How to Fix the Recording Stopped Error in Snipping Tool on Windows 11

Microsoft’s Snipping Tool in Windows 11 now includes a built-in screen recorder, which is incredibly handy for creating quick tutorials, capturing bugs, or sharing gameplay clips. But many users run into a frustrating issue where Snipping Tool suddenly shows a “Recording stopped” error during or right after screen recording. Sometimes the recording ends instantly, sometimes it stops midway, and other times the recording saves with a black screen.

This error usually happens because of outdated graphics drivers, permission issues, corrupted Snipping Tool data, incompatible apps running in the background, or a bug in the Snipping Tool version you’re using. The good news is you can fix it quickly.

In this guide, we walk you through all the reliable solutions to stop Snipping Tool from showing the “Recording stopped” error on Windows 11.

Fix the Recording Stopped Error in Snipping Tool

To troubleshoot this issue, you’ll need Snipping Tool installed, admin access for repairing or resetting the app, and enough free storage for saving screen recordings. It also helps if you know whether the error appears at the start of recording or during longer captures, since the cause varies. Once you’re ready, let’s begin.

1. Restart Snipping Tool and Try Again

Before trying deeper fixes, restart the app completely.

1. Close Snipping Tool.
2. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
3. End all processes named SnippingTool.exe.
4. Reopen Snipping Tool and start a new recording.

Sometimes the recording session gets stuck, and a full restart fixes the issue instantly.

2. Update Snipping Tool From the Microsoft Store

An outdated version of Snipping Tool is one of the most common causes of recording issues.

1. Open the Microsoft Store.
2. Click Library in the bottom-left.
3. Click Get updates.
4. Install the update for Snipping Tool if available.

Once updated, restart the app and test recording again.

3. Give Snipping Tool Screen Recording Permissions

Screen recording requires proper app permissions.

1. Open Settings using Windows + I.
2. Go to Privacy & security.
3. Click Camera.
4. Ensure camera access is allowed for Snipping Tool.
5. Go back and open Microphone settings.
6. Make sure Snipping Tool has microphone access too.

Even if you’re not recording audio, missing permissions can cause crashes.

4. Close Apps That Interfere With Screen Recording

Apps that hook into the screen can block Snipping Tool’s recorder.

Close these apps if they’re running:

• OBS Studio
• Xbox Game Bar screen recorder
• NVIDIA ShadowPlay
• Discord overlay
• Steam overlay
• Screen-sharing apps (Zoom, Teams, Google Meet)
• Graphic overlay utilities (MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner)

After closing them, restart Snipping Tool and try again.

5. Repair or Reset Snipping Tool

Corrupted Snipping Tool data often causes crashes or recording failures.

1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
2. Search for Snipping Tool.
3. Click the three-dot menu > Advanced options.
4. Click Repair and wait for it to finish.
5. If the issue persists, click Reset.

This restores Snipping Tool to its default state.

6. Update Your Graphics Driver

Snipping Tool’s recording engine relies heavily on GPU hardware acceleration. Outdated drivers can cause the recorder to stop suddenly.

NVIDIA

1. Open GeForce Experience.
2. Install the latest driver.

AMD

1. Open AMD Adrenalin software.
2. Check for updates.

Intel

1. Open Intel Driver & Support Assistant.
2. Install driver updates.

Restart your PC after updating.

7. Turn Off Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling (HAGS)

Some PCs crash video capture tools while HAGS is enabled.

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to System > Display.
3. Scroll down and click Graphics.
4. Open Default graphics settings.
5. Turn off Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling.
6. Restart your PC.

This often resolves video capture stability issues.

8. Free Up Storage on Your Recording Drive

If your drive is low on space, recording may stop unexpectedly.

1. Open Settings > System > Storage.
2. Check available storage on your Windows drive.
3. Delete temporary files or move large files to another drive.

Try recording again after clearing space.

9. Change Snipping Tool’s Temporary Save Location (Indirect Fix)

Snipping Tool uses the Videos > Captures folder. If that directory is corrupted, you’ll get recording errors.

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Go to Videos > Captures.
3. Rename the folder to something like Captures_old.
4. Create a new folder called Captures.

Windows will use the new folder automatically.

10. Reset the Camera Capture Engine via Windows Settings

Snipping Tool relies on Windows’ capture engine, shared with the Camera app.

1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
2. Search for Camera.
3. Open Advanced options.
4. Click Repair.
5. If needed, click Reset.

Restart the PC afterward.

11. Record at a Smaller Window or Change the Capture Area

If you’re recording a huge full-screen 4K or ultrawide display, Snipping Tool may crash during encoding.

Try this:

1. Choose a smaller rectangular area instead of full screen.
2. Reduce your display resolution temporarily.
3. Record shorter clips to test stability.

This helps determine whether the issue is hardware-related.

12. Disable Game DVR Temporarily

Windows’ built-in Game DVR can conflict with the Snipping Tool recorder.

1. Open Settings > Gaming.
2. Click Captures.
3. Turn off Record what happened and other background recording features.

Try Snipping Tool again after turning off DVR.

13. Install the Latest Windows Updates

Some Snipping Tool errors are fixed through cumulative updates.

1. Open Settings > Windows Update.
2. Click Check for updates.
3. Install everything available.
4. Restart your system.

Now test screen recording again.

14. Reinstall Snipping Tool Using PowerShell

If the app is completely corrupted, reinstalling it fixes the issue.

1. Open Windows Terminal (Admin).
2. Run this command:

Get-AppxPackage *snippingtool* | Remove-AppxPackage

3. Open the Microsoft Store.
4. Search Snipping Tool and install it again.

This gives you a fresh installation.

Wrapping Up

The “Recording stopped” error in Snipping Tool for Windows 11 usually happens due to outdated software, driver issues, missing permissions, or conflicts with screen-recording tools running in the background.

Once you update Snipping Tool, restart it or reset it, check permissions, and update your graphics drivers, the recording feature usually works smoothly again. After applying the fixes in this guide, you should be able to record your screen reliably without interruptions.