Screenflow

ScreenFlow is a video editing and screen recording application for Mac that captures your screen, camera, and microphone simultaneously and exports polished videos for tutorials, presentations, and more. Developed by Telestream, it runs natively on Apple Silicon and Intel-based Macs.

What is ScreenFlow?

ScreenFlow is a Mac-only screen recording and video editing tool. It takes input from your Mac’s screen (including retina displays), built-in or external camera, and microphone, and produces exported video files in formats such as ProRes, MP4, and animated GIF or APNG. The software is developed and sold by Telestream, a company specializing in video encoding and workflow solutions.

Key Features

• Simultaneous screen, camera, and microphone recording — Record up to several sources at once, all synced automatically on the timeline.
• Built-in Stock Media Library — Access over 500,000 royalty-free images, audio clips, and video clips directly from within ScreenFlow for a subscription of $99 per year.
• Customizable title library and cinematic filters — Add dynamic titles and apply video filters for a professional look.
• Multi-app recording — Switch between applications during a recording without missing a moment.
• iOS screen recording — Capture the screen of an iPhone or iPad connected to your Mac for app demos.
• Closed caption support — Add, edit, or burn in ADA-compliant soft subtitles using the built-in caption editor.
• Animated GIF and APNG export — Export any portion of a video as an animated GIF or APNG for social media or quick demos.
• ProRes and MP4 encoding presets — Choose from a variety of preset export settings optimized for quality and platform requirements.

Who is it for?

• Educators — Record flipped classroom lessons, lectures, or student feedback videos with simultaneous screen capture and camera overlay.
• Corporate trainers — Produce product demos, onboarding videos, or hands-on training sessions with built-in templates and styles.
• Marketing and sales professionals — Create polished sales presentations or promotional videos with access to stock media and animations.
• Content creators and vloggers — Record gaming footage, app previews, or personal vlogs and publish directly to YouTube, Vimeo, or social media.

What can you do with ScreenFlow?

• Educators — Create digital lessons with screen recording, voiceover, and optional camera picture-in-picture, then export for LMS platforms.
• App developers — Record high-quality iOS or Mac app demos including touch gestures, and export as MP4 or animated GIF for app store previews.
• Online trainers — Produce on-demand video training with multi-track editing, transitions, and closed captions, then publish to platforms like Wistia or YouTube.

How does ScreenFlow work?

Download the free trial from the Telestream website, install on your Mac, and launch the app. The recording panel lets you choose capture sources (screen, camera, microphone). After recording, the timeline editor appears where you can trim, add titles, apply filters, and insert media from the Stock Media Library. When finished, select an export preset or publish directly to a supported platform.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Comprehensive built-in screen recording and video editing in one app.
• No time limit on the free trial (exports are watermarked).
• Hardware-accelerated encoding for fast exports.

Cons:

• Exports from the free trial include a watermark.
• Only available for macOS; no Windows version.

Pricing

ScreenFlow is available for a one-time purchase starting at $199. An optional Stock Media Library subscription costs $99 per year and grants access to millions of images, audio clips, and video clips. A fully functional free trial is available; exported videos from the trial will contain a watermark.

FAQ

Is ScreenFlow free?

A free trial version is available with no time limit. It is fully functional, but exported videos include a watermark. To remove the watermark, purchase a license starting at $199.

Can I record my iPhone or iPad screen?

Yes. Connect your iOS device to your Mac via USB, and ScreenFlow can record its screen for app demos or tutorials.

What export formats does ScreenFlow support?

ScreenFlow supports ProRes, MP4, animated GIF, APNG, and more. It includes preset export settings optimized for YouTube, Vimeo, and other platforms.

Does ScreenFlow support closed captions?

Yes. You can add, edit, and even burn in ADA-compliant soft subtitles using the built-in caption editor.

What are the system requirements?

ScreenFlow runs on macOS 12 Monterey or later, on Intel-based and Apple Silicon Macs. Some features may require a compatible Mac.