Change Screenshot Location on Mac: 5 Easy Methods

# How to Change Screenshot Location on Mac (5 Easy Methods)

Want to change screenshot location on Mac and stop cluttering your desktop? By default, macOS saves every screenshot directly to your desktop, which quickly becomes a mess if you take screenshots regularly. The good news: you can easily redirect screenshots to any folder you want.

In this guide, I'll show you five different methods to change where your Mac saves screenshots—from the built-in Screenshot app to Terminal commands, cloud storage options, and automation workflows.

Where Does Mac Save Screenshots by Default?

When you press ⌘ + Shift + 3 or ⌘ + Shift + 4 to take a screenshot on Mac, macOS saves the file to your desktop with a filename like "Screenshot 2026-01-31 at 10.30.45.png." According to Apple's official documentation, all screenshots save to the desktop by default, including those taken with ⌘ + Shift + 5.

While the desktop might seem convenient at first, it creates several problems over time:

• Desktop clutter — Screenshots pile up quickly
• Hard to find files — Mixed with other desktop items
• Sync issues — If you use iCloud Desktop, screenshots sync across devices
• Unprofessional appearance — Messy desktop visible during screen shares

Let's fix that with these five methods.

Method 1: Use the Screenshot App (Easiest)

If you're running macOS Mojave (10.14) or later, this is the fastest way to change your screenshot save location.

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Press ⌘ + Shift + 5 to open the Screenshot app
2. Click Options in the floating toolbar
3. Under Save to, choose from:

• Desktop
• Documents
• Clipboard
• Mail
• Messages
• Preview
• Other Location... (to pick any folder)

1. If you chose "Other Location," navigate to your preferred folder and click Choose
2. Press Esc or click anywhere to close the toolbar

That's it! All future screenshots will save to your selected location.

Pro tip: Create a dedicated "Screenshots" folder in your Documents or a project-specific folder. This keeps everything organized and easy to find.

Why this method works best for most users

The Screenshot app method is ideal because:

• No Terminal commands required
• Changes apply immediately
• Works with all screenshot shortcuts (⌘ + Shift + 3, ⌘ + Shift + 4, etc.)
• Easy to change again anytime

If you're having trouble with screenshots not saving at all, check out our guide on fixing Mac screenshot issues.

Method 2: Use Terminal (For Older macOS or Power Users)

Running macOS High Sierra or earlier? Or prefer the command line? Terminal gives you full control over screenshot settings.

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Open Terminal (Applications → Utilities → Terminal, or search with Spotlight)
2. Create your target folder first (if it doesn't exist):

   mkdir ~/Documents/Screenshots

1. Run this command to set the new location:

   defaults write com.apple.screencapture location ~/Documents/Screenshots

1. Restart the screenshot system:

   killall SystemUIServer

Common Terminal variations

Save to Downloads folder:

defaults write com.apple.screencapture location ~/Downloads

Save to a folder on an external drive:

defaults write com.apple.screencapture location /Volumes/MyDrive/Screenshots

Reset to default (Desktop):

defaults write com.apple.screencapture location ~/Desktop
killall SystemUIServer

Important: Don't delete the folder you've set as the save location! If you do, screenshots will fail to save. Either change the location first or recreate the folder.

Additional Terminal customizations

While you're in Terminal, you might want to customize other screenshot settings:

Change the default file format:

defaults write com.apple.screencapture type jpg

Options: png (default), jpg, gif, pdf, tiff

Remove the date/time from filenames:

defaults write com.apple.screencapture include-date -bool false

Disable the floating thumbnail preview:

defaults write com.apple.screencapture show-thumbnail -bool false

After any change, run killall SystemUIServer to apply it.

Method 3: Save to Cloud Storage (iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive)

Want screenshots automatically synced across your devices? Save them directly to a cloud storage folder.

iCloud Drive

1. Open Finder and go to iCloud Drive
2. Create a new folder called "Screenshots"
3. Use either Method 1 or Method 2 to set this as your save location

For Terminal:

defaults write com.apple.screencapture location ~/Library/Mobile\ Documents/com~apple~CloudDocs/Screenshots
killall SystemUIServer

Dropbox

1. Locate your Dropbox folder (usually ~/Dropbox)
2. Create a "Screenshots" folder inside it
3. Set the location using Method 1 or 2

For Terminal:

defaults write com.apple.screencapture location ~/Dropbox/Screenshots
killall SystemUIServer

Dropbox bonus feature: Dropbox has a built-in screenshot sharing feature. Enable it in Dropbox Preferences → Backups → Screenshots, and Dropbox will automatically save screenshots and copy a shareable link to your clipboard.

Google Drive

If you use Google Drive's desktop app:

defaults write com.apple.screencapture location ~/Google\ Drive/Screenshots
killall SystemUIServer

Benefits of cloud screenshot storage

• Access from anywhere — View screenshots on your phone, tablet, or other computers
• Automatic backup — Never lose important screenshots
• Easy sharing — Generate share links instantly
• Cross-platform access — Works on Windows, iOS, Android
• Collaboration — Team members can access shared folders
• Version history — Some cloud services keep file versions

Choosing the right cloud service

iCloud Drive is best if you're fully in the Apple ecosystem. Screenshots sync seamlessly across your iPhone, iPad, and other Macs. The integration is flawless, and if you already pay for iCloud storage, there's no extra cost.

Dropbox excels at sharing. Its screenshot feature automatically copies share links to your clipboard, making it the fastest option for sending screenshots to colleagues. The free tier offers 2GB of storage—plenty for screenshots.

Google Drive works best if you collaborate with Windows and Android users or use Google Workspace. The 15GB free tier is generous, and integration with Google Docs makes it easy to embed screenshots in documents.

If you frequently share screenshots with your team, you might also want to learn how to annotate screenshots professionally before sending them.

Method 4: Use Third-Party Screenshot Apps

Dedicated screenshot apps often include more flexible save options, plus features macOS doesn't offer natively.

ScreenSnap Pro

ScreenSnap Pro lets you configure multiple save locations and automatically organizes screenshots by project or date. Key features:

• Custom save locations per capture type
• Cloud upload with instant shareable links
• Automatic file naming with customizable patterns
• Quick annotation tools before saving

Other popular options

• CleanShot X — Save to custom folders, cloud upload, scrolling capture
• Shottr — Lightweight, free, with OCR and annotation (compare Shottr vs ScreenSnap Pro)
• Monosnap — Built-in cloud storage with direct upload

Third-party apps shine when you need features like scrolling screenshots, blurring sensitive information, or advanced annotation tools.

Method 5: Create an Automator Workflow (Advanced)

Want screenshots automatically organized by date or moved to specific folders based on rules? Automator can help.

Create a folder action to organize screenshots

1. Open Automator (Applications → Automator)
2. Choose Folder Action as the document type
3. At the top, set "Folder Action receives files and folders added to:" to Desktop
4. Add these actions from the library:

• Filter Finder Items: Name begins with "Screenshot"
• Move Finder Items: Choose your Screenshots folder

1. Save the workflow with a descriptive name like "Move Screenshots"

Now, any file starting with "Screenshot" that lands on your desktop will automatically move to your designated folder.

Advanced: Organize by date

You can extend this workflow to create dated subfolders:

1. Add a Run Shell Script action before moving:

   today=$(date +%Y-%m-%d)
   mkdir -p ~/Documents/Screenshots/$today

1. Modify the Move Finder Items action to use the dated folder

This creates a folder structure like:

Screenshots/
├── 2026-01-31/
├── 2026-01-30/
└── 2026-01-29/

Using Shortcuts (macOS Monterey and later)

The Shortcuts app offers even more flexibility:

1. Open Shortcuts
2. Create a new shortcut with these actions:

• Get contents of folder (Desktop)
• Filter files (where Name contains "Screenshot")
• Move files to your chosen folder

1. Set it to run on a schedule or trigger manually

Quick Comparison: Which Method Should You Use?

My recommendation: Start with Method 1 (Screenshot App) unless you need cloud sync or advanced automation. It's the simplest solution that works for 90% of users.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Screenshots aren't saving to the new location

This is the most common issue after changing screenshot locations. Here's how to fix it:

1. Verify the folder exists — Open Finder and navigate to the folder you specified. If it was deleted or renamed, screenshots won't save.
2. Check permissions — Right-click the folder, select Get Info, and verify you have "Read & Write" access under Sharing & Permissions.
3. Restart the system UI — Open Terminal and run killall SystemUIServer
4. Restart your Mac — If the above steps don't work, a full restart often resolves stuck settings.
5. Re-apply the setting — Use the Screenshot app (⌘ + Shift + 5) to set the location again.

"The operation couldn't be completed" error

This typically indicates a permissions problem:

1. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Files and Folders
2. Look for any screenshot-related apps and ensure they have folder access
3. Try choosing a folder within your home directory (Documents, Downloads) rather than an external location
4. Check if the folder is on a network drive—some network locations have permission restrictions

Screenshots saving with wrong format

If your screenshots are saving as JPG when you want PNG (or vice versa), fix it with Terminal:

defaults write com.apple.screencapture type png
killall SystemUIServer

Replace png with your preferred format (jpg, gif, pdf, or tiff).

Screenshots have no shadow

By default, window screenshots include a drop shadow. If yours don't:

defaults write com.apple.screencapture disable-shadow -bool false
killall SystemUIServer

To remove shadows (for cleaner documentation screenshots):

defaults write com.apple.screencapture disable-shadow -bool true
killall SystemUIServer

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set different save locations for different screenshot types?

macOS doesn't support this natively—all screenshots go to the same location. However, third-party apps like ScreenSnap Pro let you configure different save locations for full screen, region capture, and window screenshots.

Will changing the screenshot location affect existing screenshots?

No. Only new screenshots will save to the new location. Your existing screenshots stay wherever they currently are.

How do I save screenshots directly to the clipboard instead of a file?

Use ⌘ + Ctrl + Shift + 3 (full screen) or ⌘ + Ctrl + Shift + 4 (selection) to copy screenshots to clipboard instead of saving them as files. You can also choose "Clipboard" as the save location in the Screenshot app options.

Can I save screenshots to an external drive?

Yes! Use Method 2 (Terminal) with the full path to your external drive:

defaults write com.apple.screencapture location /Volumes/DriveName/Screenshots

Just make sure the drive is connected when you take screenshots, or they'll fail to save.

Do these methods work on all Mac models?

Yes, these methods work on any Mac—Intel or Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4). The only variation is macOS version requirements for the Screenshot app method (requires Mojave 10.14 or later).

Wrapping Up

Changing your Mac's screenshot save location takes less than a minute but saves hours of desktop cleanup over time. For most users, the Screenshot app method (⌘ + Shift + 5 → Options) is the fastest solution.

If you want more control—like automatic cloud sync, dated folders, or per-project organization—combine these methods or consider a dedicated screenshot tool. Whatever you choose, your desktop will thank you.

Related guides:

• Best Screenshot Apps for Mac
• How to Take Scrolling Screenshots
• Annotate Screenshots Professionally