Recording YouTube videos on a Mac might be difficult, particularly for beginners. Having the appropriate tools can make all the difference, whether recording an instructional, vlog, or gaming video. This article will go through several easy ways to record YouTube videos on a Mac so you can start making high-quality material right now.
With the rise of YouTube and other video-sharing sites, video recording and uploading on YouTube has grown increasingly popular. Many users desire to save interesting videos on their local devices or create their unique films to share on YouTube.
Recording YouTube videos appears to be a difficult chore for Mac users. Don't worry if you're one of them; this guide will lead you through four viable methods for recording Record YouTube videos on Mac, including free professional screen recorders and Mac built-in programs. Whatever macOS version you use, whatever objective you have, you'll find methods and tools that work for you.
🍟Before We Start
We tested four ways of recording YouTube videos on Mac in terms of difficulty and effectiveness. If you're not sure which strategy to use, consult the chart below and make an informed selection.
Tools | Effectiveness | Difficulty |
---|---|---|
🏅Super Easy | High - Works smoothly to record full or part of the Mac screen with simple clicks, recording screen with both audio and webcam. | ⭐ |
QuickTime player | Medium - Feasible, built-in screen recording tool to capture screen and sound from the microphone. | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Command + Shift +5 | Medium - Efficient record screen on Mac, only works for macOS Catalins or later. | ⭐⭐⭐ |
OBS Studio | Medium - Advanced screen recording options, but with a complex UI, not friendly for beginners. | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Compatibility: macOS 10.13 or later, M1-based and M2-based Mac devices
If you want to save time and improve efficiency, the simplest way to do it is to use a professional Mac screen recorder, such as EaseUS RecExperts for Mac. It's perfect for creating video tutorials, capturing online meetings, and recording presentations. It also aids in seamlessly recording your computer screen when playing YouTube videos or live streaming in HD resolution.
RecExperts for Mac has a simple UI design that allows you to record YouTube videos on Mac with a few clicks, as well as with sound from the system and microphone, as well as a camera if you choose.
Another appealing feature of EaseUS RecExperts is its multi-screen recording, which allows you to record many displays at the same time. So you may watch many YouTube videos at the same time and record multiple videos at the same time, which saves time.
Steps to Record YouTube Videos on Mac via EaseUS RecExperts for Mac
Step 1. Download and launch EaseUS RecExperts on your Mac. To capture the whole screen, click on the "Full Screen" button from the main interface. If you want to customize the recording area, choose the "Region" button.
Step 2. To record the screen with audio, hit the Sound icon from the bottom left side of the toolbar. The audio resources can be your external sound or system audio. Based on your needs, enable the target option.
Step 3. Before capturing, you can change the output format of the recorded video by clicking "Settings" from the main interface. Then, scroll down the menu of Output format for Video. Choose the output type as you like.
Step 4. Once done, click the REC button to begin recording. It captures anything displayed on your Mac screen. When you are done, click the Stop button. Then you can watch the recorded video from "Recordings".
📖Also Read: How to Record YouTube Videos on PC & Phone
Compatibility: macOS X v10.5 or later
QuickTime Player is the first choice for most Mac users, it is a powerful media player that comes standard with all Mac computers. While it is mostly used to play videos and audio files, it can also record videos. As a result, it is a useful tool for those who want to create material for YouTube or screen record Mac gameplay or other activities.
You may easily shoot high-quality videos with QuickTime Player's built-in camera and microphone with only a few clicks.
💡However, QuickTime Player doesn't capture system sound, so you may not record the original sound of the YouTube videos.
Steps to Record YouTube Videos on Mac via QuickTime Player
Step 1. Open the QuickTime app on your Mac. Click on "File" and then select "New Screen Recording" or "New Audio Recording" in the drop-down menu, depending on what you want to do. If you're going to record audio and video at the same time, just select Screen Recording.
Step 2. Once you see the Recording Interface, click on the arrow right next to the record button. Then, you will need to select a microphone if you want to record video and audio.
Step 3. Open the YouTube video that you want to record and simply press the Record button on QuickTime.
Step 4. If you want to record the entire screen, just click anywhere on it. If you're going only to record a section, click and drag the cursor to create a new window.
Step 5. Press the Stop button on QuickTime's menu bar when you finish recording.
Compatibility: macOS Catalina or later
Another macOS built-in screen recorder is Screenshot Toolbar, which can be invoked by pressing Command + Shift + 5 keys at the same time. This feature is available on macOS Catalina and later system versions and allows you to capture a video or record Mac screens without QuickTime with simple clicks. So, you can use it to record YouTube videos on Mac according to the following instructions.
💡Note: Screenshot Toolbar can't capture system sound. If you use it to record YouTube videos, it won't record the original sound of the YouTube videos.
Steps to Record YouTube Videos on Mac via Hot Keys
Step 1. Press Command + Shift + 5 hotkeys to trigger Screenshot Toolbar on your Mac, and you can see a recording menu on your screen.
Step 2. Click the Options button to enable the microphone to record audio.
Step 3. Open the YouTube video you want to record, and click the Record button to strat recording.
Compatibility: macOS 11 (Big Sur) or later
As previously stated, QuickTime Player and Screenshot Toolbar do not have the capacity to record sound from the system, so they cannot capture the original sound from a YouTube video. As an alternative, you can utilize OBS Studio for screen recording, a popular and free open-source screen recorder that allows users to record and live-stream video footage.
Its adaptability and customization capabilities make it a choice among content makers looking to create high-quality videos for YouTube and other sites. OBS Studio is an excellent alternative for Mac users who want to easily record and edit YouTube videos.
Steps to Record YouTube Videos on Mac via OBS Studio
Step 1. Open the YouTube video you want to record on your computer.
Step 2. Download and launch OBS Studio on your Mac.
Step 3. Click "Settings" in the Control box. Then adjust the audio and video settings for your recording.
Step 4. Click the "+" icon under the Sources and choose "Display Capture" to create a new display. Once done, click "OK".
Step 5. When all settings are done, begin the screen and audio recording by clicking "Start Recording".
📖Also Read: Is OBS Studio Safe?
The legality of downloading YouTube videos directly to a computer is debatable and relies on a number of situations. While YouTube's terms of service expressly forbid downloading videos, certain nations allow copyrighted content to be downloaded for personal use under certain conditions.
On the other hand, downloading copyrighted content without authorization is generally deemed criminal. If the video creator has not explicitly granted permission to download their content, it is best to ask their permission before doing so.
Furthermore, downloading videos from YouTube without proper authorization may be a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), with legal ramifications. As a result, it is critical to understand your local copyright rules and seek permission before downloading any content from YouTube or any other network.
To sum up, four ways are provided in this guide to record YouTube videos on Mac with stepwise instructions. QuickTime Player and Screenshot Toolbar are two built-in programs that offer a variety of features and customization options.
If you want a more user-friendly and thorough tool, we strongly recommend EaseUS RecExperts. This software has an easy-to-use interface and several recording modes, including full-screen, camera, and audio-only. It also includes extensive editing capabilities and the ability to export videos in a variety of formats. EaseUS RecExperts is a wonderful choice for recording YouTube videos on a Mac, whether you're a beginner or an experienced content developer.
1. Can I record the audio from a YouTube video on Mac?
You certainly can. Because QuickTime Player does not support capturing internal audio, you must use a third-party tool to record the audio from a YouTube video on a Mac. EaseUS RecExperts is an excellent option for recording audio from both the system sound and the microphone. It is simple to use for shooting YouTube audio. It can also extract audio from video.
2. How do I record YouTube videos on my Mac for free?
If you don't want to pay to record YouTube videos, you can use the macOS built-in QuickTime Player and Screenshot Toolbar, both of which allow you to record YouTube videos on your Mac.
3. Can YouTube videos be downloaded for free?
According to YouTube's terms of service, downloading YouTube videos for free is illegal and not permitted. Although several websites claim to be able to download YouTube videos by URL, this is against YouTube's terms of service.
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