How to change where screenshots are saved on a Mac

By default, Mac screenshots land on your Desktop, which fills up fast. Here’s how to send them somewhere else.

The Screenshot toolbar (easiest)

1. Press ⇧ ⌘ 5.
2. Click Options.
3. Under Save to, pick Documents, Clipboard, Mail, Messages or Preview, or choose Other Location to pick any folder.

The choice sticks for future screenshots and screen recordings.

Terminal (for scripts)

If you set up Macs with a script, this does the same:

mkdir -p ~/Pictures/Screenshots
defaults write com.apple.screencapture location ~/Pictures/Screenshots
killall SystemUIServer

Copy instead of save

Add ⌃ to any screenshot shortcut, for example ⌃ ⇧ ⌘ 4, to put the screenshot on the clipboard instead of saving a file. Paste it with ⌘ V.

With NotchMind

NotchMind, which I make, leaves macOS’s setting alone and shows each screenshot in the notch, where you can drag, copy or delete it. If you choose a folder in Settings → Screen Capture → Screenshot Hub → Screenshots folder, it moves each new screenshot there; do the same for recordings with Recordings folder. See screenshots in the notch.