How to change the screenshot format on Mac
Screenshots on a Mac are PNG files, and System Settings has no switch for that. One Terminal command changes the format for every new screenshot, to JPG for example. To convert screenshots you already have, use Preview’s Export or Finder’s Convert Image quick action.
Updated
Save every new screenshot as JPG
- Open Terminal from Applications › Utilities.
- Paste this line and press Return:
defaults write com.apple.screencapture type jpg; killall SystemUIServer - Take a screenshot to check: the file now ends in .jpg.
Instead of jpg you can write pdf, tiff or gif. To go back to PNG, run the same line with png.
Convert screenshots you already took
- One file: open it in Preview, choose File › Export, pick JPEG (and the quality) or another format, and save.
- Many files: select them in Finder, right-click › Quick Actions › Convert Image, and choose JPEG, PNG or HEIF and a size.
Which format to use
| Format | Good for | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| PNG | Text, interfaces, sharp edges | Larger files; exact pixels |
| JPEG | Photos, sending by e-mail, smaller files | Text gets soft edges at low quality |
| HEIC | Small files with good quality | Some websites and older apps don’t open it |
| Documents, printing | Not for chats or posts |
Format as a setting in SimpleShot
SimpleShot, a free capture app for Mac, has the format in its settings: PNG, JPEG, HEIC or PDF, no Terminal needed. Its Export sheet lets you pick a different format and size for one capture, at full size, at point size or smaller, and there is a setting to save Retina captures at 1× when files must be small. A capture dragged from its thumbnail into another app arrives in the format you chose.
Questions
How do I change Mac screenshots from PNG to JPG?
Run defaults write com.apple.screencapture type jpg; killall SystemUIServer in Terminal. New screenshots are JPG from then on.
Why are Mac screenshots so large?
They are PNG at full Retina resolution, twice the width and height of what you see. Save them as JPEG or HEIC, or at 1×, for smaller files.
Can I convert many screenshots at once?
Yes. Select them in Finder, right-click and choose Quick Actions › Convert Image.
How do I undo the Terminal change?
Run the same command with png at the end of the first part: defaults write com.apple.screencapture type png; killall SystemUIServer.
Related
The format you need,
without Terminal.
Free · macOS 26 or later · Apple Silicon