Massive number of screenshots...where is the most recent one?

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Level 1

25 points

Massive number of screenshots...where is the most recent one?

I took a screenshot with Command + Shift + 5 and went looking for it to post to a help forum re Logic. My screenshots are saved to Desktop and they are contained in a folder. Once opened, these display on my desktop. There are so many that they overlap and cover my two monitor screens. :( Even the job of figuring out where to click to close said folder was a game of pin-the-tail-on-the-donkay! (Anyone old enough??)

I have yet to locate the most recent screenshot. I'm deleting old shots here and there, but life's too short.

I guess this is, in fact, two questions: Where is my screenshot? Is there a key command to close the screenshots folder?

Also, in the process, I discovered that System Settings are no longer displayed as icons, and I hate it so much. I guess that's another problem for another day. IMO it seems Apple is making things harder to do of late. (eg iOS 18) Sorry for the gratuitous grousing.

I'm running Sonoma 14.1.2 on my MacBook Pro 14"

TIA

MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 14.1

Posted on Jan 4, 2025 10:21 AM

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Answer 1

Kurt Lang

Level 9

70,317 points

Jan 4, 2025 10:54 AM in response to Mama-Gaga

Click anywhere on the desktop so Finder is the foreground app shown at the upper left.

Press Command+Shift+H to open your user account home folder.

Double click the Desktop folder to view your desktop as a typical Finder window.

Press Command+2 for List view. Sort by date.

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Answer 2

VikingOSX

Level 10

125,400 points

Jan 5, 2025 11:24 AM in response to Mama-Gaga

Provided you can determine the path to your folder of screenshots, the following AppleScript code will display the last [1] screenshot written to that folder:

use scripting additions

-- change to your explicit screenshot folder location
set f to "~/Desktop/Images"
set most_recent to (do shell script "/bin/zsh -c 'print ${0}/*(.om[1])' " & f) as text
display dialog most_recent with title "Most Recent Screenshot"

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Answer 3

Kurt Lang

Level 9

70,317 points

Jan 4, 2025 11:25 AM in response to Mama-Gaga

That's odd. It's always been there for as far back in OS X / macOS I can remember.

But regardless, you can click on Desktop in the left column, and the file listing on the right will change to show your desktop files and folders.

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Answer 4

dialabrain

Level 10

137,013 points

Jan 4, 2025 2:29 PM in response to Mama-Gaga

Mama-Gaga wrote:

Unfortunately, I don't see a Desktop FOLDER. Only in the sidebar do I see Desktop.

That's because you enabled Desktop & Documents to iCloud Drive.

See: Add your Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive - Apple Support

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Answer 5

Mama-Gaga Author

Level 1

25 points

Jan 4, 2025 11:12 AM in response to Kurt Lang

Thank you! The first two steps got me to what is shown in the screenshot below. (Deleting many helped me finding what I was looking for.)

Unfortunately, I don't see a Desktop FOLDER. Only in the sidebar do I see Desktop.

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Answer 6

Kurt Lang

Level 9

70,317 points

Jan 4, 2025 12:16 PM in response to Mama-Gaga

It wouldn't surprise me at all if I accidentally did something dumb to move it or delete it from that spot.

Unless Apple changed something somewhat recently, that folder is/was a direct link of your desktop. If you deleted the Desktop folder within your home account, you'd literally delete everything on the desktop with it.

Now I'm curious to see what would happen if I did that. I have a backup I could easily restore.

Thanks for your help!

You're welcome. 🙂

Edit: And the answer is, the OS won't let you delete the desktop folder from within your account. At least, not from the normal OS GUI. Makes it all the more weird why it doesn't list in your home folder.

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Answer 7

Kurt Lang

Level 9

70,317 points

Jan 4, 2025 3:15 PM in response to dialabrain

Ah, no wonder I always see the Desktop folder in my account. Other than for having Find My on, the wife and I don't use iCloud for anything. Our personal data is never allowed on a remote server for any reason.

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Answer 8

Mama-Gaga Author

Level 1

25 points

Jan 4, 2025 11:55 AM in response to Kurt Lang

It wouldn't surprise me at all if I accidentally did something dumb to move it or delete it from that spot. Thanks for your help!

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Answer 9

Mama-Gaga Author

Level 1

25 points

Jan 5, 2025 9:34 AM in response to dialabrain

Aaaand I can't figure out how to delete a duplicate comment. Sorry.

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Answer 10

Mama-Gaga Author

Level 1

25 points

Jan 6, 2025 9:56 AM in response to VikingOSX

This task might be above my pay grade, but thanks. :)

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Answer 11

Mama-Gaga Author

Level 1

25 points

Jan 5, 2025 9:32 AM in response to dialabrain

If I did so, it was not a conscious decision. Most things look different when I follow your link and try to go through the steps on my older iMac. Could that be because I'm still running Monterey? I'm all over the place. :/

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Answer 12

Kurt Lang

Level 9

70,317 points

Jan 5, 2025 10:44 AM in response to Mama-Gaga

If I did so, it was not a conscious decision.

You very likely didn't. It's a default in setting up macOS that it turns a lot of iCloud options on for you, whether you want them or not.

One of the very first things I do when setting up a new Mac is turn that stuff off. All except for Find My.

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