Free screen recorder for Mac, with system audio and no watermark

Screen2Shot records a whole display or an area you drag, with system audio and your microphone. Free recordings save as MP4 up to 1080p, with no watermark and no time limit. PRO adds Studio effects (auto zoom on clicks, a smooth cursor, backgrounds) and 4K export. Recording needs macOS 15 or later.

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Free · macOS 14 or later · Apple silicon

Screen2Shot Studio showing a recording with a gradient background and the Auto Zoom, Cursor and Frame settings

How recording works

Press ⌥⇧⌘9, or choose Record Screen or Record Area in the menu. Recording starts at once, with no countdown.
Turn on System Audio or Microphone in the Recording menu if you need sound.
The menu-bar icon becomes a red dot with the time. Press ⌥⇧⌘9 again to stop.
Studio opens. Choose the look, then Save Video writes an MP4.

Studio: what you preview is what you save

Auto zoom moves in where you clicked and follows the pointer. The cursor is drawn again from the recorded movement, so it can be smoothed, enlarged and given a click bounce. Frame adds a background, padding, rounded corners and a shadow.

Clean by default

Screen2Shot's own windows and the pointer never appear in the raw video. Free exports have no watermark and no time limit.

Recording needs macOS 15 Sequoia or later. On macOS 14 screenshots keep working. Screen2Shot keeps your last 5 recordings on your Mac; save the ones you need.

Screen recording

Feature	Plan
Record the screen or an area ⌥⇧⌘9 records the display under the pointer; Record Area records a rectangle you drag.	Free
System audio and microphone Two switches in the Recording menu. macOS 15 or later.	Free
MP4 up to 1080p No watermark, no time limit.	Free
Auto zoom on clicks Studio zooms in where you clicked and follows the pointer.	PRO
Smooth cursor and click effects Smooth movement, click bounce, tilt and size.	PRO
Backgrounds, padding, corners, shadow Solid colours or gradients around your recording.	PRO
Original quality up to 4K Export at the resolution you recorded.	PRO

At a glance

Shortcut	⌥⇧⌘9 (press again to stop)
What it records	The display under the pointer, or an area you drag
Audio	System audio and microphone, each a switch
Free export	MP4 up to 1080p, no watermark, no time limit
PRO	Auto zoom on clicks, smooth cursor and click effects, backgrounds, padding, corners, shadow, export up to 4K
Kept on your Mac	The last 5 recordings
Requirements	macOS 15 Sequoia or later, Apple silicon

Screen2Shot and the built-in recorder

	macOS Screenshot app	Screen2Shot Free	Screen2Shot PRO
Record the screen or an area	✅ ⇧⌘5	✅ ⌥⇧⌘9	✅
System audio	macOS 27 or later	✅ macOS 15 or later	✅
Microphone	✅	✅	✅
File format	MOV	MP4 up to 1080p	MP4 up to 4K
Click highlight	Black circle around the pointer	✗	✅ Smooth cursor, click bounce
Auto zoom where you click	✗	✗	✅
Backgrounds, padding, corners, shadow	✗	✗	✅

macOS column from Apple's support pages, checked on 2026-09-29: Take a screenshot on Mac, How to record the screen on Mac.

Auto zoom

Studio zooms in where you clicked.

Record with audio

Which method fits your macOS version.

Screen Studio alternative

How the two compare.

Questions

How do I record my Mac screen with sound?

Turn on System Audio in Screen2Shot's Recording menu, then press ⌥⇧⌘9. Add Microphone to narrate. System audio recording needs macOS 15 or later.

Is there a watermark or a time limit?

No. Free recordings export as MP4 up to 1080p with no watermark and no time limit.

What does PRO add to recordings?

Auto zoom on clicks, the smooth cursor with click effects, backgrounds and padding, and export at original quality up to 4K.

Where are recordings stored?

In the app's folder on your Mac. The last 5 are kept; Save Video writes the MP4 wherever you choose.