How to configure automatic screen capture and change the format of saved files in macOS?

By default, the macOS operating system saves all created screenshots to the desktop in PNG format. Over time, this leads to cluttering the workspace and creating excessively large files if screenshots are taken frequently for work purposes.

You can change the default folder where the system saves finished images. To do this, bring up the screen capture control panel using the keyboard shortcut, find the settings option, and select another save folder, such as a pre-created catalog in Documents.

In addition, you can change the screenshot file format from PNG to JPG, TIFF, PDF, or other supported formats using the built-in Terminal. Open the Terminal application, enter the appropriate command to change the file type and press Enter, then restart the system graphical interface.

If you are bothered by the constant appearance of the thumbnail preview in the lower right corner of the screen after every screenshot, this feature can also be disabled in the screen capture control panel settings so that files are sent directly to the destination folder without additional steps.