To stop screen recording on a Mac, you have several straightforward options depending on how you started the recording:
Using the Screenshot Toolbar (macOS Mojave and later)
- When recording via the Screenshot toolbar (activated by Shift + Command + 5), a small control panel appears with a Stop button (a square icon).
- Click the Stop Recording button in the menu bar at the top right of your screen or on the control panel to end recording.
- Alternatively, press Command + Control + Esc to stop the recording via keyboard shortcut.
- Pressing Shift + Command + 5 again will bring up the Screenshot toolbar with a visible Stop button to click
Using the Menu Bar Recording Indicator
- While recording, a small red dot appears in the menu bar.
- Click this red dot and select Stop Recording from the dropdown menu to end the session
Using QuickTime Player
- If recording through QuickTime Player, click the Stop button (a square icon) in the menu bar or the QuickTime recording window to stop recording
Using the Control Center (macOS Monterey and later)
- Click the Control Center icon in the menu bar (top-right corner).
- Click the screen recording icon (circle within a circle) to stop recording
Using the Dock Icon
- Right-click (or Control-click) the screen recording app icon in the Dock.
- Select Stop Recording or Quit to end the recording session
Keyboard Shortcut Summary
- Command + Control + Esc is the common shortcut to stop screen recording quickly
By using any of these methods, you can efficiently stop screen recording on your Mac and save your captured video. The exact method may vary slightly depending on your macOS version and the tool you used to start recording.
