Screenshot on a Mac Not Working – 11 Fixes (2025)

If your Mac or MacBook screenshot is not working, don’t worry – these are the top five quickest fixes that usually solve the problem within minutes. Most users find that one of these steps restores screenshot functionality instantly.

1. Check your keyboard shortcuts

Open System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts > Screenshots and make sure all the shortcuts (like Command + Shift + 3 or 4) are enabled. If not, simply re-enable them and try again.

2. Restart your Mac

Sometimes, a small system glitch can prevent screenshotting. Click the Apple menu > Restart, allow your Mac to restart, and attempt the shortcuts once more.

3. Verify screenshot save location

If screenshots don’t appear on your desktop, check their save path. Press Command + Shift + 5 > Options, and see where your files are being stored. Change it back to Desktop if needed.

4. Reset NVRAM

NVRAM can store erroneous settings that are in conflict with screenshots. Restart your Mac, then hold down Command + Option + P + R for about 20 seconds during startup. Try taking a screenshot again after a restart.

5. Use Movavi Screen Recorder

When all else fails, Movavi Screen Recorder offers a fast, dependable way of recording and editing screenshots. It even includes scrolling capture, annotations, and instant export options – all just a few clicks away.

Some Mac users face a common screenshot on a Mac not working issue. If you are also facing the same problem, this article can help you with useful solutions.

Movavi Screen Recorder can be a great option when you need to take screenshots on your Mac without any hassle. The application is easy to use, and it comes with great features. Among them is a very useful ability to take scrolling screenshots. It will also let you edit your screenshots with ease.

Wondering “Why is my screenshot not working on a Mac?” Here are some solutions if you face the screenshot not working on a Mac problem.

The majority of users take a screenshot on Mac using the keyboard shortcut. Sometimes the keyboard settings might not be right, which can cause a screenshot on your Mac not working. So, if Mac screenshots are not saving to the desktop, you will need to recheck your keyboard settings. Here’s how to fix it:

1. Click on Open System Preferences using the Dock Apple menu.

2. Click on Keyboard and then Shortcuts.

3. You will get a list of options.

4. Select all the options and save them.

5. See if you can take screenshots.

A benign system error might cause a screenshot on your Mac not working. So, restarting the MacBook can help. To restart, click on the apple icon that you can find in the top-left corner of your screen. Click on Restart. It can also help if you check your system for updates.

1. Go to System Preferences.

2. Click on Software Update.

3. Your system will start checking for updates.

4. If any update is available, click on Update Now.

If your Mac is not taking screenshots, you can go for Movavi Screen Recorder. It can help you take easy screenshots. Also, the application allows users to record their screens.

1. Download the application and install it in your system.
2. Select the area you want to capture.
3. Movavi Screen Recorder has various editing features that let you edit your screenshots. You can add lines, texts, shapes, arrows, and clip screenshots on Mac.

NVRAM is a kind of computer memory that stores basic information about your system settings like time zone, volume, screen resolution, and many more. Resetting NVRAM can solve the issue if you face a problem while taking screenshots on your Mac. Resetting NVRAM is quite a simple task.

1. You will need to start by shutting down your Mac.
2. Restart the system again using the power button.
3. As you hear the startup sound, press at once – Command + Option + P + R on the keyboard. You will need to keep the keys pressed for about twenty seconds.

Even if a screenshot on your Mac is not working after this, keep reading.

A common reason behind the Mac screenshot not working issue could be the applications you have in your system. Or it could also be due to malware that is not allowing your system to take screenshots. If you want to test this out, you will have to start your system in safe mode to find out if your Mac can take screenshots.

1. Shut down your Mac and wait for about twenty seconds.
2. Restart the system and press Shift. Keep holding the key until you can see the login window.
3. You can see Safe Boot at the top right of the screen as you log in.

When your system has malware, it might result in a screenshot not working on your Mac. If you feel this might be the case, it is important to take the necessary action as soon as possible. To remove malware from the system:

1. Uninstall new programs from your computer.
2. Clean the system.
3. Optimize your Mac.

If any previous solutions cannot fix your problem of a screenshot not working on a Mac and you need to take it urgently, you can go for Grab. It is an application that comes in-built with Mac. You can use Grab to take a screenshot of a screen area, an entire screen, or an individual window. Here are the steps to follow.

1. Go to Applications.

2. Click on Utilities.

3. Search and open Grab.

4. Click on Capture.

5. You can now take screenshots according to your need.

Preview is another default tool you can use if a screenshot on your Mac is not working. It also permits capturing screenshots by clicking on the toolbox icon. Here are the steps to follow.

1. Click on Preview.

2. Go to File. A drop-down menu will open.

3. Click on Take Screenshot.

4. You will get the option to select a certain area on the screen, capture the entire screen, or capture a window.

You will know that when you take screenshots on Mac, it’s appearing on the desktop by default. But if you change the saving location by mistake, you will not be able to find the screenshots. However, it doesn’t mean that screenshots on your Mac are not working. Here are the steps to determine the saving location on Mac.

1. Start by launching the screenshot application from Option.

2. Find the saving location of your screenshots.

3. If it is any other location, change it to desktop.

The Preference file can cause macOS screenshot not working. If that is the case, you will need to move it to the desktop and find out if the screenshot function is working or not. Here are the steps to follow.

1. Start by opening Finder and Go.

2. Select Go to the folder and enter ~/Library/Preferences/.

3. You will need to search for the file
   -com.apple.ImageCaptureApp.plist.

4. Now, move this file to the desktop.

5. Restart the system.

6. Check if you can take screenshots now.

7. If your Mac is still not screenshotting, delete the file from the desktop.

If you use Dropbox on your Mac, you will need to set it up so you can save your screenshots to Dropbox instead of on the desktop.

1. Open Dropbox and click on Backups.
2. Check if the box right next to Share screenshots and screen recordings using Dropbox is checked or not.

Screenshots on Mac not working can seriously cripple your experience while using the system. Screenshotting can help you save images without large files, create visual stories, and so on. There is good news for you. You will not need to think about how to turn on screenshots on Mac, as it comes as a default feature. You will only need to remember the key combinations to take screenshots.

• To choose an area and screenshot using a tap – Command + Shift + 4
• To take a full-screen screenshot – Command + Shift + 3
• To screenshot a menu or window – Command + Shift + Space + 4
• To copy and paste a part of your screen to the clipboard – Command + Control + Shift + 4

You can use any of the above combinations according to your need. The tool comes in handy for quick and easy screenshots.

You can also use Movavi Screen Recorder as a screenshot tool for a Mac. Download and install the program and follow the instructions below.

1. Launch the recorder and click the Camera icon.
2. Drag the frame over the desired capture area or click the window you want to screenshot.
3. Click the Download icon to save the screenshot as an image file, Editor to annotate and edit the image, or the Copy icon to copy the screenshot to clipboard.

If you’ve gone through every trick in the book – checked your shortcuts, restarted twice, maybe even pleaded with your Mac – and screenshots still refuse to cooperate, don’t take it personally. Sometimes macOS just decides to be mysterious. For anyone typing ‘why isn’t my screenshot working on Mac’ into search, there are other ways to capture your screen that don’t rely on Apple’s finicky shortcuts.

1. Use the Screenshot app directly

This one hides in plain sight. Open Applications > Utilities > Screenshot (or type “Screenshot” in Spotlight), and you’ll get a small toolbar that handles full-screen grabs, window captures, or selected portions. It also lets you set timers and choose where to save the file – no key combos required.

2. Grab with Terminal (yes, really)

It sounds intimidating, but it’s weirdly satisfying. Open Terminal and type: screencapture ~/Desktop/screenshot.png. Press Enter, and voilà – you’ll find your screenshot right on the desktop. You can even use flags like -w to capture a window or -i for interactive mode. Nerdy? Sure. Effective? Always.

3. Record instead of snapping

When screenshots won’t work, try a screen recording. Open QuickTime Player > File > New Screen Recording. It’s not exactly a photo, but you can later pause the video and save any frame you want. Bonus: you capture movement too, so it’s great for tutorials or bug reports.

4. Give CleanShot X a spin

If you’ve decided Apple’s screenshot tool has officially retired, CleanShot X might be your next favorite thing. It’s fast, smooth, and made specifically for macOS. You can capture scrolling content, blur sensitive info, and instantly share your images – no messy settings or lost files.

Taking screenshots on a Mac is not tough as it comes as an in-built feature. But you might sometimes face problems that cause screenshots on your Mac not working for various reasons. You can use the solutions from this article to deal with the problem of Mac screenshot not working. Also, you can use third-party applications like Movavi Screen Recorder for hassle-free screenshots.