Screenshot Shortcut

Use these steps when Shift + Command + 4 does not start a selection screenshot. Test the shortcut after each step.

Restart SystemUIServer

killall SystemUIServer

This restarts the current user's SystemUIServer process. Menu bar icons may briefly disappear and reappear. It does not restart the Mac, close normal applications, delete files, or reset preferences.

If the command reports that no matching process was found, continue to the next step without using sudo.

Restart the Dock

killall Dock

Wait for the Dock to reappear, then test the shortcut. This can help with temporary desktop-interface issues, but the Dock does not directly control screenshot shortcuts.

Test Interactive Capture Directly

screencapture -i ~/Desktop/test.png

If the capture cursor appears, select an area to save a screenshot to ~/Desktop/test.png. Press Esc to cancel. Use another file name first if that file already exists.

Result	Likely meaning	Next step
A screenshot is saved	The capture feature works; the shortcut may be disabled or intercepted	Check macOS screenshot shortcuts and applications that use the same shortcut
No capture cursor appears	The issue may involve capture processes, permissions, or the current environment	Review terminal errors and macOS permission prompts
An area can be selected, but no file is saved	The issue may involve the save location or write permissions	Check the desktop location, terminal errors, and whether Esc was pressed
An error appears	More information is required	Keep the complete error message for further diagnosis

If macOS asks for screen-recording permission, follow the prompt and check the Terminal app's permissions.