Autocuts1. Approve the Mac recording permissions
macOS protects screen, camera, and microphone access. The first time you use a recorder, approve Screen Recording in System Settings. If you plan to appear or speak, also approve Camera and Microphone access. You may need to quit and reopen the app after changing a permission.
Test the camera and microphone before the real take. Make sure the selected microphone is the one you intend to use, especially when AirPods, a display, and an external mic are all connected.
2. Choose a display, window, or area
Record the smallest source that contains the full workflow. A single app window reduces visual noise and makes text larger. A custom area works well when only one part of a wide application matters. Use the entire display only when the viewer needs to see movement between apps or understand the desktop context.
3. Add the camera, microphone, and system audio
Turn on the camera when facial expression or trust adds to the explanation. It is not required for every tutorial. Select the microphone closest to your mouth and avoid a room with hard, echoing surfaces.
Enable system audio when the viewer needs to hear a notification, media clip, game, meeting participant, or sound produced by the app. Leave it off when it would only add distracting clicks and alerts.
4. Prepare a short recording path
Write the starting state, the important actions, and the final result. Close unrelated windows and notifications. Put the app in the state the viewer should see before the first click.
If exact wording matters, use a short outline or a built-in teleprompter. Speak slightly slower than normal conversation, pause between sections, and avoid circling the cursor while you think.
5. Record screen and camera together
Start the countdown, look toward the camera for the introduction, then move attention to the product. Keep the cursor near the active control and make one deliberate click at a time. If you make a small verbal mistake, pause and repeat the sentence. That clean pause makes the correction easier to remove.
6. Choose the camera layout after the take
A corner bubble preserves most of the screen. A side-by-side layout gives the presenter more weight. A solo camera frame is useful for the introduction or conclusion, and a portrait stack works for vertical video.
In Autocuts, screen and camera remain available for layout changes in the motion studio. You can choose from ten presets and adjust camera size, position, and zoom without rerecording.
7. Polish the recording
Trim the start and end, remove failed attempts, and shorten long waits. Use automatic click zooms to make small controls readable, but remove any move that distracts from the full interface. A smooth, larger cursor and subtle click ripples can help viewers follow the action.
Add captions when the video may be watched without sound. Check names, product terms, and code in the transcript before exporting.
8. Export for the destination
Use a 16:9 MP4 for most landing pages, documentation, courses, and video platforms. A square or 9:16 canvas can fit social feeds. Export at a resolution high enough to keep interface text readable, then watch the final file once at normal size before sharing it.
Record screen and camera locally with Autocuts
Autocuts captures the display or window, camera, microphone, and system audio, then keeps the editing workflow on your Mac. Explore the screen and camera recorder features or download the app.