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How to Make a Software Walkthrough Video on Mac

Updated November 14, 2026 · By KIM YOOGEON, maker of Quibble

A software walkthrough video follows one path through an app, screen by screen, so the viewer sees the whole flow from start to finish. To make one on a Mac, choose the path, record your screen as you follow it, add zooms and captions, and export an MP4.

This guide is about walkthroughs of software screens. It is not about 3D building tours or game walkthroughs.

Walkthrough or tutorial?

They overlap, but the goal is different.

  • A walkthrough shows the flow. The viewer watches you move through the screens in order and sees how it fits together. Example: "From sign-up to your first report."
  • A tutorial teaches a skill. The viewer is meant to do the steps too, so it explains each click and why. See how to record a tutorial video on Mac.

If you want people to understand what the product does and how it flows, make a walkthrough. If you want them to learn to do something, make a tutorial. For a sales-focused video, see how to make a SaaS product demo video.

Step 1: Pick the path

Write the start and the end in one line. "Open the app, create a project, invite a teammate, see the finished board."

Keep to one path. Leave out settings and side screens unless the viewer needs them.

Step 2: Prepare the screens

  1. Use sample data, not real customer data.
  2. Log in and start on the first screen.
  3. Quiet notifications and close other windows.
  4. Walk through the path once without recording.

Step 3: Record the walkthrough

Free option: press Shift-Command-5, choose the area, and click Record. QuickTime Player's File > New Screen Recording opens the same tools.

With Quibble:

  1. Press ⌥⌘R and choose the screen or window.
  2. Move through the path in order. Say what each screen is for, in a sentence.
  3. Move the mouse slowly, and pause for a moment on each new screen.
  4. To point at something, hold ⌘ and draw a circle or box around it.
  5. Press ⌥⌘R to stop.
The video zooms into each click as the walkthrough moves on

Step 4: Add the guides for the eye

A walkthrough moves quickly across many screens. Three small aids keep the viewer oriented:

  • Zooms on clicks. Quibble zooms into where you clicked and back out. Use Use Zoom to turn it on or off, and Add Zoom to add one by hand.
  • Highlights. The circle or box you drew with ⌘ stays in the video.
  • Captions. They are ready a few seconds after you stop, in English or Korean. Fix wrong words, and change the font and color. Viewers can follow without sound.

Step 5: Cut and export

  1. Press B to turn on the Split tool and click the timeline at the start and end of a part you want to remove.
  2. Press B again, click that part, and press Delete.
  3. Press Done Editing to make the MP4.
Splitting the timeline and deleting a pause in the Quibble editor

See how to trim a screen recording on Mac for the free QuickTime method too.

A simple walkthrough structure

  1. One-line opening. "This is how a report goes from draft to sent."
  2. Each screen in order. One sentence per screen.
  3. The finished result. End on the screen that shows the outcome.

Short is better. If the flow is long, split it into two walkthroughs.

Where it fits

Walkthroughs work well in help centers, onboarding emails and release notes. For a vertical cut for short-video apps, see vertical screen recording on Mac. For more editing, Send to CapCut makes a folder with your video and SRT captions.

What Quibble does not do

  • It records the Mac screen, not a phone's screen.
  • It runs only on Macs with Apple silicon, with macOS 15 or later.
  • It has no cloud upload or share links, and no Windows version. You share the exported file yourself.
  • It is not built for clickable, interactive walkthroughs. It makes a video file.

Cost

Record and edit for free. Saving the finished video needs a license: $7.99 per month, $79 per year, or $129 once.

Frequently asked questions

What is a walkthrough video?

A video that follows one path through software, screen by screen, to show how the flow works.

How is a walkthrough different from a tutorial?

A walkthrough shows the flow. A tutorial teaches the viewer to do the steps themselves, with more explanation.

How do I record a walkthrough on a Mac?

Press Shift-Command-5, choose the area, and click Record, or use an app like Quibble. Then trim and export an MP4.

Should I add a voiceover?

It helps. Say one sentence for each screen. In Quibble you talk while you record, and captions appear after you stop.

How long should a walkthrough video be?

As short as the path allows. Split a long flow into parts.

Sources

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