR

• Microphone: yes, on every version with the Cmd+Shift+5 toolbar. Pick it under Options > Microphone.
• System audio: only on macOS 27 Golden Gate or later, via Options > Include System Audio.
• macOS 27 needs Apple silicon. Intel Macs stop at Tahoe 26, so they never get the option.
• QuickTime opens the same Screenshot tools, so it has the same limits.
• Older macOS? Use a recorder built on ScreenCaptureKit (ZoomCap on macOS 15+, or OBS for free), a virtual device like BlackHole, or Chrome's share picker for audio playing in a tab.

Who this is for

Anyone who pressed Command-Shift-5, recorded something with sound, and got silence or only their own voice.

What Cmd+Shift+5 records, by macOS version

The microphone option has been in the toolbar's Options menu for years. Apple's own support article adds one line for the newest release: "To record system audio with the screen recording in macOS 27 Golden Gate or later, choose Include System Audio."

Not sure which one you have? Apple menu > About This Mac shows the name and number.

How to record system audio with Cmd+Shift+5 (macOS 27)

1. Press Cmd+Shift+5 to open the Screenshot toolbar.
2. Choose Record Entire Screen, Record Selected Window or Record Selected Portion.
3. Click Options.
4. Under Microphone, pick your mic if you want narration, or None if you don't.
5. Choose Include System Audio.
6. Click Record. To stop, click the Stop button in the menu bar or press Cmd+Control+Esc.

The file saves to your desktop as a .mov named Screen Recording plus the date and time, unless you changed Options > Save to. Convert it to MP4 if you're uploading it somewhere that doesn't accept MOV (we compare the two in MP4 vs MOV vs WebM). Before a real take, record five seconds with something playing and listen back. Audio failures are silent, so you won't notice them until it's too late.

How to check a recording actually has sound

1. Play a video or a sound in the app you're recording, and say a sentence into the mic.
2. Stop after five seconds and open the file in QuickTime Player.
3. Choose Window → Show Movie Inspector. An audio line in the format details means a track exists. No audio line means nothing was captured.
4. Play it with headphones: you should hear both the app and your voice at similar levels.

If the track exists but is quiet, the app's own volume was low; raise it rather than boosting the recording afterwards. If your voice is missing, the Microphone option was set to None. Our free mic test confirms the mic works before you record.

Two caveats. Apple notes that some apps, such as the Apple TV app, may not let you record their windows. And we couldn't verify whether recording a single window captures only that app's sound or everything your Mac plays, so mute anything you don't want in the file.

What about QuickTime Player?

QuickTime has the same limits as Cmd+Shift+5. On current macOS, File > New Screen Recording (or Control+Cmd+N) opens the Screenshot tools rather than a separate recorder. That means Include System Audio on macOS 27, and a microphone only on anything older.

3 ways to get system audio on macOS 26 and earlier

If your Mac can't run macOS 27 (every Intel Mac can't), these work. The longer walkthrough is in how to record your Mac screen with audio.

1. A recorder built on ScreenCaptureKit

Best for: most people on macOS 13 or newer. Apple's ScreenCaptureKit has let apps capture system audio since macOS 13, with no drivers, and the microphone in the same stream since macOS 15.

Our CLI, npx zoomcap record, uses it on macOS 15+ to capture system audio and your mic together, with no driver and no scene setup. It also records your clicks and typing, so the browser editor zooms in on them automatically and can add captions; you export an MP4 up to 4K or a GIF. It's part of the paid plans ($29 once (or $12.49/month)). Older macOS falls back to video only. Building your own? See our ScreenCaptureKit audio guide.

If you need it free, OBS Studio's macOS Screen Capture source records audio on macOS 13+, and OBS 30 added a macOS Audio Capture source for all desktop audio or one app. Expect some scene setup first, and a flat capture with no editing afterwards.

2. BlackHole, a virtual audio device

Best for: very old macOS, or routing audio into any app. BlackHole is a free, open-source (GPL-3.0) loopback driver that works on macOS 10.10 and later. You route your Mac's output into it, then pick BlackHole as the "microphone" in Cmd+Shift+5, QuickTime or OBS.

1. Install it: brew install blackhole-2ch, or use the installer from Existential Audio.
2. Open Audio MIDI Setup, click + and choose Create Multi-Output Device.
3. Tick your speakers or headphones and BlackHole. Keep your real output at the top as the clock device, and turn on Drift Correction for BlackHole.
4. Right-click the new device and choose Use This Device For Sound Output.
5. In your recorder, choose BlackHole as the microphone.

The downsides are real. macOS can't change the volume of a Multi-Output Device, so your volume keys stop working until you switch back. You have to remember to switch back, too. And Cmd+Shift+5 takes one input, so choosing BlackHole means your voice isn't recorded.

3. The browser's share picker

Best for: sound that plays in a browser tab. When a web recorder asks to share your screen, Chrome's picker can include audio. If you share a tab, turn on "Also share tab audio". Google's Meet help also describes an "Also share system audio" toggle when you share a window or your entire screen. Independent testing puts that on macOS at Chrome 141 or newer running on macOS 14.2 or newer. Our free browser recorder works this way, with nothing to install.

Every method compared

Prices are as of September 2026.

Which to use, by situation

• A developer recording a bug with a sound glitch: on macOS 27, Cmd+Shift+5 with Include System Audio is enough. Otherwise use ZoomCap's CLI on macOS 15+, or OBS if you need it free. Our bug report video guide covers the rest of the take.
• A founder narrating a product demo: you need clean mic audio first and app sounds second, and a video that stays readable. ZoomCap records both and zooms in on your clicks. See how to record a product demo.
• A support agent answering a ticket: mic-only Cmd+Shift+5 is usually right. System audio mostly adds notification pings.

Common mistakes

• Microphone set to None. Check Options before every recording. It's the most common cause of a silent file.
• Recording system audio with notifications on. Every Slack ping and Mail chime ends up in the file. Turn on Do Not Disturb first.
• Leaving your output on BlackHole. If your Mac goes quiet afterwards, switch the output back in Sound settings.
• Recording things you shouldn't. Close tabs with customer data, API keys and password managers. Get consent before recording anyone else's voice on a call.
• Skipping the test. Five seconds, played back, every time.

When not to use a screen recording

If you only need the sound, QuickTime's New Audio Recording or a voice memo is simpler. If it's a meeting, the meeting app's own recorder captures everyone's audio better than your speakers can. And if the problem is visible in a single frame, a screenshot is quicker to make and quicker to read.

What Cmd+Shift+5 still can't do, even on macOS 27

• Edit. You get a raw .mov and a trim. No zoom, no cursor treatment, no captions, no background.
• Take two inputs. The Microphone setting takes one device. That's fine for your voice, but if you route audio through a virtual device like BlackHole, choosing it means your mic isn't recorded.
• Record a webcam at the same time. For a face-cam, run QuickTime's New Movie Recording alongside, or use OBS.
• Run on Intel. The system audio option is tied to macOS 27, which needs Apple silicon.

For a bug report or an internal clip, none of that matters. For a video someone outside your team will watch, it usually does; we list the fixes in why screen recordings look blurry or bad.

Our recommendation

We make ZoomCap, so weigh this accordingly. For anything someone else will watch, such as a product demo, a tutorial or a launch clip, sound is only half the job; the video also has to be readable on a small screen. npx zoomcap record captures system audio and your mic on macOS 15+ with no driver, zooms in where you click and type, and opens the result in a browser editor for backgrounds and captions. You export an MP4 up to 4K or a GIF. It costs $29 once (or $12.49/month); the free plan covers the browser recorder with 2 watermarked exports a month. Recordings are edited and exported on your computer and never uploaded (see our security page), and there's a 14-day refund if it doesn't work for you.

Its limits: on macOS 14 or older the CLI records no system audio, there's no Windows CLI, no motion blur and no share links, and automatic zoom only works on CLI recordings.

When something else fits

• A quick raw clip on macOS 27: Include System Audio in Cmd+Shift+5. Nothing to install.
• You need it free on macOS 13 to 26: OBS, if you don't mind the setup.
• macOS 12 or older: BlackHole with QuickTime or OBS.

Before any take, check your input with our free webcam and mic test.

Frequently asked questions

For every built-in and third-party way to record a Mac, see how to record your screen on a Mac.

Ready to record with sound? Start free in the browser recorder, nothing to install, or get the CLI with system audio, mic and automatic zoom for $29 once on the pricing page.