Fastest Way to Save Screenshots to Dropbox Automatically (Windows and Mac)

What’s the fastest way to save screenshots to Dropbox? I used to do it the long way: press Print Screen, paste into my image editor, IrfanView, then save the file into a Dropbox folder so I could use it in WordPress articles later. Then I found a Dropbox setting that saves Dropbox screenshots automatically the moment you press the key, with no pasting, naming or choosing folders. Here’s how to turn it on in 2026 on Windows and Mac.

Quick answer: Click the Dropbox icon in the taskbar (Windows) or menu bar (Mac), click your profile picture and choose Preferences. Open the Backups tab (called Import in older versions) and tick Share screenshots using Dropbox. Now every screenshot is saved to the Screenshots folder in your Dropbox and synced to all your devices.

How to save Dropbox screenshots automatically

1. Click the Dropbox icon at the bottom right of your Windows taskbar, or at the top of your Mac’s menu bar.
2. Click your profile picture (or initials) and choose Preferences.

3. Go to the Backups tab. In older Dropbox versions this option was in the Import tab, as in our screenshot below.
4. Tick Share screenshots using Dropbox and close the window.

Now take a screenshot. Dropbox shows a notification that it was saved, and the file appears in the Screenshots folder in your Dropbox, named with the date and time. Dropbox’s help page on saving screenshots to Dropbox has the latest details.

Which keys take Dropbox screenshots?

• Windows: PrtScn captures the whole screen; Alt + PrtScn captures the active window.
• Mac: Shift + Command + 3 captures the whole screen; Shift + Command + 4 lets you select an area.

Windows 11 tip: on newer Windows 11 PCs, the PrtScn key opens the Snipping Tool by default, which can stop Dropbox catching the key. To use Dropbox instead, go to Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard and turn off Use the Print screen key to open screen capture.

Why I love this

I take lots of screenshots to plan articles and share with readers. Before, I often forgot where I’d saved a screenshot and what I’d named it. Now every screenshot goes to one place in one keypress, with no decisions about crop size, folder or file name, and I can find it on any of my computers or my phone because Dropbox syncs everything.

When I need to edit one, I still open it in IrfanView. (If its Save for Web plugin is missing, here’s how to fix the IrfanView RIOT plugin.)

Alternatives to Dropbox screenshots

• Snipping Tool (Windows 11): saves screenshots automatically to Pictures > Screenshots. If OneDrive backs up your Pictures folder, they sync to the cloud too.
• OneDrive: has its own setting to save screenshots to OneDrive automatically.
• Mac screenshot folder: press Shift + Command + 5, click Options, and choose Other Location to save screenshots straight into your Dropbox folder.
• Google Drive: see how to save images and screenshots from websites to Google Drive.

Frequently asked questions

Where does Dropbox save screenshots?

In a folder called Screenshots in your Dropbox. Each file is named with the date and time it was taken. If you want a video of your screen rather than a picture, see how to screen record on Windows 11 for free or screen record on a Mac with sound.

How do I stop screenshots going to Dropbox?

Open Preferences > Backups in the Dropbox desktop app and untick Share screenshots using Dropbox.

Does Dropbox copy the screenshot link to my clipboard?

It can. With screenshot sharing on, Dropbox may copy a share link to the clipboard so you can paste it straight into a chat or email. Be careful not to share sensitive screenshots by accident.

Do Dropbox screenshots use my storage?

Yes. They count towards your Dropbox storage, so delete ones you no longer need, especially on the free 2 GB Basic plan.