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5 Ways to Fix QuickTime Screen Recording No Sound on Mac in 2024

Ways to Fix QuickTime Screen Recording No Sound on Mac

Have you ever faced sound related issues while recording your Mac’s screen using QuickTime? 

I have and it’s one of the most annoying things ever. In fact, I used QuickTime to record a couple of my online classes at the start of Covid and when I referred to the recordings a few weeks ago I found that the screen recording was only a video of the classes sans any audio.

Now I’ve recorded my screen countless times before and have never faced this issue before, so I assumed that it was most likely an isolated incident and began looking for a fix.

Of the many different fixes I came across online, these five seemed to do the trick for me and helped rectify my screen recording issue. 

So, if you’re facing a similar issue and would like to learn more about Ways to Fix QuickTime Screen Recording No Sound on Mac, then read on to find out what causes this problem and how you can fix it on your own.

Here’s a quick rundown on how you can fix a QuickTime screen recording with no sound on a Mac.

To fix the issue, first, check microphone permissions by going to Apple icon > System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Microphone and enabling permissions for QuickTime.

Then, adjust QuickTime settings by selecting the correct microphone from the Options menu (for Catalina or later) or the drop-down button next to the Record button (for Mojave or earlier).

Make sure to verify sound input and output settings in System Preferences > Sound for proper volume levels and speaker selection.

If you’re using Mojave or earlier, consider disabling “Use Ambient Noise Reduction” in System Preferences > Sound > Input.

In case the problem persists, try resetting your Mac’s NVRAM by shutting it down, turning it on, and pressing and holding Option + Cmd + P + R for 20 seconds.

Lastly, check for software updates by visiting the App Store for QuickTime updates and clicking on the Apple icon > About this Mac > Software Update for macOS updates.

Why Does My QuickTime Recording Not Have Sound?

If you’re using a Mac and experiencing issues with QuickTime screen recording not having sound, don’t worry, as these problems can be resolved.

QuickTime is a built-in tool that allows you to record audio and video on your Mac for free.

Although Apple’s software is generally reliable, it’s not uncommon to encounter difficulties with QuickTime.

Whether you have a new or old Mac, there are a few common causes for QuickTime recordings lacking sound.

  • Firstly, it’s possible that QuickTime doesn’t have the necessary permissions to access your built-in microphone.
  • Secondly, the video you’re recording might not have any audio to begin with.
  • Additionally, check if the volume on your Mac is low or muted, as this can affect the audio in your recordings.
  • Another potential issue is that your built-in microphone is not set as the default sound input device.
  • Lastly, the sound may be inadvertently rerouted to headphones or external speakers.
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Fortunately, all these problems can be fixed with a few simple adjustments in the software. By making the right tweaks, you’ll be able to record your screen with audio using QuickTime.

Keep reading to learn how to fix the issue of QuickTime screen recording without sound on your Mac.

5 Ways How to Fix QuickTime Screen Recording No Sound on Mac

Fix 1 — Check the Microphone Permissions on the Mac

The first and easiest fix to the screen recording issue with no sound is to check if QuickTime has microphone permissions granted.

Ways to Fix QuickTime Screen Recording No Sound on Mac

Normally, QuickTime will require microphone permissions in order to record your voice or audio from the video playing on a Mac and without these permissions, QuickTime will not be able to record audio.

To grant microphone permissions to QuickTime on a Mac, follow these steps.

  • Start by clicking on the Apple icon at the top left corner of your Menu bar
    • System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy
  • Click on Microphone from the left panel and locate QuickTime from the list of apps that appear
  • If QuickTime has been checked and microphone permissions are enabled then it could mostly be another cause and you can try one of the other fixes mentioned below.
  • However, if the checkbox is not enabled then click on it to grant permissions and try recording the screen once again to check if audio is getting recorded along with the video.

Fix 2 — Check the QuickTime Settings

If QuickTime has been granted microphone permissions and you’re still unable to record audio then you can check QuickTime’s internal settings and see if the right input source is selected.

The steps to check your QuickTime settings on a Mac depends on your Mac’s OS.

For those using Catalina or later

  • Click on the Options button from the QuickTime screen recorder toolbar
Ways to Fix QuickTime Screen Recording No Sound on Mac
  • Select the appropriate microphone from the list
    • MacBook Air Microphone
    • MacBook Pro Microphone
    • External Microphone

For those using Mojave or earlier

  • Click on the little drop-down button next to the Record button on QuickTime
Ways to Fix QuickTime Screen Recording No Sound on Mac
  • Choose the appropriate microphone
    • Internal Microphone
    • External Microphone

If the second fix doesn’t work on your Mac, it’s most likely an issue with the microphone settings and it’s time to test the microphone and see if the volume levels are set correctly.

Fix 3 — Check your Sound Input/Output Settings

Apart from checking the system settings and QuickTime settings, another quick fix is to check the microphone settings on the Mac. 

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At times, the input volume might be too low and raising the volume might fix the issue. 

Sometimes it might also be caused by headphones and the system is not rerouting the audio output properly.

Luckily, both ways can be easily fixed.

Fix the Sound Input (Microphone)

  • Start by clicking on the Apple icon at the top left corner of your Menu bar
    • System Preferences > Sound > Input
Ways to Fix QuickTime Screen Recording No Sound on Mac
  • Click on the Mac’s built-in microphone and then adjust the Input volume
    • Move the slider from the left to the right and speak into the microphone to record the input levels
  • Once the level is adjusted, try recording the screen again, it should work.

Fix the Sound Output (Headphones)

Your recording will not carry audio if you’re wearing headphones and the internal microphone is set as the primary device. 

To capture audio in your screen recording your sound output device needs to be set to the internal speakers or external speakers. 

Ways to Fix QuickTime Screen Recording No Sound on Mac
  • Start by clicking on the Apple icon at the top left corner of your Menu bar
    • System Preferences > Sound > Output
  • Click on the Sound Output device and choose either built-in speaker or external speakers

Turn up your speaker volume and you’ll be able to record your screen with audio. However, if it doesn’t work and if you’re using an older version of macOS, try the next fix.

Fix 4 — Disable Ambient Noise Reduction on Mac

On macOS Mojave or earlier, the older version of QuickTime comes with a built-in Ambient Noise Reduction function. 

While it’s built to focus primarily on voices and block out background noise, it can tend to get the two mixed up and the only way to go about fixing this issue is by disabling the “Use Ambient Noise Reduction” feature from the Sound input settings.

Ways to Fix QuickTime Screen Recording No Sound on Mac
  • Start by clicking on the Apple icon at the top left corner of your Menu bar
    • System Preferences > Sound > Input
  • Uncheck the box next to “Use Ambient Noise Reduction” and try recording the screen again.

Fix 5 — Reset the Mac NVRAM

The final fix if all the rest don’t seem to work will be to reset the Mac’s temporary settings or NVRAM. 

Resetting the NVRAM will command the Mac to forget any system settings that were stored earlier and to start the system afresh. 

Ways to Fix QuickTime Screen Recording No Sound on Mac

This fix doesn’t involve getting rid of your data or personal files, but it will reset your Mac to its default settings and should fix the QuickTime Screen Recording No Sound on Mac issue.

  • Start by shutting down your Mac
    • Click on the Apple icon in the Menu bar > Shut Down
  • Proceed to switch on your Mac as soon as it shuts down and then press and hold the following keys for 20 seconds
    • Option + Cmd + P + R
  • Once the Mac restarts, release the keys and wait for the system to boot up.
  • To check if the issue is fixed and if your settings have been reset, try recording the screen using QuickTime.

Bonus Fix — Check for Software Updates

If the lack of audio in your screen recording was caused by a bug in the software or macOS, then none of the fixes mentioned above will work.

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The only way you will be able to fix the no audio issue will be to check if there’s a software update for QuickTime and macOS.

Generally, when an application is infected with a bug, the  only way out will be to download the bug fix that Apple will release in the next update. 

To do this,

Update Mac Apps

  • Launch the App store on your Mac and navigate to the Updates option from the sidebar
Ways to Fix QuickTime Screen Recording No Sound on Mac
  • Locate QuickTime and proceed to click on the Update button
  • When the download is complete, proceed to launch QuickTime and try recording the screen again.

macOS Update

  • Start by clicking on the Apple icon at the top left corner of your Menu bar
    • Click on About this Mac > Software Update
Ways to Fix QuickTime Screen Recording No Sound on Mac
  • If there’s an update for macOS, click on the Update Now button and wait for the download to complete.

Where are QuickTime screen recordings saved?

The default location for saving QuickTime screen recordings is the Documents folder on your Mac.

However, you have the option to change the destination and select a different location to save your recorded videos.

Before you start recording using QuickTime, click on the “Options” button to access additional settings.

Within the options, you can choose a specific folder or directory where you want your recordings to be saved. Simply browse your computer and select the desired location.

In case you forget to set a specific destination during the recording process, you can still find your recorded videos by following these steps.

Open a Finder window on your Mac and use the search function to look for “screen recordings.” The search results will display a list of recorded videos.

The most recent recording should be the one you are looking for. From there, you can easily rename the file and move it to a different location for convenient access in the future.

Takeaway

I hope that these fixes have helped you fix the QuickTime Screen Recording No Sound on Mac issue and you are now able to record your screen with sound.

These 5 fixes helped me out and all my QuickTime screen recordings now have sound.

You can also refer to our other guides in case you’re facing other issues such as the ones mentioned below.

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