Where are screenshots saved on Big Sur?

Fahmid_v4 wrote:

Cheers for suggestion, think its done the job, for some reason it was saving them to clipboard only

Shift Command 5 >>Options make changes here:

Take screenshots or screen recordings on Mac - Apple Support

Check iCloud Drive in the Finder Sidebar. It sounds like you enabled Desktop & Documents folders when installing.

Thanks, but I already sorted it by unticking in Dropbox as, I put above, but this has never happened before to me in any OSX and I have had dropbox for years so, my question is why do Apple allow Screenshots to be highjacked by Dropbox?

⌘+⌥+SpaceBar (⎵) to open finder,

Click on the magnifying glass at the top right corner to search and type in "Screen Shot", then it will show all the screenshots on your Mac as that keyword is the default prefix for all the screenshots.

Also you can change that location while taking a screenshot.

For more info: https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT201361

Did you try resetting the location to the Desktop after the Big Sur update? If so boot into Safe Mode according to Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support and see if the problem persists and reset if necessary. Reboot normally and check again.

NOTE: Safe Mode boot can take up to 10 minutes as it's doing the following; 

• Verifies your startup disk and attempts to repair directory issues, if needed

• Loads only required kernel extensions (prevents 3rd party kernel/extensions from loading)

• Prevents Startup Items and Login Items from opening automatically

• Disables user-installed fonts 

• Deletes font caches, kernel cache, and other system cache files

To change the screenshot format from png to jpeg enter the following command in Terminal followed by the Return key/

defaults write com.apple.screencapture type jpg && killall SystemUIServer

Then enter this command again followed by the Return key:

killall SystemUIServer

That should change the type of image to jpg.

Do a search in finder for "screenshots." It will show a folder there with your lost screen shots. Can then send to trash from there.

Did you update Dropbox lately? That could have done it.

why do Apple allow Screenshots to be highjacked by Dropbox?

You as the user allowed the change of location when you installed Dropbox. The only way Apple could prevent that would be to prevent you from changing the location.

I was able to fix this. It turns out I had to delete a file in ~/Library and restart the Finder. Please disregard the comment above.

I use Big Sur Version 11.1 (20C69)

I would like to add something to this discussion. I too have the problem that I can't save screenshots. Here is my trouble shooting process:

1. Open the screenshot app and check if they are saved in the right location aka. the desktop -> they are.
2. Take a screenshot with either Cmd+Shift+3 or Cmd+Shift+4 -> There is a camera sound. The preview appears in the bottom right corner of the screen.
3. When I look at the desktop, I can't see the screenshots (see screenshot below).
4. When I browse to the desktop via Finder and Terminal I can't see them either.
5. However: When I use any other application and click on "Open new file" and browse to the desktop via the open new file dialog I can see and manipulate them (see screenshot below).
   1. I can drag them into another folder and then use them from there. Dragging them only copies them to this folder, though.
   2. I cannot delete them on the desktop. When I try I get an error message saying . I fear at some point I will just have an endless list of screenshots on my desktop (see screenshot below).
   3. Sometimes the "Open new file" dialog does not update the desktop and so I can't see new screenshots.

I took the screenshots for this post via a screen sharing tool.

In my opinion this is a breaking bug and should be escalated to Bug Sur development.

I did not.

You did. You installed the app which redirects the location of the screenshot folder.

I have had Dropbox for years as stated already. :)

What does that have to do with anything? It doesn't matter if you've had it for one second or one decade.

I have always had Dropbox and my screenshots have always gone onto my desktop on my iMac. Since Big Sur they initially show in the desktop and then as soon as you go to attach the screenshot to anything it disappears. I have now altered my Dropbox settings and my screenshots stay on my desktop. Please do not answer again as I find your attitude dismissive and unpleasant.

I forgot I had saved my location to Clipboard and Paul Conway's suggestion allowed me to change back my saved location back to Desktop. Thanks!

Look in your utilities folder for an app called screenshot. Launch the app and then at the bottom there are options that you can change. One of them is the location where screenshots are saved You can change this back to the desktop or some other location.

I hope this helps.

Paul

In Utilities Screenshots are ticked as Desktop, but since Big Sur 11.2.1 this is not happening.

Apple have a nasty habit of interfering with things that are fine and work properly and never tell customers what they have done to mess it up. Mail in Carolina was one of the few things that was well designed and has been messed up in Big Sur with the toolbar moved right over to the right to make life harder and grey on grey layout, which is hard to see.

If you went to your local garage and you got your car back and you could not find things that used to work you would not be happy.

Now in Big Sur we have to open search boxes instead of them being there say, in Mail. This means more clicking all the time, wasting more time to do anything, which just makes the addiction to screens that Apple have created even more of a chore.

This is not creative it's simply poor design.