How to Record Vertical Video on Mac - 3 Simple Methods

Jane Zhou updated on Nov 22, 2024 to Screen Recording Utility

Vertical videos are the new talk of the town. To become the top trend, you should upload your content in portrait mode on all social platforms. If you are a Mac user, read this blog to learn how to record vertical video on Mac.

Whenever there is a talk about recording a vertical or portrait video, most people only consider two options; a smartphone and a digital camera recording. However, you can also record vertical video on your Mac. All MacBook devices come with a webcam, specially built for this purpose.

You can use this webcam to record vertical videos on Mac for YouTube shorts, Facebook Stories, Instagram reels, TikTok content, and all other videos. Therefore, all Mac geeks should learn to record/capture webcam videos.

🛠️Method 👍Effectiveness 🙉Difficult Level
EaseUS RecExperts High - Record vertical videos and live streams on Mac with webcam and internal audio; No time lag; Very Easy
OBS High - Support capturing vertical videos from different sources Difficult
iMovie Medium - Capture from FaceTime webcam and screen. But no 8K resolution option Moderate

Why Need to Record Vertical Video on Mac

Before learning the complete process, you should first question the need for recording vertical videos. The answer is simple; they bring more views. According to Backlinko, over 99% of social media users access videos via smartphones. We also have studies stating that people hold their phones vertically around 94% of the time.

Based on these facts, using vertical videos for social media posting is a no-brainer. These are some other key benefits of recording a vertical video on a Mac.

  • It is ideal for social media branding and marketing
  • It is easier to post across all social platforms
  • It appears unique and creative
  • It provides a more immersive experience as compared to an old-school horizontal video

That is why we believe everyone should know how to record portrait videos on a Mac. This will make your work stand out among peers. Next, let's check how to record vertical videos.

Don't forget to share this useful guide with others!

 

Record Vertical Video on Mac

There are plenty of methods available online to create vertical videos on Mac. But when you analyze critically, most fail to provide high resolutions and quality videos. We have shortlisted these three high-quality Mac vertical video recorders for Mac to help you record video on Mac.

#1. Use EaseUS RecExperts

The EaseUS RecExperts is our premium pick. It is a powerful Mac screen recorder that can capture any region on your Mac screen, audio, and a webcam. You can simultaneously record webcam and screen to create social media videos, tutorials, presentations, and other videos.

This tool has a built-in media player and video editor for complete control of output video quality. To get a clear sound, it offers an AI noise remover. The tool also has a built-in video enhancer to record 4K/8K videos via webcam. All these features make it the most well-rounded screen recorder for Mac. 

This is how you can record portrait videos on Mac with this screen recorder:

Step 1. Open EaseUS RecExperts, and choose the "Webcam" button on the main interface.

Step 2. Then the inbuilt camera will open automatically, and you can see the recording window on the desktop. If you want to record the webcam with audio, click on the "Sound" icon at the bottom left to select the audio source.

Step 3. Click "REC" to start your webcam recording, and you can choose to pause, resume, or end the recording by clicking the two buttons on the left side. At last, the recording will be saved on your Mac.

#2. Use OBS Studio

OBS is a professional and free-to-use open source screen recorder for video and webcam recordings. It provides premium quality real-time audio/video recording and mixing. It can seamlessly blend unlimited scenes recorded from a screen, webcam, or third-party source. It is compatible with Mac, Windows, and Linux operating systems.

You can easily create vertical videos on Mac with OBS Studio. The process involves these simple steps.

Step 1. Create a new profile for vertical videos. Open the OBS and visit Profile> Add Profile> Create a name for your Profile. You can give any to your Profile.

Step 2. Right-click the Scene option and choose Duplicate. It is needed to create a vertical format.

Step 3. Alter the video resolution to Vertical format. In the OBS app, select Settings > Video. The app will show several resolution options. Here you can enter a customized vertical resolution like 1080 x 1920.

Step 4. Apply these Settings, and your scene will show the vertical format. In case any part of the screen goes beyond the boundary, use the cursor to drag it in the middle.

Step 5. Play any video on the screen. The OBS will capture it in vertical mode. Similarly, you can capture the webcam in this resolution as well.  

#3. Use iMovie

iMovie is a video editing software developed for Mac users. It provides a wide range of video editing effects, color corrections, and image stabilization features. The software allows users with little to no editing experience to improve their video quality.

iMovie can directly record videos with your Mac device's built-in FaceTime HD Camera. Then, you can rotate the video into the vertical mode. Here is the complete method.

Step 1. Open the iMovie on your Mac. Click the import button to open the import Media.

Step 2. Go to the camera section of the import window and choose a built-in camera. It will show live recordings from the FaceTime Camera.

Step 3. Click on the "Import to" menu and choose the New Event Option. You can also give customized names to this event.

Step 4. Click the record icon to start recording from the camera. Once completed, save the video.

Step 5. Now open the video again on iMovie and click the Crop menu.

Step 6. It shows all available cropping controls. Select the rotate clockwise option from there.

Step 7. Rotate it to get a vertical video. Now, you can save it for sharing.

Final Words

Vertical videos are the present and future of video making. They offer higher reach and results on all social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp, etc. You should learn to record vertical videos on your Mac device to stay on top.

This blog highlights three software for recording vertical videos. You can use EaseUS RecExperts, OBS Studio and iMovie. Each software's introduction and recording tutorial have also been presented for better understanding. Based on video quality and user experience, we recommend EaseUS RecExperts for you. Download it now and start unlimited video recording from today.   

How to Record Vertical Video on Mac FAQs

1. How do I record vertical videos on my computer?

The easiest way is to use vertical video recording software. You can use EaseUS RecExperts, OBS Studio, and iMovie for recording vertical videos on your computer.

2. Can iMovie make vertical videos?

Yes, iMovie can make vertical videos. The software is our go-to tool for creating high-quality vertical videos from Mac Devices.

3. How do I make a video vertical?

The easiest method is to use software like EaseUS RecExperts. It can make unlimited vertical video with ease. Follow the steps below.

Step 1. Open the EaseUS RecExperts app and select Region for recording.

Step 2. Turn on the Sound recording option and select the video format.

Step 3. Click the REC button to initiate recording. Once completed, press Stop and save it.

4. How do I change a video from vertical to horizontal on a Mac?

You can use iMovie to change a video from a vertical to a horizontal layout. This is how it works.

Step 1. Open the iMovie on your Mac and select the vertical video.

Step 2. Click the crop button; it will show all cropping controls.

Step 3. Select the "Rotate Clockwise" option on the right side. It will change the vertical video to horizontal.

Step 4. Save the results in a suitable folder.