Why is my screen grab on Mac not working?

Question

79 viewsAugust 27, 2024Laptop

Pippy

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I’ve been trying to take a screenshot on my Mac, but for some reason, it’s not working as expected. I’m pressing the usual key combinations, but nothing happens. The screen grab feature has always been pretty reliable for me, so this is really frustrating. I haven’t changed any major settings recently or installed any new software that might interfere with it. I rely on screenshots for my work and projects, so this issue is quite problematic. I’ve double-checked the keyboard and everything seems to be in order, but the problem persists. I’m not sure what else could be causing this issue and it’s really starting to slow me down.

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7 Answers

Hatty · Answer 1 · 2024-11-09T17:35:01+00:00

For me, the cause was a little less obvious—I was running low on storage space. To make sure this isn’t your problem, navigate to About This Mac > Storage. If storage is low, freeing up some space can help. If this doesn’t resolve the issue, Safe Mode might reveal third-party software problems. Restart your Mac while holding the Shift key. If screenshots work in Safe Mode, you may need to uninstall recent apps to find the culprit.

Kearney · Answer 2 · 2024-11-02T04:04:11+00:00

After a macOS update, you might encounter various glitches. A macOS reinstall fixed my screenshot woes: Restart your Mac while holding Command + R to access Recovery Mode. Choose Reinstall macOS. This keeps your files safe but refreshes the system. I always back up first, but this process made everything smooth again.

Ithiel · Answer 3 · 2024-10-24T01:41:00+00:00

Have you considered resetting the NVRAM? It’s straightforward: 1. Turn off your Mac. 2. Turn it back on while pressing Option, Command, P, and R keys. 3. Hold for 20 seconds, then release. After your Mac restarts, many common issues, including screenshot troubles, can be resolved. Give it a try!

Marina · Answer 4 · 2024-09-28T17:35:37+00:00

Forum advice led me to check my external monitor connections, as display settings can get confused, impacting screenshot functionality. Disconnect and reconnect any monitors, and then restart your Mac. This step surprisingly resolved my issue, so it’s worth considering.

Johann · Answer 5 · 2024-09-16T20:05:28+00:00

You might experience this problem due to modified keyboard shortcuts or system settings. Check these steps: 1. Verify the screenshot shortcuts in System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts > Screenshots. Make sure everything is correctly configured. 2. Consider restarting your Mac. It’s a straightforward fix, often solving minor issues. 3. Check for macOS updates: go to System Preferences > Software Update and install any available updates. Outdated software might cause functionality issues. 4. Ensure your screenshots aren’t saving to unexpected locations like Clipboard or specific folders. Explore different locations like Desktop or Pictures folder. 5. Interference from third-party applications like Dropbox can also be a problem. Disable these apps temporarily to see if they are causing the issue.

Jade · Answer 6 · 2024-09-05T11:06:43+00:00

Check your keyboard settings first. Go to System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts > Screen Shots and see if your key combinations are correctly assigned. Another thing to ensure is that your screenshots are not saving to the clipboard. Open the Screenshot app with Command + Shift + 5, click Options, and select either Desktop or Documents to set your screenshot destination. This often resolves the issue quickly if the settings have somehow changed.

Alejo · Answer 7 · 2024-08-31T17:15:15+00:00

Running First Aid in Disk Utility resolved my issues: 1. Open Disk Utility from Applications > Utilities. 2. Select your startup disk. 3. Click First Aid and run it. This fixes minor system errors and might solve your screenshot issues without a hassle.