Where do screenshots go on a Mac?

Screenshots are saved to the desktop, as PNG files named “Screenshot” followed by the date and time, for example “Screenshot 2026-11-02 at 10.15.32.png”. If you pressed Control too (⌃⇧⌘4), there is no file: the picture is on the clipboard, ready to paste. You can choose another folder in ⇧⌘5 › Options.

Updated November 2, 2026

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How to change where screenshots are saved

Press ⇧⌘5. The Screenshot toolbar appears at the bottom of the screen.
Click Options.
Under Save to, choose Desktop, Documents, Clipboard, Mail, Messages or Preview, or Other Location to pick any folder.
Press Esc to close the toolbar. From now on, ⇧⌘3 and ⇧⌘4 save to the new place too.

A tip: make a folder called Screenshots in Pictures and choose it here. Your desktop stays clear, and the folder can sit in the Dock for one-click access.

Can’t find a screenshot you just took?

Search for it: press ⌘Space and type “Screenshot”. Spotlight lists them, newest first when you open the results in Finder.
Check the folder: ⇧⌘5 › Options shows where they go now; someone may have changed it.
Check the clipboard: if you used Control, open Preview and choose File › New from Clipboard.
The desktop may hide them: if desktop icons are turned off, or Stacks group them (right-click the desktop › Use Stacks), the files are there but not shown one by one.

Where SimpleShot keeps your captures

SimpleShot, a free capture app for Mac, saves to the same folder macOS uses (the desktop unless you changed it), and copies each capture to the clipboard as well; both are settings in SimpleShot › Settings. You can choose any folder there, and the file format: PNG, JPEG, HEIC or PDF.

It also keeps every capture in its Library (⌥⇧⌘H), so you don’t have to remember where a file went. Type any word that was on the screenshot, such as part of an error message, an order number or a name, and the Library finds it: the text is read on your Mac. The Library lives in your user folder on the Mac and keeps captures for a month by default; choose a week, three months, a year or forever, or turn the history off.

Questions

Where are screenshots saved on a Mac by default?

On the desktop, as PNG files named “Screenshot” with the date and time. Screen recordings made with ⇧⌘5 go to the same place as .mov files.

How do I make screenshots go to a folder instead of the desktop?

Press ⇧⌘5, click Options and choose Other Location under Save to. Pick or create the folder; every screenshot goes there from then on.

Why can’t I see my screenshots on the desktop?

They may be saved elsewhere (check ⇧⌘5 › Options), copied to the clipboard only (if you held Control), or grouped by desktop Stacks. Search “Screenshot” with Spotlight to find them. If no file appears at all, see screenshot not working.

Can I change the file name of Mac screenshots?

Not from Settings. Rename files in Finder, or use an app that names them for you. In SimpleShot’s Library you rename a capture in place and the saved file follows.

How do I save screenshots as JPG instead of PNG?

One Terminal command changes it for every screenshot, or a capture app can do it from its settings. See how to change the screenshot format.

Every capture,
found by its words.