---
title: "Change where Mac screenshots save, and what they're called"
url: "https://screenshot-laptop.com/macbook/change-save-location/"
platform: "macOS"
section: "MacBook"
updated: "2026-09-16"
license: "CC-BY-4.0"
attribution: "screenshot-laptop.com"
shortcuts:
  - "Cmd + Shift + 5"
---

# Change where Mac screenshots save, and what they're called

*A default Mac buries its desktop in files named Screenshot 2026-09-11 at 14.32.07.png. All three parts of that are adjustable.*

URL: https://screenshot-laptop.com/macbook/change-save-location/

## The short answer

- `Cmd` + `Shift` + `5` › Options — Change the folder, no Terminal needed
- defaults write com.apple.screencapture type jpg — Switch to JPG
- defaults write com.apple.screencapture name Shot — Change the filename prefix

## Changing the folder

1. Press `Cmd`+`Shift`+`5`.
2. Click **Options**.
3. Pick a destination, or choose **Other Location** to browse.

Anything you pick applies to every shortcut, not just the toolbar. Make the folder first if it doesn't exist — the picker won't create one for you.

Three destinations in that list aren't folders at all, and they're underused:

- **Clipboard** — makes every capture behave like Windows, no files ever.
- **Mail** — opens a new message with the capture attached.
- **Preview** — opens the capture without saving, so you decide afterwards.

## Changing the file format

PNG is the default and the right choice for interface screenshots — lossless, sharp text. But a Retina full-screen capture can run to 8 MB, which is too much for email.

Open Terminal (press `Cmd`+`Space`, type *terminal*) and run:

- `defaults write com.apple.screencapture type jpg` — much smaller, slight softness around text
- `defaults write com.apple.screencapture type heic` — smaller than JPG at better quality, but not universally supported
- `defaults write com.apple.screencapture type pdf` — vector-ish, useful for print
- `defaults write com.apple.screencapture type png` — back to the default

Then apply it: `killall SystemUIServer`

> Existing files don't change format. This only affects captures taken afterwards.

## Renaming the prefix and dropping the timestamp

The word *Screenshot* at the start of every filename is adjustable:

`defaults write com.apple.screencapture name "Shot"`

And the long timestamp can go entirely:

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

Files then become `Shot.png`, `Shot 1.png`, `Shot 2.png`. Run `killall SystemUIServer` after either command.

> **Important:** Turning off the date makes numbering the only thing keeping filenames unique, and the counter resets when a folder is emptied. If you keep screenshots long-term, leave the date on — the timestamp is what makes them findable two years later.

## Removing the drop shadow from window captures

Window captures come with a large soft shadow that eats margin and looks wrong on a coloured background:

`defaults write com.apple.screencapture disable-shadow -bool true`

Then `killall SystemUIServer`. To do it case by case instead, hold `Option` when you click the window.

## Undoing everything

`defaults delete com.apple.screencapture` followed by `killall SystemUIServer` resets every setting on this page to stock, including the save location.

These settings apply to every capture method on [the MacBook page](https://screenshot-laptop.com/macbook/), not just the toolbar.

## Questions

**Can I save screenshots straight into iCloud Drive?**

Yes — pick a folder inside iCloud Drive under Other Location. They sync to your other devices within seconds. Worth knowing that on a slow connection this delays the file being available elsewhere, and a full iCloud account silently stops the sync.

**Why didn't my Terminal command take effect?**

Almost always the missing `killall SystemUIServer` step, which reloads the process that handles captures. Logging out and back in has the same effect.

**Is JPG or PNG better for screenshots?**

PNG for anything containing text or interface elements — JPG's compression adds visible fringing around sharp edges. JPG only when file size matters more than fidelity, such as attaching thirty captures to one email. [More on quality](https://screenshot-laptop.com/fix/blurry-screenshot/).