Why Is My Screen Recording Not Working? [13 Fixes]

How frustrating is it when you’re trying to capture a video of your screen, and you just can’t get it to work right? You ask yourself, “Why is my screen recording not working?” but you can’t seem to find the problem! Read this guide to learn how to fix the issue.

• How to fix a screen recording on Windows

• Getting screen recording to work on a Mac

• What to do if your iPhone screen recording is not working

• How to fix screen recording not working on an Android

If you’re working on a PC and wondering, “Why can’t I screen record?” we have a few tips that can help.

Check your Task Manager

First, your screen-recording software may not be the problem. If you have a lot of CPU-thirsty processes running at the same time, your computer may be too bogged down and using too many resources to smoothly record a video. Check your Task Manager by right-clicking on the Taskbar and going to the Process tab. Choose the process (or processes) taking up the majority of your CPU and click on End to close those tasks. This should free up enough resources to successfully record your screen.

Restart your computer

We’ve all heard jokes about “turn it off and back on again,” but this is often the best solution when you have a software malfunction. So, if you don’t know what exactly is going on or otherwise how to fix a screen recording, this is a good option. Close out of all running programs and restart your computer. If you try again, and your screen recording still isn’t working, move on to our next suggestions.

Make sure that Xbox Game bar is enabled

Xbox Game bar is a native screen recorder included with Windows computers. Because it’s free with Windows, a lot of PC users will use it as their default screen recorder. However, it won’t work if it’s not enabled. To troubleshoot this (and perhaps get an answer to “Why isn’t my screen recording working?”), go to the Start menu and choose Settings. Select Gaming and click on the Game Bar panel. If the Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcast using Gaming Bar option is off, toggle it on.

Much like on a Windows machine, if you’re trying to determine “why won’t my screen recording work?” on a Mac, start by restarting your computer. This may solve the problem, and get you back on the road to successful recordings. If that doesn’t work, try one of these tips.

Make sure that screen recording is enabled

“My Mac won’t let me record my screen! What’s going on?” You may have screen recording disabled. To find out, click on the Apple icon at the top-left corner of your screen and select System Preferences. In the preferences window, click on Security & Privacy and then go to the Privacy tab and click on Screen Recording. This will show you a list of all the apps that you currently allow to record your screen. If your screen-recording software isn’t selected, this is probably why you’re having trouble. Check the box to enable screen recording and you’ll be ready to get started.

Check your available storage

If you’ve recorded your screen but your Mac won’t let you record anymore, it may be a storage issue. Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to check your available storage. Click on the search icon at the top right of your screen and search for “storage.” The first option available should take you to a System Settings window, where you can scroll down and check your available storage. If you don’t have enough storage space on your computer, you may be able to fix the issue by deleting unnecessary files that are taking up a lot of space or exporting them to cloud storage.

Check for system updates

When was the last time you updated your Mac? If it’s been a while, your computer may not be working properly because your system or the app you’re using for screen recording is out of date. Go to the Apple icon at the top left of your screen and click on System Preferences. In the preferences window, choose Software Update. This will allow you to perform any available updates, and then you can try screen recording again.

Try a different screen-recording program

If you’re trying to use a screen recorder that you haven’t used before, or if you’re using an older one that doesn’t work with the latest version of macOS, you may need to opt for a different screen recorder.

“Why can’t I screen record on my iPhone?” This is a particularly frustrating issue, as all the latest versions of iOS have a built-in screen recorder. If you have an iPhone 12 or newer phone, you should definitely have no issue recording your screen, either with the native screen recorder or with a third-party app. And, even if you have an older iPhone, it should still be pretty easy to record your screen. Let’s troubleshoot what could be going on with your phone.

Make sure the screen-recording icon is in your Control Center

If your iPhone screen-recording button is not showing up with the other features when you swipe down from the upper-right corner of your screen, you may just need to add it to your Control Center. Go to Settings and select Control Center. Tap on Customize Controls and add Screen Recording.

Update your iPhone

Much like your MacBook or iMac, your iPhone needs to be updated periodically to ensure that all of your apps and features are working properly. Your iPhone screen recording not working could be because your software isn’t updated. Make sure you have the latest version of iOS installed and then try recording your screen again.

Record audio by turning your microphone on

Sometimes, users think that the screen recording on an iPhone is not working because it’s capturing video but no audio. You can check this by going to the Control Center, tapping on the Screen Recording icon, and tapping on the Microphone icon to enable audio for your screen recording.

If you’re having trouble recording your screen on an Android, try one or more of these tips and strategies for Android devices.

Make sure your Android is updated and compatible with your screen recorder

Go to Settings and tap on About Phone. Here, you can check which version of Android OS you have installed. Check this against the versions that are compatible with your screen-recording app. If it’s not compatible, either update your phone or select an app that’s designed to work with your phone. 

Turn off force desktop mode

Force desktop mode can interfere with screen recording. To turn it off, go to Settings, select System, and choose Developer Options. Scroll down and toggle force desktop mode off.

Check your Android device’s storage

Like other devices, if your Android phone or tablet’s storage is full, you won’t be able to record and save videos. Delete unwanted videos, photos, messages, or any other files taking up too much room on your phone before you try recording your screen again.