What to do when the Mac screenshot shortcut does not work
If Shift-Command-3, Shift-Command-4 or Shift-Command-5 seems to do nothing, check three things in order: whether the shortcuts are still switched on in System Settings, whether the screenshot was saved somewhere you did not look, and whether the app you are in blocks capture. Apple’s pages are checked on 4 November 2026. They do not give a troubleshooting list for this problem, so this page sticks to what they document.
1. Check the shortcuts
Apple says you can change the screenshot shortcuts in System Settings, Keyboard, Keyboard Shortcuts, then Screenshots. Open that list and look at each entry. If a shortcut is unticked or was changed to different keys, restore it. Use Shift-Command-5 as a test, because it opens the toolbar and shows that the shortcut works at all.
2. Check where the file went
The shortcut may have worked and the file is elsewhere. Captures made with the shortcuts go to the desktop, according to the Mac User Guide, but if you changed the folder the file may be in that folder. Press Shift-Command-5, click Options and read the Save to list. Also remember that adding Control copies to the clipboard instead of saving. See where Mac screenshots are saved and screenshot to the clipboard on a Mac.
3. Wait for the thumbnail
With Show Floating Thumbnail on, the preview sits in the corner for a few seconds. A file may appear a moment later. Swipe the thumbnail right to save it at once. See how to turn off the screenshot preview.
4. Check the app
Apple notes that some apps, such as the Apple TV app, may not allow screenshots of their windows. Try the shortcut on the desktop or in a plain document.
5. Check the keyboard
If only a key in the combination fails, the keyboard may be at fault. Try a different key combination in the Screenshots shortcut list, or use the Screenshot app from Launchpad or Spotlight. Apple’s pages say you can open Screenshot that way.
What Apple does not cover
Apple’s screenshot pages say nothing about restarting, updates or other fixes for a shortcut that fails. If none of the steps above helps, the problem is outside what these pages document.
For the shortcuts themselves, read how to screenshot on a Mac.
NotchStar’s Screenshot Tray only reacts to screenshots that macOS takes, so it cannot fix a shortcut that is switched off.
