macOS Screenshot Toolbar Doesn't Remember Its Default Position

Like my colleague, @Luis Sequeira1, I cannot replicate the issue that you describe. On my 16" M4 Pro MBP running macOS 27.0.1, the screenshot toolbar stays where it is placed, time after time. When the placement is in the 'snapped-to' location at the bottom center of the screen or when it is positioned elsewhere by dragging it, that position is remembered for successive screenshots (I would certainly notice a different behavior because Command-Shift-5 is my usual screenshot-taking method).

Have you rebooted your Mac? If not, that's the first step. If that does not help, then see if the problem is present when you boot in safe mode. That process performs some system cleanup and clears caches, and also disables 3rd party extensions that may cause problems.

Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support

If that does not correct the issue, test in a new user account. A newly-created user account will have all settings at default, and if the issue does not occur in that new account then it provides guidance on what may need to be changed to correct the issue.

Add a user or group on Mac - Apple Support

Once the testing is complete, the new account can easily be deleted.

Delete a user or group on Mac – Apple Support

Those steps will help to isolate the problem.

If the issue occurs in safe mode and in a new user account, that does suggest it's a bug in macOS. However, the fact that others cannot reproduce the behavior suggests that if it's a bug, there are some specific dependencies.

Unexpected issues like this that appear to be bugs but cannot be reproduced by others are often traced to 3rd party extensions with compatibility issues. If you have 3rd party ‘protection’ software installed, that may be the problem. That includes:

• Cleaners (software claiming to automatically free up space)
• Optimizers (software claiming to make your Mac run faster)
• Antivirus software
• VPN software (unless provided by a school/employer to enable access to internal resources from a remote location)

Such 3rd party system ‘helpers’, ‘cleaners’ and ‘protectors’ do more harm than good. In fact, such products are completely unnecessary for macOS and the only ‘good’ (if you want to call it that) they do is to put money in the developers’ pockets. Cleaners and protectors cause compatibility issues, often after macOS updates. Commercial VPNs claim to hide your browsing activity from websites, and while that may be true those VPN providers just sell your browsing data to others. For the user, all of these types of software offer only harm…and if that is limited to harm to your bank account, then count yourself lucky. If you have installed such software, follow the developer’s instructions to completely uninstall it (note that some developers fail to provide instructions and their software installs can be pervasive, meaning the only way to truly remove it is to erase your Mac, reinstall macOS then restore your user files from a backup).

It might help to download and run EtreCheck, written by a long-time forum member. The free version is fine. Post the full report using the Additional Text button. No personal information is revealed. 

I cannot reproduce this issue. The screenshot toolbar remembers its last position on my Mac.

Have you tried restarting? It could be a one-off glitch goes away after a restart.

If the problem persists: does it happen while in Safe Mode? And does it happen if you log in to a new user account?

The answers will help narrowing it down.

Could Stage Manager Be Responsible?

Yes, Stage Manager is a plausible indirect contributor, but there is not yet enough evidence to establish that it causes this specific Screenshot toolbar-positioning problem.

Both Stage Manager and the macOS Screenshot toolbar interact with the desktop and window-management environment. However, that connection alone does not establish a causal relationship.

The best test

1. Temporarily turn Stage Manager off

Open Control Centre, select Stage Manager, and turn it off.

2. Repeat the exact reproduction steps

Press Command + Shift + 5, drag the toolbar to the bottom-centre position, close it, and reopen it. Observe whether it returns to the expected position or shifts to the right.

3. Repeat with Stage Manager enabled

Turn Stage Manager back on and repeat the same steps, keeping your display configuration, desktop, and window positions unchanged.

4. Compare the results

• The toolbar stays centred with Stage Manager off but shifts right when it is on: This supports the possibility that Stage Manager or its interaction with macOS window management is involved.

• The toolbar shifts right in both cases: Stage Manager is less likely to be the primary cause.

The results vary between attempts: The issue may involve inconsistent toolbar-position memory or another factor that needs to be isolated.

For a more reliable comparison, repeat the test several times in each mode.

My recommendation: Try this reversible test before resetting preferences or running Terminal commands. It is a practical first step, although the results will indicate a possible relationship rather than prove the root cause.

One question that would help narrow it down: Does the toolbar shift to the right immediately when you reopen it, or does it shift only after you move windows or switch between Stage Manager groups?

I think I've found the exact steps to reproduce the issue!

Press Command + Shift + 5 to open the screenshot toolbar.

Click Capture Selected Window in the toolbar.

Drag the toolbar back to its default bottom-center position until it magnetically snaps into place.

Press Esc to close the toolbar.

Press Command + Shift + 5 again.

This appears to be triggered specifically after switching to the "Capture Selected Window" mode.

I've also confirmed that disabling Stage Manager does not resolve the issue.

Could you please try reproducing it using these exact steps?

Yes, I can confirm that behavior, seems to only occur with the toolbar set to the Capture Selected Window option (not something I use, I just press the Space bar after pressing Command-Shift-5 to capture a window).

1. Set the toolbar to Capture Selected Window
2. Press Command-Shift-5 and drag the toolbar to the 'snap-to' location (if it's already there, drag it away then back), then press Esc.
3. Press Command-Shift-5 again and the toolbar has moved down and to the right without user interaction.

Good work identifying the steps (I simplified them a bit).

Bugs can be reported to Apple here:

Feedback - macOS - Apple

Luis Sequeira1 wrote:

I still cannot force this error to occur on my mac. Regardless of how many times I select "Capture Selected Window", and whether I do it before or after dragging, the toolbar always stays where I put it.

The only time it moves on it's own for me is when Capture Selected Window is the active tool mode and the toolbar is moved the 'snap-to' location at the bottom center of the screen. If I place it anywhere else, it stays where I put it. Perhaps 'snap-to' location is not clear? If you drag the toolbar down near the lower center of the screen (just above the dock area), when you get to a certain location the toolbar will 'snap to' a centered position. Release it at that point. Then press Esc, then Command-Shift-5 again.

Luis Sequeira1 wrote:

neuroanatomist wrote:

The only time it moves on it's own for me is when Capture Selected Window is the active tool mode and the toolbar is moved the 'snap-to' location at the bottom center of the screen. If I place it anywhere else, it stays where I put it. Perhaps 'snap-to' location is not clear? If you drag the toolbar down near the lower center of the screen (just above the dock area), when you get to a certain location the toolbar will 'snap to' a centered position. Release it at that point. Then press Esc, then Command-Shift-5 again.

Thank you for the clarification, but I did understand the first time around. For me, it does not happen, even with Capture Selected Window selected, and when snapping to the centered position. It always stays where I put it. I tested this in two different macs with the same result.

Same here on 1 M6 Desktop, 1 M5 Laptop and 1 M4 Desktop each with Golden Gate 27.0.1 ( 26A434 )

I think I've found the exact steps to reproduce the issue!

1. Press Command + Shift + 5 to open the screenshot toolbar.
2. Click Capture Selected Window in the toolbar.
3. Drag the toolbar back to its default bottom-center position until it magnetically snaps into place.
4. Press Esc to close the toolbar.
5. Press Command + Shift + 5 again.

This appears to be triggered specifically after switching to the "Capture Selected Window" mode.

I've also confirmed that disabling Stage Manager does not resolve the issue.

Could you please try reproducing it using these exact steps?

I think I've found the exact steps to reproduce the issue!

Press Command + Shift + 5 to open the screenshot toolbar.

Click Capture Selected Window in the toolbar.

Drag the toolbar back to its default bottom-center position until it magnetically snaps into place.

Press Esc to close the toolbar.

Press Command + Shift + 5 again.

This appears to be triggered specifically after switching to the "Capture Selected Window" mode.

I've also confirmed that disabling Stage Manager does not resolve the issue.

Could you please try reproducing it using these exact steps?

1. Press Command + Shift + 5 to open the screenshot toolbar.

2. Drag the toolbar to its default bottom-center position, where it magnetically snaps into place.

3. Close the screenshot toolbar ( using the ESC key )

4. Press Command + Shift + 5 again.

Following your steps without Stage Manager enabled 

I can not reproduce  the stated issue  on macOS 27.0.1 build 27.0.1 (26A434)

Thanks for testing this!

Stage Manager was enabled on my Mac. I disabled it and repeated the exact same steps, but the issue still persists.

The screenshot toolbar continues to shift toward the bottom-right corner when I close and reopen it using Command + Shift + 5, even with Stage Manager disabled.

So it doesn't appear to be related to Stage Manager, at least in my case.

If you believe you have identified behaviour in macOS 27 Golden Gate that does not function as intended or does not appear to work as described in Apple’s documentation, you may wish to report it to Apple as a possible software issue.

Apple can review the report and determine whether the behaviour requires further investigation. To help with that investigation, it is important to provide clear and accurate steps showing how the issue occurred, what you expected to happen, and what actually happened. Apple may also request additional information, diagnostic logs, files, screenshots, screen recordings, or further steps to reproduce the issue.

If Apple decides that the report warrants further investigation, the issue may be examined by the appropriate Apple teams. Those investigating the issue may attempt to reproduce the behaviour under controlled test conditions and determine whether it occurs consistently and whether the reported steps reliably produce the same result.

If the behaviour can be investigated and is determined not to be working as intended, Apple may identify a potential fix or take other appropriate action. However, Apple may also determine that the behaviour works as designed, that additional information is required to diagnose the issue, or that the issue is caused by third-party software or hardware.

For this reason, a clear and repeatable set of steps, together with relevant diagnostic information, is one of the most important parts of an effective report to Apple.

Apple's published guidance specifically recommends providing detailed reproduction steps, expected and actual results, and relevant diagnostic information. Apple also notes that it may request additional information or files while investigating a report. (Apple Developer)

 Product Feedback - and make it known to Apple regarding this ongoing issue

I still cannot force this error to occur on my mac. Regardless of how many times I select "Capture Selected Window", and whether I do it before or after dragging, the toolbar always stays where I put it.

neuroanatomist wrote:

The only time it moves on it's own for me is when Capture Selected Window is the active tool mode and the toolbar is moved the 'snap-to' location at the bottom center of the screen. If I place it anywhere else, it stays where I put it. Perhaps 'snap-to' location is not clear? If you drag the toolbar down near the lower center of the screen (just above the dock area), when you get to a certain location the toolbar will 'snap to' a centered position. Release it at that point. Then press Esc, then Command-Shift-5 again.

Thank you for the clarification, but I did understand the first time around. For me, it does not happen, even with Capture Selected Window selected, and when snapping to the centered position. It always stays where I put it. I tested this in two different macs with the same result.

Luis Sequeira1 wrote:

Thank you for the clarification, but I did understand the first time around. For me, it does not happen, even with Capture Selected Window selected, and when snapping to the centered position. It always stays where I put it. I tested this in two different macs with the same result.

Odd. Definitely reproducible for me, even after a reboot. I don't see it on Tahoe, but I do on Golden Gate. Not something I'll lose sleep over, though.