Mac Screenshot Shortcut Not Working? 8 Fixes for Cmd+Shift+4 (2026)

Why is Cmd+Shift+4 not working on my Mac?

The most common cause is that another app has claimed the Cmd+Shift+4 shortcut, silently overriding macOS's built-in screenshot function. Third-party tools like CleanShot X, Monosnap, and Droplr often reassign this shortcut when you install them. The second most common cause is a macOS update resetting your keyboard shortcut settings — this has been reported after upgrades to Sequoia and Tahoe.

Below are eight fixes, ordered from most likely to solve it to least. Start at the top and stop when screenshots work again.

Quick reference: Mac screenshot shortcuts

If none of these shortcuts produce a crosshair cursor or a screenshot file, work through the fixes below.

Fix 1: Reset screenshot keyboard shortcuts in System Settings

This is the fix that works for most people. macOS updates and third-party apps can silently disable or reassign screenshot shortcuts without telling you.

1. Open System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts.
2. Click Screenshots in the left sidebar.
3. Verify that all screenshot options have checkmarks next to them. If any are unchecked, check them.
4. Click Restore Defaults at the bottom to reset all screenshot shortcuts to their factory assignments.

After restoring defaults, try Cmd+Shift+4 again. If the crosshair cursor appears and you can drag to capture, you're done.

Fix 2: Check for third-party app conflicts

If another app has claimed the same shortcut, macOS shows a yellow warning badge next to the conflicting shortcut in Keyboard Shortcuts settings. Look for it in the Screenshots section.

Common apps that reassign Cmd+Shift+4:

• CleanShot X — reassigns all screenshot shortcuts by default during setup.
• Monosnap — can claim region capture shortcuts.
• Droplr — uses similar shortcuts for its own capture tool.
• Skitch — older versions override macOS screenshot shortcuts.

To test: quit the suspected app (check the menu bar for its icon, right-click, Quit), then try the shortcut again. If it works, go into that app's settings and change its shortcut to something else, or uninstall it.

Fix 3: Fix your keyboard input source

Non-English keyboard layouts like AZERTY, QWERTZ, or Dvorak can remap the number keys, breaking shortcuts that rely on specific key positions. If you recently switched layouts or added a new input source, this could be the cause.

1. Open System Settings > Keyboard > Input Sources (or Edit next to Input Sources).
2. If you have multiple input sources, make sure English (or your primary layout) is at the top of the list.
3. Switch to the English input source using the menu bar input menu, then try the shortcut again.

Fix 4: Restart your Mac

A simple restart clears temporary glitches in the processes that handle screenshots — screencaptureui and WindowServer. Click Apple menu > Restart and try the shortcut after your Mac boots up.

If you don't want to restart, you can try killing just the screenshot process: open Terminal and run killall screencaptureui. But a full restart is more reliable because it also resets WindowServer.

Fix 5: Check available disk space

macOS saves screenshots as files (by default to your Desktop). If your startup disk is nearly full, macOS silently fails to create the screenshot file — no error message, no crosshair, nothing.

1. Click Apple menu > About This Mac > Storage (or More Info > Storage Settings on newer macOS).
2. If available space is under 1 GB, free up space: empty Trash, delete old downloads, or move files to an external drive.
3. Try the shortcut again after freeing space.

Fix 6: Delete corrupted screenshot preferences

macOS stores screenshot settings (save location, file format, timer) in a preferences file. If this file gets corrupted, screenshots can stop working entirely. Deleting it forces macOS to regenerate it with default settings.

1. Open Finder and press Cmd+Shift+G.
2. Type ~/Library/Preferences/ and press Enter.
3. Find the file com.apple.screencapture.plist.
4. Move it to your Desktop (don't delete it yet — you can restore it if this doesn't help).
5. Restart your Mac.

macOS will create a fresh com.apple.screencapture.plist on restart. Try Cmd+Shift+4 — if it works, you can delete the old file from your Desktop.

Fix 7: Boot into Safe Mode

Safe Mode disables third-party login items, extensions, and non-essential system services. If screenshots work in Safe Mode but not normally, a login item or extension is the cause.

Apple Silicon Macs (M1, M2, M3, M4):

1. Shut down your Mac.
2. Press and hold the power button until you see "Loading startup options."
3. Select your startup disk, then hold Shift and click "Continue in Safe Mode."

Intel Macs:

1. Shut down your Mac.
2. Turn it on and immediately hold the Shift key during startup.
3. Release Shift when you see the login window.

If screenshots work in Safe Mode, restart normally and then disable login items one by one in System Settings > General > Login Items & Extensions to find the culprit.

Fix 8: Reset NVRAM (Intel Macs only)

NVRAM stores certain system settings that persist across restarts. Resetting it can fix persistent keyboard shortcut issues on Intel Macs. Apple Silicon Macs reset NVRAM automatically on every restart, so this step only applies to Intel models.

1. Shut down your Mac.
2. Turn it on and immediately hold Cmd+Option+P+R.
3. Keep holding for about 20 seconds. Your Mac may restart during this process.
4. Release the keys and let your Mac boot normally.
5. Go back to Fix 1 and verify your screenshot shortcuts are still enabled.

Still not working? Try an alternative screenshot method

If none of the fixes above solve it, you can work around the issue while you investigate further:

• Open the Screenshot app directly: find it in Applications > Utilities > Screenshot, or search for "Screenshot" in Spotlight (Cmd+Space). This uses the same capture engine but doesn't rely on keyboard shortcuts.
• Use a third-party screenshot tool. LazyScreenshots ($29 one-time) uses its own capture engine and keyboard shortcuts — independent of macOS's built-in screenshot system. Useful if macOS's screenshot shortcuts remain broken after a system update, and especially handy if you work with AI coding assistants since it auto-pastes captures directly into Claude, Cursor, and ChatGPT.