How to Change the Default Filename of Screenshots in macOS - MacRumors
Skip to Content

How to Change the Default Filename of Screenshots in macOS

by

In macOS, when you use the screenshot keyboard shortcuts or the capture tool to grab something on your Mac's screen, the images are saved with a default filename, such as "Screen Shot [date] at [time].png."

screenshot
If you work with screenshots a lot, this file naming scheme may not be to your taste. But thanks to a simple Terminal command, you can change this default name to something more useful. The following steps show you how it's done.

  1. Launch the Terminal app (found in Applications/Utilities).
  2. Input the following command, and type your desired screenshot filename inside the double quote marks, then hit Enter: defaults write com.apple.screencapture name "my screenshots"

That's all there is to it. Try taking a screenshot to see your new image filename in action. Subsequent shots saved in the same location will automatically take a bracketed number – (2) or (3) for example – to differentiate them from each other.

If you want to revert back to the default screenshot filename, use the following Terminal command: defaults write com.apple.screencapture "include-date" 1; killall SystemUIServer

Did you know that you can also change the default file format of screenshots as well as the location where they are saved? Follow the links to learn how it's done.

Popular Stories

Apple Event Logo

Apple to Launch These 15+ New Products Later This Year

Friday March 27, 2026 2:03 pm PDT by
March has been an incredibly busy month for Apple, with the company unveiling more than 10 new products and accessories. We said hello to the MacBook Neo at the start of the month, and we bid farewell to the Mac Pro at the end of it. Nevertheless, there is still a lot more to come this year. Beyond the usual annual updates to iPhones and Apple Watches, Apple's all-new smart home hub is...
iOS 26

iOS 26.4 Adds Two New Features to CarPlay

Tuesday March 24, 2026 1:55 pm PDT by
iOS 26.4 was released today, and it includes a couple of new features for CarPlay: an Ambient Music widget and support for voice-based chatbot apps. To update your iPhone 11 or newer to iOS 26.4, open the Settings app and tap on General → Software Update. CarPlay will automatically offer the new features so long as the iPhone connected to your vehicle is running iOS 26.4 or later....
Mac Pro Feature Teal

Apple Confirms Mac Pro Is Dead, No Future Models Planned

Thursday March 26, 2026 2:04 pm PDT by
Apple has discontinued the Mac Pro and has removed the machine from its website, reports 9to5Mac. Apple said it does not plan to design a new version of the Mac Pro, and no new model will be coming in the future. The Mac Pro was last updated in 2023, which was when Apple added an M2 Ultra Apple silicon chip, but the chassis has not been refreshed since 2019. Apple redesigned the Mac Pro to...