Limelight
What Is QuickTime Screen Recording?
QuickTime screen recording is a free, built-in method for capturing Mac screen activity using QuickTime Player — Apple's media application included with every macOS installation.
QuickTime Player has included a screen recording feature since Mac OS X Lion. To start a recording, open QuickTime Player, choose File > New Screen Recording, select the full screen or drag to record a region, and click the record button. The result is saved as a .mov file using the H.264 or HEVC codec depending on macOS version. QuickTime can also optionally capture microphone audio alongside screen video, making it a zero-cost option for basic narrated recordings.
The limitations of QuickTime screen recording become apparent when the footage needs to communicate clearly. There is no automatic zoom when you click, no cursor spotlight to guide the viewer's eye, no on-screen display of keyboard shortcuts or typed text, and only basic start/stop trimming in the editor. For a viewer trying to follow a tutorial or reproduce a workflow, flat QuickTime footage often requires scrubbing back and forth to see exactly where a click landed or what keys were pressed.
Limelight is a native macOS screen recorder that complements or replaces QuickTime for recording-heavy workflows. It records the screen in the same local, offline manner as QuickTime, but adds automatic click zoom, cursor spotlight, on-screen keystroke overlay, freehand annotations, and built-in trim and speed controls. For teams producing product demos, onboarding videos, or async screen updates, Limelight eliminates the editing step that QuickTime recordings typically require.
Why Limelight
- ▸QuickTime screen recording is free and built into every Mac — no installation needed.
- ▸Output is a .mov file; only basic trimming is available in the player.
- ▸No click zoom, cursor effects, or keystroke display — the viewer sees raw footage.
- ▸Limelight adds visual clarity (zoom, spotlight, keystrokes) that QuickTime omits.
Cursor spotlight free · from $2.99/mo or $34 lifetime · macOS 14+
Or get Pro — from $2.99/mo · See how it works →
free to start, then go Pro from $2.99/mo or a $34 one-time lifetime license. macOS 14+, notarized by Apple.
FAQ
- How do I start a screen recording in QuickTime?
- Open QuickTime Player, go to File > New Screen Recording, choose full screen or a region, then click the record button. Press Stop in the menu bar when finished and save the .mov file.
- Can QuickTime record just part of the screen?
- Yes. After clicking the record button, you can click and drag to select a region of the screen to capture, rather than recording the full display.
- When should I use Limelight instead of QuickTime?
- Use Limelight when your recording needs to be immediately clear to viewers — for tutorials, product demos, or async updates — where automatic click zoom, on-screen keystrokes, and cursor spotlight save significant editing time compared to raw QuickTime footage.