How to change the default screenshot save location on macOS

Step by step

1. 1 min

   Create the target folder

   Open Finder and navigate to the directory where you want your screenshots stored. Create a new folder, name it clearly, such as 'Screenshots', and note its location.

2. 30 sec

   Open the Terminal application

   Press Command + Space to open Spotlight Search. Type 'Terminal' and press Enter to launch the command-line interface.

   Note: Command + Space
3. 1 min

   Enter the save location command

   Type 'defaults write com.apple.screencapture location ' into the Terminal window. Do not press Enter yet. Drag and drop your target folder directly from Finder into the Terminal window to automatically populate the exact file path.

   Note: Ensure there is a space after the word 'location' before dragging the folder.
4. 30 sec

   Apply the new configuration

   Press Enter to execute the command. Next, enter the command 'killall SystemUIServer' and press Enter to restart the screenshot process and apply the changes.

   Note: Restarting the SystemUIServer is required for the system to recognize the new path.
5. 30 sec

   Test the new location

   Press Shift + Command + 3 to capture your screen. Navigate to your new target folder to confirm the file has been saved in the correct directory.

   Note: Shift + Command + 3