Lil Floaty Cam
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Guide
How to record your screen with your face on a Mac
The simplest way to make a tutorial or demo is one recording with your face already on screen. No second camera file, no lining things up in an editor. Here are two ways to do it on a Mac: a free workaround with QuickTime, and a cleaner setup with Lil Floaty Cam.
Option 1: Free, with QuickTime Player
- Open QuickTime Player and choose File → New Movie Recording. Your camera appears in a window.
- Choose View → Float on Top so the camera window stays above other apps, then drag and resize it into a corner.
- Press Shift-Command-5, choose Record Entire Screen, pick your microphone under Options, and click Record.
The catch: the camera window has a title bar and frame, your whole background is visible, and the window blocks clicks to anything behind it. It works for a quick one-off.
Option 2: A clean floating cutout, with Lil Floaty Cam
- Open Lil Floaty Cam. It lives in your menu bar. Choose your camera: the built-in FaceTime camera, a USB webcam or your iPhone.
- Remove your background. Turn on Remove Background for a cutout of just you, or leave it off for a camera bubble with any shape from square to circle.
- Place yourself. Drag yourself to a corner and resize from any corner. Turn on Streaming Mode so no borders or handles appear in the recording.
- Set up the recorder. Press Shift-Command-5, choose Record Entire Screen, and pick your microphone under Options (it's None by default).
- Record. Click Record and present your work. Clicks around your cutout go straight through to your apps. When you're done, click the stop button in the menu bar.
The video is saved to your Mac with you already in it. This works the same way with OBS, ScreenFlow, Camtasia, and screen sharing in Zoom, Google Meet or Microsoft Teams.
Tips for a better-looking recording
- Light your face from the front. A window or lamp in front of you makes the cutout cleaner than light from behind.
- Use your iPhone as the camera. Continuity Camera is usually much sharper than a laptop webcam.
- Smooth the edges. In Lil Floaty Cam's Settings, turn on Refine Edges, raise Edge Stability, or set Quality to Best.
- Keep out of the way. Turn on Hide Camera on Mouse Over to click through your head too.
- Record your Mac's sound as well. Shift-Command-5 records your microphone only. For system audio, use a recorder that supports it, like OBS.
Questions
How do I record my screen and webcam at the same time on a Mac?
Put your webcam in a floating window (Lil Floaty Cam, or QuickTime Player's Float on Top as a free workaround), then record your screen with Shift-Command-5. Your camera is captured as part of the screen, so you get one video with no editing.
Can QuickTime record my screen and webcam together?
Not in one step, but you can combine them: open a New Movie Recording, choose View → Float on Top, then start a New Screen Recording. The camera window has a frame and keeps your background, and it blocks clicks to whatever is behind it.
How do I hide my background when I record my face on a Mac?
Turn on Remove Background in Lil Floaty Cam. It cuts you out in real time with no green screen, and the recording shows only you over your screen.
Why isn't my microphone recorded with Shift-Command-5?
Open Options in the screenshot toolbar and choose your microphone. It's set to None by default.
Can I use my iPhone as the webcam?
Yes. With Continuity Camera, choose your iPhone from the camera list in Lil Floaty Cam or QuickTime. It usually looks much sharper than a laptop camera.