There are a few good options for making screen recordings on a Mac, but longer screen recordings can present a challenge.
How long can a Mac screen recording be?
It all comes down to storage.
The duration of the screen recording doesn’t have a time limit. The length of the recording is only limited by how much space you have to store the file. Long screen recordings can create extremely large files really quickly. Even a recording of a few minutes can quickly add up to 1GB.
If you have to make a longer recording, there is a way to avoid larger file sizes. We’ll cover the built-in options your Mac comes with and a useful online screen recording tool you could consider as an alternative.
How To Screen Record On Mac
Mac has two built-in options for screen recording, the screenshot tool and QuickTime player. Both of these are fairly easy to use but have some drawbacks.
To access the screenshot toolbar, press Shift, Command, and the number 5 key simultaneously. Then select whether to record a portion of the screen or the entire screen.
When you press the record button, your screen recording will start. When you end the recording, the file will save to the default folder assigned in the screenshot toolbar menu.
In the QuickTime Player application, you can access the menu and click on File – New Screen Recording. This will open the same screenshot toolbar.
Neither of these options has a setting to reduce the resolution of the recording. As a result, the file size of a screen recording that is only a few minutes long can be large.
Fortunately, there’s an easy online tool that can make long recordings without this problem.
How To Make A Long Screen Recording On Mac
RecordJoy is an online screen recording software solution. Because it’s an online screen recorder, it requires no downloads. It works in your internet browser without the need to add any plugins.
RecordJoy makes screen recordings at a resolution of 720p. This reduced video resolution results in a video that looks great but with a file size that is a lot smaller than you get with the Mac screenshot tool.
Here’s a quick guide to using RecordJoy.
- Go to the RecordJoy website and sign up for a free account.
- Use the 3 optional settings to enable your microphone audio, embedded webcam, or webcam only.
- Click Record and select the tab or application window you want to record. You can also choose to record the entire screen.
- After choosing what you want to record, click Share, and then the recording will start after a 5-second countdown.
If you haven’t signed up for the free trial yet, you’ll be limited to a 3-minute recording. This is enough to understand how easy it is to use.
Sign up for the free trial to make recordings of up to 30 minutes long.
Besides a smaller file size, the storage options offered by RecordJoy are also great. Once you’ve finished recording, you can save the file to their remote storage instead of filling up your hard drive.
You can download the file if you prefer. They also provide embed code for each recording so you can share it as an iFrame on your website.
Long Mac Screen Video Recording Considerations
If you’re planning a longer screen recording, here are a few things to consider:
File Size
Your local hard drive storage space isn’t infinite, so the shorter your recording, the less space it’ll need.
If you plan to share the recording, then a shorter video and smaller file size will be best.
Audience
Who will be watching your video? The shorter it is, the more likely they’ll watch the whole video. Making an unnecessarily long video will leave you with much editing to do if you want to achieve a shorter, engaging video.
To share your video with your audience, you need to upload it, and they need to download it. Long-duration videos with large file sizes can make this process tedious.
Plan Ahead
A long screen recording is often the result of poor planning. Before hitting record, sketch out a plan for your video. Writing a script and rehearsing it can reduce the screen recording duration.
Even something as simple as having the applications and windows you plan to record open in advance can reduce the screen recording time.
How To Trim Long Screen Recordings On Mac
If you use RecordJoy for your screen recording, trimming the video is really easy. Once you complete the recording, you’ll be given the option to change the start and end time of the video.
If you sign up for the free trial, you can access the additional trimming and editing options with the paid packages. For more advanced video editing, you can use iMovie, which comes standard with your Mac.
Long Mac Screen Recording Software – FAQ
Does Mac Screen Recording Have A Time Limit?
There’s no time limit for Mac screen recordings. The recording duration is limited by the storage space you have left available to save the file.
How Do I Send A Long Video Recording?
Sending large videos is easy with RecordJoy. Once you’ve made a recording, you can save the video to their servers. You can copy the link to the video and send it to the person that wants to watch the video. You can also add a password to make the video private.
Where Can I Store Long Screen Recordings?
RecordJoy allows you to store all your screen recordings on their servers. You don’t need to clutter your local hard drive with large video files. To access your videos click on “Library” at the left side of your window.
Making long-screen recordings on Mac is possible, but there are good reasons to aim for shorter videos. If you have to make a long recording, avoid the built-in Mac screenshot tool and rather use the RecordJoy screen recording software. You’ll end up with smaller file sizes and convenient remote storage.