Screen recording on a MacBook Air can be an incredibly useful tool, whether you're creating tutorials, capturing gameplay, or documenting software issues. If you’re using the latest M4 model and want to record your screen with audio—especially internal sounds like video playback—you’ll need to navigate a few steps.
First off, let’s talk about the built-in options. macOS has made it relatively straightforward to capture your screen. You can use QuickTime Player or the screenshot toolbar by pressing Shift + Command + 5. However, these methods typically only allow for microphone audio unless you set up additional tools.
To capture system sound along with your recordings, many users recommend installing a virtual audio driver such as BlackHole or Soundflower. These free applications enable you to route internal audio directly into your recording setup.
Here’s how you can do it:
- Download and Install BlackHole: Visit their official website and follow the installation instructions carefully.
- Set Up Multi-Output Device: Open 'Audio MIDI Setup' found in Applications > Utilities. Click the '+' button at the bottom left corner and select 'Create Multi-Output Device'. In this new device panel that appears on the right side of your window, check both 'Built-in Output' (your speakers) and 'BlackHole 2ch'. This allows you to hear what you're recording while also capturing it.
- Adjust System Preferences: Go to System Preferences > Sound > Output tab and select ‘Multi-Output Device’. Make sure you've adjusted volume levels before starting any recordings since controlling volume once in multi-output mode is not possible.
- Record Using QuickTime Player: Now open QuickTime Player (or press Shift + Command + 5). When prompted for input source during recording setup, choose ‘BlackHole 2ch’ instead of ‘Built-in Microphone’.
- Start Recording: Hit record! You'll now have both visual content from your screen along with internal sounds captured seamlessly together.
This method might seem complex initially but trust me; once you've gone through it a couple of times, you'll find yourself breezing through future recordings without much thought!
If you're looking for paid alternatives that offer more features like editing capabilities post-recording or cloud storage options—applications like ScreenFlow or Camtasia are worth considering too—they come highly recommended among professionals.