Mouse stops working when screen recording starts

Your mouse works normally until you start recording the screen. Then the pointer may freeze, clicks may stop registering, or an app may stop responding. These symptoms can come from the mouse, the app being recorded, or a computer that is struggling under the extra work.

Compare mouse input before and during a recording with the Mouse Test, then use the Screen Recorder to check whether the problem appears only while recording. Screen recording should not normally disable your mouse, so this comparison can help narrow down what is happening.

Test the mouse while recording

1. Open the Mouse Test. Move the pointer over its test area, click each mouse button, and scroll. Note whether the pointer, clicks, and scroll wheel respond.
2. Open the Screen Recorder in another browser window or tool window. Start a recording of the screen, a window, or a tab that includes the Mouse Test.
3. While recording, repeat the same movements and clicks in the Mouse Test. If practical, also try the mouse in another open app, such as a text editor.
4. Stop the recording and repeat the test once more. This helps show whether the issue starts and stops with recording, rather than appearing by chance.

If you are using a phone, the TooLab Screen Recorder is not supported on phones. Run this comparison on a computer instead.

What the result means

The Mouse Test still responds, but the recorded app does not

The mouse and browser are receiving input. The app you are recording may have lost focus, be busy, or handle input differently in fullscreen mode. Click the app to focus it, then try the same action in a window instead of fullscreen. If it is a game, check whether its input settings or an overlay changed when recording began.

The pointer moves, but clicks or scrolling stop in the test

The computer is still reporting some mouse activity, but browser input is not behaving normally. A busy browser, a competing extension, or a slowdown during capture could be involved. Close other demanding tabs and repeat the test in a fresh browser window.

The pointer and input stop across the computer

This points away from a single webpage. Check the mouse connection, battery, receiver, or cable. If it works after reconnecting, the recording may have coincided with a temporary connection or driver problem.

The mouse works, but its pointer is missing from the recording

That is different from mouse input stopping. Some screen capture methods do not include the pointer in the recorded picture. Check whether the pointer is visible on your live screen and whether clicks still work. If they do, the recording source may simply omit the cursor.

How to fix it

1. Check that the app still has focus. Click inside the app you are trying to control. If it is a game or another fullscreen program, switch to windowed mode and test again. Recording can change which window is active.
2. Try a different capture source. Record a tab, a window, or the full screen, then compare. If the problem happens with only one source, use another source that includes the content you need. Accept the browser's screen, window, or tab selection prompt when it appears.
3. Close other demanding apps and tabs. Video calls, games, large downloads, and many open tabs can compete for processing power. Close anything you do not need and try a short recording again. If the pointer freezes only when the computer is busy, this may reduce the slowdown.
4. Reconnect the mouse. For a wireless mouse, replace or recharge the battery and move its receiver to another USB port. For a wired mouse, unplug it and try another port. On Windows 11, check Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Mouse to confirm that mouse settings have not changed. On a Mac, check System Settings › Mouse.
5. Check screen recording permission on a Mac. If the browser cannot start or continue capturing, open System Settings › Privacy & Security › Screen & System Audio Recording and allow your browser. This permission controls screen capture, not ordinary mouse input, so it is unlikely to explain a mouse that stops working everywhere.
6. Restart the browser and computer. Close the browser completely, reopen it, and try again. If the problem continues, restart the computer to clear a stuck browser, driver, or input process.

When the mouse itself may be faulty

Test the mouse without recording, then connect it to another computer if possible. If it also skips, freezes, or misses clicks there, the mouse or its receiver is likely the cause. A fresh battery or a different USB port can rule out simple connection problems. If the fault follows the mouse, contact the manufacturer if it is under warranty, or replace it if repair would cost more than a replacement.

Screen capture and mouse input are separate

A browser captures pictures from a selected screen, window, or tab, while mouse events are delivered to the app under the pointer. A recording can add enough work to make a slow or busy computer feel unresponsive, but screen capture itself should not normally block clicks. The Screen Recorder runs in your browser, and nothing you record is uploaded.