How to Record YouTube Videos on Mac With Sound [Easy]

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.

Page Table of Contents

Larissa

Updated on Jul 25, 2024

0 Views | 0 min read

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

EaseUS RecExperts for Mac

🏅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. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

🍬The Easiest Way to Record YouTube Videos With Voice on Mac

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.

📝What to prepare:
Download and install EaseUS RecExperts for Mac on your device
Make sure your macOS version is compatible with the software
Check the sound source and webcam are working correctly if you need

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. 

main interface mac

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. 

system sound

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. 

mac change output format

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". 

screen record on mac

📖Also Read: How to Record YouTube Videos on PC & Phone

🎯Other Options to Screen Record YouTube Videos on Mac

1️⃣ QuickTime Player

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.

📝What to prepare:
Make sure QuickTime Player is working on your Mac
Connect a microphone if you want to capture audio

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.

click new 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.

select a microphone source

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. 

2️⃣ Hot Keys: Command + Shift + 5

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.

📝What to prepare:
Make sure the hot keys are working well on your Mac
Connect a microphone if necessary

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.

  • You can choose to record full screen or record part of the screen.

open screenshot toolbar

Step 2. Click the Options button to enable the microphone to record audio.

select the microphone

Step 3. Open the YouTube video you want to record, and click the Record button to strat recording.

3️⃣ OBS Studio

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.

📝What to prepare:
Download and install OBS on your Mac
Make sure your macOS version is compatible with the software
Connect a microphone if you need to capture sound from it

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. 

obs studio download

Step 3. Click "Settings" in the Control box. Then adjust the audio and video settings for your recording. 

adjust auio video output settings

Step 4. Click the "+" icon under the Sources and choose "Display Capture" to create a new display. Once done, click "OK".

select display scene

Step 5. When all settings are done, begin the screen and audio recording by clicking "Start Recording".

click obs start recording

📖Also Read: Is OBS Studio Safe?

🔍Can I Download YouTube Videos Directly? Is It Legal?

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.

⛔Note: It is forbidden to use the following methods to record YouTube videos for illegal operation or secondary creation, and it can only be used for personal use.

📚The Final Words

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.

❓How to Record YouTube Videos on Mac FAQs

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.

EaseUS RecExperts

One-click to capture anything on screen!

No Time Limit, No watermark

Start Recording

Our Team

  • Daisy

    Daisy is the Senior editor of the writing team for EaseUS. She has been working in EaseUS for over ten years, starting from a technical writer to a team leader of the content group. As a professional author for over 10 years, she writes a lot to help people overcome their tech troubles.…
    Read full bio
  • Jane Zhou

    Jane is an experienced editor for EaseUS focused on tech blog writing. Familiar with all kinds of video editing and screen recording software on the market, she specializes in composing posts about recording and editing videos. All the topics she chooses …
    Read full bio
  • Melissa Lee

    Alin is an experienced technical blog writing editor. She knows the information about screen recording software on the market, and is also familiar with data cloning and data backup software. She is expert in writing posts about these products, aiming at providing users with effective solutions.…
    Read full bio
  • Jean

    Jean is recognized as one of the most professional writers in EaseUS. She has kept improving her writing skills over the past 10 years and helped millions of her readers solve their tech problems on PC, Mac, and iOS devices.…
    Read full bio
  • Jerry

    Jerry is a fan of science and technology, aiming to make readers' tech life easy and enjoyable. He loves exploring new technologies and writing technical how-to tips. All the topics he chooses aim to offer users more instructive information.…
    Read full bio
  • Larissa

    Larissa has rich experience in writing technical articles. After joining EaseUS, she frantically learned about data recovery, disk partitioning, data backup, screen recorder, disk clone, and other related knowledge. Now she is able to master the relevant content proficiently and write effective step-by-step guides on various computer issues.…
    Read full bio
  • Rel

    Rel has always maintained a strong curiosity about the computer field and is committed to the research of the most efficient and practical computer problem solutions.…
    Read full bio
  • Gemma

    Gemma is member of EaseUS team and has been committed to creating valuable content in fields about file recovery, partition management, and data backup etc. for many years. She loves to help users solve various types of computer related issues.…
    Read full bio