Where your Mac saves screenshots, and how to find them

Why it happens

Your Mac saves each screenshot as a file named Screenshot, followed by the date and time. The folder is set in the Screenshot toolbar's Options, and the Desktop is the default. If it was changed, or the Desktop is hidden or kept in iCloud Drive, the files can seem to vanish.

How to fix it

1. Look on your Desktop first. New screenshots are named Screenshot with the date and time, so they sort together.

2. Press Shift-Command-5 and click Options in the toolbar. Under Save to, the folder with a tick is where your screenshots go.

3. Want them somewhere else? Pick Documents or another folder in the same list, or choose Other Location to pick any folder. Press Escape to close the toolbar.

4. To find an older screenshot fast, press Command-Space, type Screenshot and look under the files in the results.

Still not fixed?

1. If Save to is set to Clipboard, Mail, Messages or Preview, no file is saved. Clipboard waits for you to paste with Command-V, and the others open the screenshot in that app. Pick Desktop to get files again.

2. Desktop looks empty? Your Mac may be hiding Desktop icons. Turn on On Desktop next to Show Items in Desktop & Dock settings.

   Desktop & Dock›Desktop & Stage Manager›Show Items›On Desktop

3. If your Desktop is stored in iCloud Drive, the screenshots are there. In Finder, click iCloud Drive in the sidebar and open the Desktop folder.

   Finder›iCloud Drive›Desktop

4. If the folder you chose was moved or deleted, screenshots can't save. Press Shift-Command-5, click Options and pick Desktop again under Save to.

5. If screenshots still don't appear anywhere, even on the Desktop, restart your Mac and try once more. If they still go missing, contact Apple Support.