Change the Default Screenshot Format
Set screenshots to save as JPG (or another format) permanently with defaults write.
Run `defaults write com.apple.screencapture type jpg && killall SystemUIServer` to switch new screenshots to JPG.
01Command
Command
$ defaults write com.apple.screencapture type jpg && killall SystemUIServer02What it does
PNG screenshots are lossless but large; JPG is more practical for sharing, and pdf/tif/gif/bmp are also accepted. The killall step makes the preference take effect immediately. It applies to Cmd-Shift-3/4/5 captures made from then on — files already on disk stay as they are.
03Risk
!Warning: JPG is lossy; if you edit screenshots or need sharp text, keep PNG and convert selectively with sips instead.
04Undo
Undo
$ defaults delete com.apple.screencapture type && killall SystemUIServer05Sources
- defaults — read and write user preferences (macOS man page)Evidence: Documents defaults write of a domain key pair, e.g. com.apple.screencapture settings.
Last verified: 2026-09-18 · Category: Media
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