Apple’s operating system saves all screenshots to the desktop by default. However, this save location can be changed very easily.
By default, macOS saves all screenshots taken to your Mac desktop. If this backup location is rather practical for quickly finding the last screenshots made, it requires you to clean it frequently to avoid cluttering it with too many files. You must then either delete them, or sort them out by manually moving each capture to other directories.
But since macOS 10.14 (Mojave), Apple’s OS includes a dedicated Screenshot application offering various options. It allows, among other things, to easily select a save location other than the desktop. Here’s how.
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1. Activate the Snipping Tool
Traditionally, macOS allows you to take screenshots with different keyboard shortcuts:
– Command + Shift + 3: to capture the whole screen
– Command + Shift + 4: to capture a selection
– Command + Shift + 4 then Space: to capture a defined window
Now, to activate the snipping tool, you can use the keyboard shortcut Command + Shift + 5. The utility interface should then open on top of your screen.
2. Change options
From the interface of the Screenshot application which has just opened, click on the Option button present in the toolbar.
At the very top of the menu, under the title save toclick Alternate location.
3. Choose your backup directory
Screenshot should then open a Finder explorer window. Select your backup directory and click on the Choose button to validate.
Whenever you need to take multiple screenshots for the same project, you can now customize your save location to save all relevant screenshots there, saving you from having to sort through your screenshots later.