How to Change Screenshot Default Saved Location on Mac, MacBook With Big Sur, Catalina, Mojave & Earlier

Last Updated on Jan 1, 2021

MacOS 10.14 Mojave brings up new tools to take screenshot easy-peasy with custom save destination or change screenshot location Mac and MacBook. But the question is when you take a screenshot and Screen recorded video on Mac, where it gets stored? Every screenshot you take is stored in default location which is set by you on Mac. Think of a situation where you want to take dozens of screenshots for the project and every time you need them to the desired location, how tedious it is! In such a situation, it is very helpful when you have the power to change the default save location of screenshots without terminal command or using Command.

Luckily, if you have updated macOS to macOS 10.14 Mojave or later, then you will get a lot more while taking screenshots and in screen recording too. So today we will see how to change the screenshot location to save on macOS Mojave. This trick works for iMac, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, MacMini, MacBook with TouchBar.

Before proceeding, here are How to Change Mac Default Screenshot Directory: 2 Methods

Step 1: Press “Command+Shift+5” to capture a screenshot.

“First set the location to save your work. Once we set, settings will be saved until we change it next time manually.”

Step 2: Now a small panel will be visible Custom Save Destination “Options” to select your desired screenshot locations from “Desktop”, “Clipboard”, “Documents”, “Mail”, “Messages”, and Preview. Set other New Folder or Directory [macOS Catalina or later macOS users will find the options for creating a new folder from Options], And Older MacOS users have to use Terminal command, Read on Method 2, Change Screenshot Default save location on Mac using the terminal.

Select Default Screenshot save location on Macbook and Mac

Step 3: Create a New Folder or Select the desired location from the sidebar. Once you create a New Folder or Select Drive, Select Choose option. That’s it.

Create a Folder for Save new Screenshot on Macbook Mac

Step 4: Next, you will see three different options on the similar panel, “Capture Screen”, “Capture Window” or “Capture Selection”, “Record Screen”, “Record Selection”. Choose any one as per your requirement. any time we can change the default screenshot save location on MacBook or Mac under the Options.

Change Screenshot and Recording Save location on Mac

Step 5: If you choose to Capture Selected Window or Capture Selected Portion then you need to select the required part of the screenshot and once you made a selection screenshot will be taken immediately and saved to the selected location.

Your Mind Changed! Before Move recent Screenshot Preview on Mac’s Desktop screen

“Right Click” on Preview Screenshot that will be staying in corner of Mac’s screen for few seconds. See the image below and Select/Choose the location.

AlSO READ: MacOS High Sierra or Earlier Mac can change the Default location, How to Change Screenshot default save location on Mac.

Method 2: Change Default Screenshot or Recording saved Location on Mac with Terminal Command

1. Open Finder window on Mac.
2. From the sidebar panel, Select the Location. here I am giving example for creating the Screenshot folder under the picture folder. If on your mac Picture folder is not showing then go to the Finder Preferences from the top menu.
   

   Finder Preferences on Mac

3. and Select the Picture option to show up on the finder sidebar panel. here I am done.
   

   How to Show picture folder on Finder Sidebar

4. Once you did it, Create another folder’s name here for me is screenshot.
5. Now run this command in your Terminal window, Open Terminal on Mac from Spotlight search.
   

   Open terminal from spotlight search on Mac

6. Copy and Past this command on your Terminal and hit return to run.
   • defaults write com.apple.screencapture location ~/pictures/screenshot
     

     Command for change save screenshot path on Mac

7. Once command Executed, Take a sample test. Here my mac is saving my screenshot to a new location.
8. That’s it.

This will also work on macOS on MacBook, Mac.

NOTE: Once you selected the screenshot location in macOS Mojave from that moment all the screenshots will be saved to that location until you change it.

Get more tips and Help from us in free by the comment on the below box. I hope you like and find the correct guide on change custom screenshot save locations on Mac.