How to Stop Screen Recording on Mac
Press Control + Command + Esc to stop a Mac screen recording, or click Stop in the menu bar. Here's what to do if the recorder is stuck.
Press Control + Command + Esc to stop a screen recording on a Mac. This works for the Screenshot toolbar (Shift + Command + 5) and QuickTime on macOS Mojave and later. If the shortcut does nothing, click the Stop button in the menu bar — a square inside a circle, top right of the screen. Your clip saves automatically and a thumbnail appears in the bottom-right corner.
The fastest ways to stop
| Method | When to use |
|---|---|
| Control + Command + Esc | Works for Screenshot toolbar and QuickTime on Mojave and later |
| Menu bar Stop button (square in a circle) | Always visible while recording; thumbnail appears bottom-right |
| Esc | Only dismisses the Screenshot toolbar if you never clicked Record |
Keyboard shortcut
Press Control + Command + Esc. The recording ends immediately, the file saves, and a thumbnail appears in the bottom-right corner. Click the thumbnail to trim, share, or delete the recording.
Menu bar Stop button
While recording, a Stop icon (square inside a circle) appears in your menu bar at the top right of the screen. Click it. The recording saves to whatever location you set under Options.
Esc key (toolbar still showing)
If you pressed Shift + Command + 5 and the Screenshot toolbar is still up — meaning you never clicked Record — press Esc to close it. This does not stop an already-started recording.
Screenshot toolbar vs QuickTime
On macOS Mojave (10.14) and later, choosing File → New Screen Recording in QuickTime opens the Screenshot toolbar. The Screenshot app does the actual recording, not QuickTime. This matters when things go wrong:
- Force quitting QuickTime Player will not end the recording, because QuickTime is not recording.
- Killing QuickTime in Activity Monitor will also not help.
- The correct stop methods are Control + Command + Esc or the menu bar Stop button.
On older macOS (High Sierra and earlier), QuickTime records directly. In that case, force quitting QuickTime can end a frozen recording — though the file may not save.
If the recording will not stop
Try these in order:
- Press Control + Command + Esc again.
- Click the Stop button in the menu bar.
- Press Esc — only works if the toolbar is still showing and recording never started.
- Older macOS only: Open the Apple menu → Force Quit (or press Option + Command + Esc), select QuickTime Player, and click Force Quit.
- Last resort: Open Activity Monitor (Applications → Utilities), search for Screenshot or QuickTime Player, select it, and click Quit. The recording may not save.
On current macOS, if none of the above works, the Screenshot process has likely crashed. Open Activity Monitor, find Screenshot, and force quit it. You will lose the recording.
How to start a screen recording on Mac
If you have not started recording yet, here is the short version:
Screenshot toolbar (the standard way):
- Press Shift + Command + 5.
- Choose Record Entire Screen or Record Selected Portion.
- Click Options to set your microphone — it defaults to None, which records no sound.
- Click Record.
QuickTime Player:
- Open QuickTime Player.
- Choose File → New Screen Recording (this opens the Screenshot toolbar on Mojave and later).
- Set Options → Microphone before recording if you want audio.
- Click Record.
For a full walkthrough, see how to screen record on Mac with QuickTime. If you need system audio or your recordings are coming back silent, there is a separate guide to QuickTime screen recording with audio.
FAQ
What is the shortcut to stop screen recording on Mac?
Press Control + Command + Esc. This stops recordings started with the Screenshot toolbar (Shift + Command + 5) and QuickTime on macOS Mojave and later.
How do I exit a screen recording on Mac?
Click the Stop button in the menu bar (a square inside a circle, top right of the screen) or press Control + Command + Esc.
How do I stop a recording from the Screenshot toolbar?
Click the Stop button in the menu bar. If you opened the toolbar with Shift + Command + 5 but never clicked Record, press Esc to dismiss it — Esc does not stop an already-started recording.
Why won't my Mac screen recording stop?
On macOS Mojave and later, the Screenshot app handles the recording even when you started it from QuickTime. Force quitting QuickTime Player will not end the recording. Use the menu bar Stop button or press Control + Command + Esc instead.
How do I stop a QuickTime screen recording?
On current macOS, QuickTime hands recording to the Screenshot app, so stop it with the menu bar Stop button or Control + Command + Esc. On older macOS where QuickTime records directly, click the Stop button in QuickTime's toolbar or force quit the app.
Try Tella: screen + camera + audio in one recorder
If you record your screen often — walkthroughs, demos, tutorials — Tella's Mac recorder captures your screen, camera, and microphone together, then lets you trim, add captions, and share with a link. No juggling QuickTime settings or separate audio drivers.
For more on Mac recording options, see how to screen record on Mac and how to record a video on Mac.
