Screen recording is a useful feature to have if you want to record a tutorial, gameplay, or presentation on a MacBook Air. But knowing how to stop screen recording on MacBook is just as important as starting one, to make sure your recordings are saved properly and your workflow continues with few interruptions. This article is a step-by-step guide on how to stop screen recording on a MacBook Air, which includes different methods, troubleshooting techniques, and best practices.

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How to Use Screen Recording on MacBook Air:

There are some built-in screen recording features in macOS, such as the Screenshot Toolbar and QuickTime Player. The tools are straightforward, but ending a recording isn’t simply a matter of hitting a button based on the method you’re using for recording. It works whether you’re on (pun ahead) macOS Ventura, Monterey, or an older release, with a similar twisty path and slightly alternate settings. Here are the main ways and what you can do to stop screen recording.

Method 1: How to Stop Screen Recording Using the Same Screenshot Toolbar:

The Screenshot Toolbar was added with macOS Mojave, which is the built-in tool that your MacBook Air uses to make screen recordings. And here’s how to pause a recording begun with this tool:

1- Finding the Stop Button in the menu bar:

• After initiating a screen recording from the Screenshot Toolbar — accessible by pressing Shift + Command + 5 — a small stop icon (a circle inside of a square) shows up in the menu bar in the upper-right corner of your screen.
• Click this stop icon for the recording to be concluded.

2- Save or Discard the Recording:

• When you stop, a small thumbnail of the recording appears momentarily in the bottom right corner of the screen.
• Tap the thumbnail to preview, trim, or share the recording, or simply let it auto-save to your default location (the Desktop or Documents folder).

3- Keyboard Shortcut Alternative:

• If you can’t see the stop icon or you like to use shortcuts, you can also press Command + Control + Esc to stop the recording straight away.
• You can also hit Command + Shift + 5 again to enter the Screenshot Toolbar, where you can click the stop sign to stop the recording.

Tip: Make sure you save the recording if you are prompted when you are done, since if you close the thumbnail without saving it, the file can be discarded.

Method 2: Stopping Screen Recording in QuickTime Player:

QuickTime Player is another native macOS screen recording tool. It’s particularly useful for those using older macOS versions and those who simply prefer its GUI.

1- Access the Stop Option:

• Once you initiate a screen recording in QuickTime Player (from the File > New Screen Recording menu command), the recording will start and a stop icon will appear within the menu bar, very much like what you’ve been provided in the Screenshot Toolbar.
• Press the stop icon to terminate the recording.

2- Save the Recording:

• When you stop it, QuickTime Player launches your recording in a new window.
• File > Save, or use Command + S to save the file. To do this, click on the disc icon on the bottom toolbar, navigate to a location for the file to be saved, give the file a name, and click Save.

3- Force Stop if Needed:

• If QuickTime is not responding, press Command+Option+Esc to open the Force Quit Applications window, choose QuickTime Player, then click Force Quit. (Keep in mind that this could lead to losing the recording, so only do this as a last resort).

Note: QuickTime movies are stored in. .mov by default; however, if required, they can be converted to other formats with third-party software.

Method 3: Use Third-Party Apps to Halt Your Screen Recording:

If you are using third-party apps like OBS Studio, Camtasia, or ScreenFlow, how to stop recording is a little different for each:

1- OBS Studio:

• The main screen, or controls in some cases, should have a Stop Recording button.
• The recording will be saved in the specified folder (Settings > Output to find where).

2- Camtasia:

• Click the Recording button in the recording toolbar, or use the keyboard shortcut: Command + Shift + 2 to stop the recording.
• The recording will open in the Camtasia editor, where you can make edits and save it.

3- ScreenFlow:

• Press Command + Shift + 2 or use the stop icon in the menu bar.
• Access the ScreenFlow editor that automatically opens and saves the recording.

Tip: Be sure to check the app’s settings to verify the stop command and the default save location before you even start recording.

Troubleshooting Common Issues:

There are times when you want to stop a screen recording, but things don’t go as smoothly as you’d like. Here’s what to do if a variety of miseries are plaguing you:

1- Stop Icon Missing:

• If you don’t see the stop icon in the menu bar, press Command + Control + Esc, or reopen the Screenshot Toolbar, which you can do using Command + Shift + 5, to get to the stop button.
• Make sure your macOS is up to date because older versions might contain some bugs that may cause the stop icon to disappear.

2- Unresponsive Recording:

• Force quit the app if the recording tool is stuck (Command + Option + Esc). Try to restart the app and make a recording operation again, you need to check if your MacBook Air has enough storage and memory.

3- Recording Not Saving:

• Make sure to look in the default save location you set in the Options menu of the Screenshot Toolbar or settings for QuickTime.
• Make sure there is room left on your MacBook Air, else big recordings might fail to store completely.

Conclusion

Stopping a screen recording on a MacBook Air is easy once you know the correct steps for your tool of choice — whether that’s the Screenshot Toolbar, QuickTime Player, or a third-party app. You can easily stop your recordings via the stop icon in the menu bar, the corresponding keyboard shortcuts, or the app window with the stop button. If you encounter issues and best practices are followed, you will avoid most common problems. With this tutorial, you can handle screen recordings on your MacBook Air like a pro!