Skip to content

Guide

How to get the click sound into your recording

The ripple shows up in every recorder because it is drawn on screen. Sound is different: a recorder only hears your clicks if it captures system audio. Here is how to do that in the common tools.

The short version

Use qliqr's own recorder and there is nothing to configure. The click sounds are mixed into the video whether or not you record system audio or a microphone. Choose Record Screen… from the menu bar icon.

For any other recorder, the rule is the same: switch on system audio (sometimes called computer audio or desktop audio). qliqr plays through your normal output device, so anything that records that device records the clicks.

qliqr's built-in recorder

  1. Click the qliqr icon in the menu bar and choose Record Screen…
  2. Pick the full screen or drag out an area.
  3. Optionally switch on the microphone or system audio. Click sounds are included either way.
  4. Stop from the menu bar. The preview opens with the clicks already in place.

Requires macOS 15 or later.

QuickTime Player and the macOS screenshot toolbar

On macOS 15 and later, press Shift-Command-5, open Options, and enable the option to record computer audio if your version offers it. On older versions QuickTime can only record a microphone, so system sound needs a virtual audio device such as the free, open-source BlackHole: set a Multi-Output Device as your output so you can still hear your Mac, then choose BlackHole as the input in the recorder's options.

OBS Studio

  1. Add a macOS Screen Capture source (OBS 28 or later, macOS 13 or later).
  2. In its properties, set the method to display or application capture and make sure audio capture is enabled for the source.
  3. Check the audio mixer: the source's meter should jump when you click.

Loom

Open Loom's recording settings and switch on system audio before you start. Loom installs its own audio component the first time you enable it and may ask you to approve it in System Settings.

Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams

When you share your screen, tick the option to share sound (Zoom: Share sound; Teams: Include computer sound; Meet: share a tab or window with audio where available). If you would rather colleagues did not hear your clicks on calls, leave that off, or switch on Auto-quiet on calls in qliqr's settings.

ScreenFlow, Camtasia, CleanShot and similar

Each has a checkbox for recording computer audio in its recording setup panel. Enable it once and it stays on.

Tips for a better sounding recording

  • Recording a voice-over? Choose a sound from the Hush family so clicks sit under your voice instead of on top of it.
  • Lower the press and release volume in qliqr rather than lowering system volume, so the rest of your audio is unaffected.
  • Switch the ripple to the Recording preset. qliqr can do this automatically when it notices a recorder running.
  • Stereo panning is lovely in headphones but can be distracting in a tutorial. Turn it off in Sounds settings if your clicks jump from ear to ear.

Stuck? Tell us which recorder you use and we will add it to this guide.