Record a take

ClipCat can record a take for you, so you don't need another app. A take goes into a project and is transcribed like any video you add.

Start recording

• In the library, choose Record to start a new project.
• In a project, choose Record another take (the camera in the title bar) to add a take to that project.

Pick what to record

The recorder has three tabs:

• Camera: your camera and microphone. Pick the camera and the microphone from the menus, or leave them on the default ones.
• Screen: a whole display and your microphone. Click the display you want. To record the computer's sound as well, tick Also record the computer's sound (shown when your computer supports it). ClipCat's own window stays out of the recording.
• Voice: your microphone only.

The bar under the picture shows how loud the microphone is. Check it moves when you talk.

Record and stop

1. Choose Record. A red dot and a timer show while it records.
2. Choose Stop when you're done. ClipCat saves the take and opens the project.

Cancel leaves the recorder and throws the take away.

Where takes are saved

Takes are saved in the ClipCat folder in your Movies folder on a Mac, or your Videos folder on Windows. The take is the project's original recording, so keep it there. Deleting the project doesn't delete the take.

Allow the camera, microphone or screen

The first time, your computer asks whether ClipCat may use the camera, the microphone or record the screen. If you said no, the recorder says which one is blocked and shows Open privacy settings. Allow ClipCat there. For the screen on a Mac, quit and reopen ClipCat afterwards.

How it records

• On macOS 15 or newer, screens are recorded with Apple's ScreenCaptureKit. On macOS 14 and Windows they go through the same screen capture Chrome uses.
• Camera and voice takes are recorded as MP4 when your computer supports it, and WebM otherwise.
• When you record several sound sources (your voice and the computer's sound), they're mixed into one track so transcription hears both.