Where Mac Screenshots Go by Default

By default, every screenshot you take on a Mac saves to your Desktop. When you press Command-Shift-3 (full screen) or Command-Shift-4 (selection), the file appears as "Screenshot [date] at [time].png" right on your Desktop. If you take dozens of screenshots, your Desktop fills up fast.

You can change this location to any folder you want — your Documents folder, a dedicated Screenshots folder, an external drive, or even a cloud storage folder like iCloud Drive or Dropbox. The process takes about two minutes and uses the built-in Screenshot app or System Preferences, depending on your macOS version.

Key Takeaways

  • Screenshots save to your Desktop by default, but you can redirect them to any folder using the Screenshot app or System Preferences.
  • On macOS Monterey and newer, open the Screenshot app, click Options, and choose a new location from the "Save to" menu.
  • On older macOS versions, use Terminal with the defaults write command to change the default save location.
  • You can save screenshots to cloud folders like iCloud Drive or Dropbox so they sync across your devices.
  • The change applies to all future screenshots taken with keyboard shortcuts; it does not move existing screenshots already on your Desktop.

Change Screenshot Location Using the Screenshot App (Monterey and Newer)

If you are running macOS Monterey (released in 2021) or any newer version, the easiest method is through the Screenshot app itself. Press Command-Shift-5 to open the Screenshot app. You will see a toolbar at the bottom of your screen with options for full-screen capture, window capture, and selection capture.

Click the Options button on the right side of the toolbar. A dropdown menu appears. Look for the Save to section near the top. Click the current location (usually "Desktop") and select a new folder from the list. You can choose Documents, Downloads, Pictures, or any other folder. If you want to save to a custom folder that is not listed, select Other Location and navigate to the folder you want.

Once you select a new location, all future screenshots will save there automatically. The change sticks until you change it again. You do not need to restart your Mac or open any settings.

Change Screenshot Location Using Terminal (Older macOS Versions)

If you are running macOS Big Sur or earlier, you will need to use Terminal. Open Terminal (search for it in Spotlight by pressing Command-Space, typing "Terminal", and pressing Enter). Paste this command and press Enter:

defaults write com.apple.screencapture location ~/Documents

This command saves all future screenshots to your Documents folder. Replace ~/Documents with the path to any folder you want. For example, to save to a folder called "My Screenshots" on your Desktop, use:

defaults write com.apple.screencapture location ~/Desktop/My\ Screenshots

After you run the command, press Command-Q to close Terminal. The change takes effect when ready. Your next screenshot will save to the new location.

Create a Dedicated Screenshots Folder

If you do not have a folder where you want screenshots to go, create one first. Open Finder, navigate to the location where you want the folder (Documents is a common choice), right-click in the empty space, and select New Folder. Name it "Screenshots" or whatever you prefer.

Then follow the steps above to point your Mac to that folder. If you used Terminal, remember to include the folder name in the path. For example, if your new folder is in Documents and is called "Screenshots", the command would be:

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

Make sure the folder exists before you run the command, or screenshots will fail to save.

Save Screenshots to Cloud Storage

You can point screenshots to a cloud folder so they sync automatically across your devices. If you use iCloud Drive, create a folder inside it, then set that as your screenshot location. The same works for Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, or any other cloud service that syncs a folder to your Mac.

The path to iCloud Drive folders is usually ~/Library/Mobile\ Documents/com~apple~CloudDocs/ followed by the folder name. For Dropbox, it is typically ~/Dropbox/ followed by the folder name. If you are unsure of the exact path, open Finder, navigate to the folder, right-click it, and select Copy as Pathname. Then paste that path into your Terminal command.

Keep in mind that saving screenshots to cloud storage means they upload every time you take one, which uses bandwidth and can slow down your Mac if you take many screenshots at once.

Undo the Change and Return to Desktop

If you want screenshots to go back to your Desktop, use the Screenshot app (Monterey and newer) and select Desktop from the Save to menu. On older versions, open Terminal and run:

defaults write com.apple.screencapture location ~/Desktop

You can also reset to the factory default by running:

defaults delete com.apple.screencapture location

This removes the custom setting entirely, and screenshots will save to Desktop again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to move my old screenshots from the Desktop?

No. Changing the screenshot location only affects new screenshots you take going forward. Old screenshots already on your Desktop stay there. You can move them manually if you want, or leave them where they are.

Can I save different screenshots to different folders?

The default setting applies to all screenshots taken with keyboard shortcuts. However, when you press Command-Shift-5 and use the Screenshot app, you can click Options and change the location before you capture. This lets you choose a different folder for that one screenshot without changing the global default.

What if I want to save a screenshot to my external hard drive?

Yes, you can. In the Screenshot app, click Options and select Other Location, then navigate to your external drive. In Terminal, use the full path to the folder on the external drive, for example /Volumes/External\ Drive\ Name/Screenshots. Make sure the external drive is connected before you take the screenshot.

Will changing the screenshot location work on M1 or M2 Macs?

Yes. The process is identical on Apple Silicon Macs (M1, M2, M3) and Intel Macs. The Screenshot app and Terminal commands work the same way.

What if the Terminal command does not work?

Make sure you typed the path correctly and that the folder exists. Check for typos, especially spaces in folder names (which need a backslash before them, like My\ Screenshots). If the command still fails, try using the Screenshot app instead, which has a simpler interface and does not require typing paths.