Your screenshots go to the Desktop by default, but you can change that

When you press Shift-Command-5 on a Mac, the screenshot tool opens and lets you capture part or all of your screen. By default, every screenshot lands on your Desktop with a filename like "Screenshot 2024-01-15 at 2.47.33 PM.png". If you take screenshots regularly, your Desktop fills up fast.

You can change where screenshots save before you take them. Open the screenshot tool with Shift-Command-5, click Options at the bottom of the window, and select a different location from the "Save to" menu — Documents, Downloads, Pictures, or any folder you create. Once you pick a new location, every future screenshot goes there instead of the Desktop.

The older Shift-Command-3 command (full screen) and Shift-Command-4 command (selection) also follow this same save location. If you changed the setting once, both commands remember it.

Key Takeaways

  • Screenshots save to your Desktop by default, but you can redirect them to Documents, Downloads, Pictures, or a custom folder through the screenshot tool's Options menu.
  • The filename always includes the date and time, so sorting by date in Finder shows you your newest screenshots first.
  • If you took screenshots before changing the save location, they are still on your Desktop — changing the setting does not move old ones.
  • You can search for screenshots by filename or date using Spotlight (Command-Space) or Finder's search bar.

Finding screenshots already on your Desktop

If you have been taking screenshots for a while, your Desktop probably has dozens of them mixed in with other files. The fastest way to see only screenshots is to open Finder, click Desktop in the sidebar, then click the search box at the top right. Type "screenshot" and Finder shows only files with that word in the name.

You can also sort your Desktop by kind. Right-click on the Desktop background (not on a file), select "Sort By", then choose "Kind". All your PNG image files group together, and screenshots are usually at the top of that group since they are all PNGs.

If you want to move all your screenshots at once, select the first one, hold Shift, and click the last one to select them all. Then drag them into a folder, or right-click and choose "Move to Trash" if you no longer need them.

Using Spotlight to search by date

Spotlight, the search tool built into every Mac, finds screenshots faster than digging through folders. Press Command-Space to open Spotlight, then type "screenshot" to see all files with that word in the name. The results show the most recent ones first.

You can also search by the date you took the screenshot. In Spotlight, type "created:today" to see screenshots from today, "created:yesterday" for yesterday's, or "created:this week" for the past seven days. This works even if you renamed the file or moved it to a different folder.

Once you find the screenshot you want, press Command-Return to open it, or press Command-Delete to move it to Trash.

Creating a dedicated screenshots folder

If you take screenshots regularly for work or projects, create a folder just for them. Open Finder, navigate to Documents or Pictures (whichever you use more), right-click in an empty space, and select "New Folder". Name it "Screenshots" or whatever makes sense to you.

Then open the screenshot tool (Shift-Command-5), click Options, and select your new folder from the "Save to" menu. Every screenshot from that point forward lands in one place, organized by date in the filename. You can create subfolders inside for different projects if you want to organize further — for example, "Screenshots/Work" or "Screenshots/Personal".

This approach keeps your Desktop clean and makes it straightforward to find screenshots months later. The date in each filename means you can still search by when you took it, even if you have hundreds of screenshots in the same folder.

Finding screenshots you took with third-party tools

If you use apps like Snagit, Skitch, or Cleanshot X instead of the built-in screenshot tool, they may save to different locations. Open the app's settings or preferences and look for "Save location" or "Output folder". Most third-party tools let you choose where screenshots go, just like the built-in tool does.

If you cannot find where a third-party app saves screenshots, search Spotlight for the app's name plus "screenshot" — for example, "snagit screenshot". You can also check your Downloads folder, since some apps default there. If you still cannot locate them, check the app's help documentation or support page.

Recovering screenshots you accidentally deleted

If you moved screenshots to Trash and emptied the Trash, they are gone from your Mac. However, if you use iCloud or Time Machine backups, you may be able to recover them. Open Time Machine (click the Time Machine icon in the menu bar, or search for it in Spotlight), navigate to the date when the screenshots still existed, and restore them to their original location.

If you do not use Time Machine, check whether iCloud Drive is turned on. Open System Settings, click your name at the top, select iCloud, and look for "iCloud Drive". If it is on and you saved screenshots to a folder inside iCloud Drive, Apple keeps deleted files in iCloud's trash for 30 days. Visit iCloud.com, click Settings, scroll to Advanced, and click "Restore Files" to recover them.

Organizing screenshots by project or date

Once you have all your screenshots in one place, you can organize them further. Create subfolders by project name, client name, or date. For example, inside your Screenshots folder, make folders named "2024-Q1", "2024-Q2", and so on, then move screenshots into the matching quarter.

Alternatively, use tags to organize without moving files. Select a screenshot in Finder, press Command-Option-T to open the tags panel, and type a tag like "work", "personal", or "client-name". You can then search for all screenshots with a specific tag by clicking the tag in Finder's sidebar.

The filename always includes the date and time, so you can also sort any folder by date modified to see your newest screenshots first. This works whether you organize by folder or by tag.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change where screenshots save on my Mac?

Yes. Open the screenshot tool with Shift-Command-5, click Options, and select a new location from the "Save to" menu. You can choose Documents, Downloads, Pictures, or any folder on your Mac. The change applies to all future screenshots.

Where do Mac screenshots go if I do not change the setting?

They go to your Desktop by default. The filename includes the date and time, so they are straightforward to spot and sort. You can move them to a different folder later if you want to clean up your Desktop.

How do I find a screenshot I took weeks ago?

Use Spotlight (Command-Space) and search for "created:this month" or "created:january" to narrow down by time. You can also search by what is in the screenshot — for example, "created:january invoice" if you remember it was a financial document.

What if I use a third-party screenshot app instead of the built-in tool?

Check the app's settings or preferences for a "Save location" or "Output folder" option. Most third-party apps let you choose where screenshots go. If you cannot find the setting, check the app's help documentation or search your Downloads folder, since some apps default there.

Can I recover screenshots I deleted from Trash?

Only if you use Time Machine or iCloud backups. Open Time Machine and navigate to the date before you deleted them, or visit iCloud.com and use the Restore Files option if iCloud Drive is turned on. Without backups, deleted screenshots cannot be recovered.