Tidy MacMac screenshots and screen recordings save to the Desktop unless you changed it. To find all of them, run mdfind "kMDItemIsScreenCapture == 1" in Terminal, or search Finder for “Screenshot”. Screen recordings (.mov) are the big ones. Change the save location with Shift-Command-5 › Options › Save to.
- Press Shift-Command-5, click Options and check Save to: that’s where new screenshots go.
- Find every screenshot with Spotlight’s screen-capture attribute or a Finder search.
- Sort by size: screen recordings are usually most of the space.
- Move old ones to the Trash, then empty it.
- Pick a dedicated folder under Save to so they don’t pile up on the Desktop.
Where screenshots go
By default, macOS saves screenshots (Shift-Command-3, Shift-Command-4) and screen recordings (Shift-Command-5) to the Desktop, named like "Screenshot 2026-10-17 at 09.41.12". Press Shift-Command-5, click Options, and look under Save to for your current location.
If Desktop & Documents are in iCloud Drive, your screenshots are uploaded there too. How that works
Find all of them
macOS tags every screenshot as a screen capture, wherever you moved it:
mdfind "kMDItemIsScreenCapture == 1" | head -50Or in Finder: press Command-F, search for "Screenshot", and switch to List view sorted by Size.
Screen recordings are the big ones
A screenshot is usually 0.5–5 MB. A screen recording is often hundreds of megabytes, and a long one several gigabytes. Search Finder for "Screen Recording" or kind Movie in the same folder. Find large files
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Clean up
Select the old ones and move them to the Trash. Empty the Trash once you're sure.
Stop the pile-up
Create a folder such as ~/Pictures/Screenshots, then in Shift-Command-5 › Options › Other Location pick it. To skip saving and copy to the clipboard instead, add Control: Control-Shift-Command-4.
Where Tidy Mac fits
Tidy Mac's Find › Screenshots lists every screenshot and screen recording with its size and date, wherever it is, and you can search in plain English, like "screenshots older than 30 days". Whatever you remove goes to the Trash with Undo. Pricing
Frequently asked questions
Where are screenshots saved on a Mac?
On the Desktop by default. Press Shift-Command-5 and open Options to see or change the Save to location.
How do I find all screenshots on my Mac?
Run mdfind "kMDItemIsScreenCapture == 1" in Terminal, or search Finder for “Screenshot”. Spotlight finds them even if you moved them.
Is it safe to delete old screenshots?
Yes, if you don’t need them. They’re ordinary image files. Check for receipts or confirmations you captured before you delete.
How do I take a screenshot without saving a file?
Hold Control as well: Control-Shift-Command-4 copies the selection to the clipboard instead of saving it.