Screenshot app won't remember my settings

When I make a screenshot, I want the image immediately saved to my desktop, without that annoying little five-second preview down in the right corner of the screen.


Luckily, there's a setting for just that: just remove the check mark for Show Floating Thumbnail.


But for some time now, the Screenshot app won't remember my chosen setting, the check mark keeps returning after every screenshot I make.


Is there a settings file somewhere that might be corrupt and can be deleted via Terminal?


MBP M3 Max 16", Sonoma 14.4

Posted on Mar 25, 2025 6:27 AM

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Mar 25, 2025 8:18 AM in response to jeffreythefrog

ok. so if you use "shift-command-5" to bring up the screenshot / recordings options, and then choose one of the screenshot selections, you can then choose "Remember Last Selection" and it will be applied to your screenshots.

Thanks, but as I said, I don't see the relevance of this. As far as I can understand, the "last selection" is only relevant if you launch the app and want it to start in the correct mode. Using propeller-shift-4 and space, I go directly to the mode I want to use.


Also, this has, I assume, nothing to do with the floating thumbnail. Which is corroborated by the fact that this has always worked well in the past; when Apple first implemented the floating preview, I pretty quickly found out how to disable it, and I have never seen it since. Until now: it pops up every time I press propeller-shift-4 and space, and the check mark that I remove every time pops back.

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Mar 25, 2025 8:17 AM in response to Owl-53

Just TESTED using " propeller-shift-4 " running Sequoia 15.3.2 …

Bravo, and that's what could be expected. Unless you have unchecked the floating thumbnail thing, as I have; then the expected outcome is that the image is directly saved to the desktop (or wherever).


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Mar 25, 2025 9:11 AM in response to 750 H2C

And so we are going in circles and never getting anywhere

OP wrote " Thanks, I just might upgrade to 14.7.4.


It maybe relevant If you do plan to update or upGrade


But if you do not backup


You run the risk you were alerted to Avoid

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Mar 25, 2025 9:30 AM in response to jeffreythefrog

jeffreythefrog wrote:

yes, I understand that. and I'm trying to explain to you that even though you are launching the app to select the "remember" function, once it is set within the app, it is supposed to work for "direct" screenshots as well when using "shift-command-4" to initiate the screenshot.

You're not correct about the "direct" way via keyboard combo. Please read Apple's support page about this (I posted the link above); every screenshot mode has its own key combination. Propeller-shift-4 always gives me either a selectable are or (with space bar) window.

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Mar 25, 2025 10:26 AM in response to jeffreythefrog

What options are that? There are specific key combos for specific modes. No options.


In the app, you can select modes A, B, C and D (and possibly more). The last-used mode is remembered for the next time you use the app.


Also, there are specific key combos for direct access to mode A, B, C and D. Propeller-shift-4 and space is for mode C. Other key combos give me A, B and D respectively.


Which mode was last used by the app is not relevant.


And it is also completely irrelevant to my question, which was about the floating preview.


Now we have used 90% of this thread to discuss this irrelevant feature of the app, and 5% to discuss backup solutions. Are there any relevant ideas out there?

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Apr 18, 2025 2:23 AM in response to stopforcingusernames

Updati is never going to fix anything if it is not a bug in the first place.


Your settings are not sticking. That is a local problem that others are not experiencing.

It is not even a problem with your Mac - only with your user account. If you log in to another account in your mac, you will see that the floating thumbnail settings (on or off) will stick.


I have told you how to delete the corrupted settings file and thus reset them. After doing that I am sure that things will work as expected.

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Screenshot app won't remember my settings

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