Why is my Mac screenshot not saving after dragging screenshot?

Question

55 viewsDecember 11, 2024Laptop

Manasi

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I’ve been experiencing an issue with my Mac where, after I take a screenshot and try to drag it to my desktop, it doesn’t seem to save. It’s frustrating because I need these screenshots for my projects, and it’s becoming quite a hassle. I thought it might be a temporary glitch, but it’s been happening consistently. I’ve tried different methods, like using various keyboard shortcuts and even changing the save location in the settings, but nothing seems to work. The screenshots simply vanish when I drag them, and they don’t appear in any folders. I’m not sure if there’s something wrong with the system software or if there’s another setting I need to adjust. Has anyone else encountered this problem with their Mac screenshots not saving after dragging? Any insights into why this is happening would be appreciated. Thank you.

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7 Answers

Heriberto · Answer 1 · 2025-01-07T18:13:49+00:00

In my situation, the issue was with iCloud Drive. If you are using iCloud Drive for Desktop and Documents, the syncing can interfere with saving files. What I did was:
1. Open ‘System Preferences’ from the ‘Apple’ menu.
2. Select ‘Apple ID’ > ‘iCloud.’
3. Check if ‘Desktop & Documents Folders’ is enabled under iCloud Drive.
4. If it’s enabled, temporarily disable it to see if that resolves the problem.
This simple adjustment fixed the issue for me.

Irvin · Answer 2 · 2025-01-06T07:05:59+00:00

Resetting the NVRAM/PRAM resolved the issue for me. Here’s how:
1. Shut down your Mac completely.
2. Hold Option + Command + P + R keys simultaneously.
3. Keep holding the keys for about 20 seconds, then release as the Mac restarts.
This reset helped fix the saving problem on my Mac.

Immanuel · Answer 3 · 2024-12-30T07:41:31+00:00

Facing the same issue, updating my macOS turned out to be the solution. Sometimes, system bugs can be resolved through updates. Here’s what worked for me:
– Select ‘Apple’ menu, then ‘About This Mac.’
– Click ‘Software Update’ to check for updates available.
– If an update is available, click ‘Update Now’ and go through the instructions.
Updating the macOS solved the screenshot problem in my case, so it might help you too!

Tamah · Answer 4 · 2024-12-30T00:19:14+00:00

When I encountered this problem, it was due to a cluttered desktop. With too many icons, the system couldn’t handle new files. Here’s what I did:
1. Clean and organize your desktop by moving files and folders out of it.
2. Temporarily change the screenshot save location using Terminal:
Open Terminal and enter:
defaults write com.apple.screencapture location /your-preferred-folder-path killall SystemUIServer

Test if screenshots now save correctly. If it works, you can switch back the save location to the desktop later. This clean-up worked wonders for me!

Colette · Answer 5 · 2024-12-24T18:37:20+00:00

My antivirus software was causing this issue by interfering with file permissions. To fix this, I:
– Temporarily disabled the antivirus software.
– Checked if I could save screenshots properly.
– Adjusted the file permissions settings within the antivirus software.
This resolved the problem on my Mac, so it’s worth investigating your antivirus settings.

Cherie · Answer 6 · 2024-12-21T21:12:55+00:00

I discovered that unconventional file names might be the root of this issue. Avoid using special characters, and instead use simple alphanumeric characters for your screenshot file names. Manually rename them if necessary. This solution worked for me, and hopefully, it helps you too.

Meriel · Answer 7 · 2024-12-15T15:24:23+00:00

I’ve had this problem before, and restarting my Mac was the first step I took. To make sure everything was set up correctly, I did the following steps:
1. Open ‘Apple’ menu and choose ‘System Preferences.’
2. Navigate to ‘Keyboard’ and click on ‘Shortcuts.’
3. Ensure that the checkbox for ‘Save pictures to desktop’ is checked.
4. In ‘Security & Privacy,’ go to the ‘Privacy’ tab and verify that necessary permissions are enabled for saving files to the desktop.
After these steps, the screenshots started saving correctly after dragging for me.