3 ms·

Tell HN: Screenshots on macOS don't have to be date named files with spaces

5 points by cs1996 21d ago

Do you not like lots of files on your Desktop like Screenshot 2026-09-14 at 6.42.17 AM.png ? mkdir ~/Screenshots defaults write com.apple.screencapture location "$HOME/Screenshots" killall SystemUIServer https://gist.github.com/andrewarrow/1584ca32badeb19868dcc3bec657eaa9 https://gist.github.com/andrewarrow/3d61d1c8ecdd3a7e7401bbec481718ca launchctl bootstrap gui/$(id -u) ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.aa.rename-screenshot.plist And now I get: ~/Screenshots $ ls basifacial_decidua.png dehull_knopweed.png erlking_walloping.png

cs1996 21d ago
I had to look up some of the random words: basifacial: relating to the lower half of the face decidua: a specialized lining dehull: to remove the husk from a seed knopweed: a flowering weed. erlking: a malevolent supernatural spirit walloping: a severe beating/defeat so this works as a vocab words of the day thing too
runjake 21d ago
You can create a Shortcuts automation on macOS 27 that fires when a new image is saved to the Screenshots folder that uses Apple Intelligence to view the image and rename the file accordingly (eg: "finder-window.png"). 1. Create a new shortcut with Images as the input. 2. Then "Use On-Device model" action with a prompt like: --- You are an expert digital archivist. Analyze this screenshot and generate a filename for long-term storage and retrieval. The filename should: - clearly identify what the screenshot is about - include product, application, website, or system names when visible - include the key task, configuration, event, or issue shown - be useful to someone searching for this image years later - avoid filler words - do not include the time in the filename Formatting: - lowercase - hyphen-separated - 30-80 characters - no extension Return only the filename and nothing else. Here is the screenshot: {Item} --- 3. Then, add a "Renamed {item} to {response}" action. 4. Then, save this shortcut and add it as an automation with the "When items are changed in folder" action.
- cs1996 21d ago
  wow very cool. That's definitely better than mine. Props.
  - runjake 21d ago
    Improve on it, and share it back!
    - cs1996 21d ago
      man it took codex HOURS to get this right but finally it works: https://gist.github.com/andrewarrow/964e11b760806848006f4c8773c53e9d https://gist.github.com/andrewarrow/964e11b760806848006f4c87... https://gist.github.com/andrewarrow/fd5de072214871d55813ec3868bb6fce https://gist.github.com/andrewarrow/fd5de072214871d55813ec38... https://gist.github.com/andrewarrow/15a8b67122969d610dceba8adb5d3233 https://gist.github.com/andrewarrow/15a8b67122969d610dceba8a... that last one is base64 encoded binary file of the "AI Rename Screenshot.shortcut"

5 points by cs1996 21d ago

cs1996 21d ago

I had to look up some of the random words: basifacial: relating to the lower half of the face decidua: a specialized lining dehull: to remove the husk from a seed knopweed: a flowering weed. erlking: a malevolent supernatural spirit walloping: a severe beating/defeat so this works as a vocab words of the day thing too

runjake 21d ago

You can create a Shortcuts automation on macOS 27 that fires when a new image is saved to the Screenshots folder that uses Apple Intelligence to view the image and rename the file accordingly (eg: "finder-window.png"). 1. Create a new shortcut with Images as the input. 2. Then "Use On-Device model" action with a prompt like: --- You are an expert digital archivist. Analyze this screenshot and generate a filename for long-term storage and retrieval. The filename should: - clearly identify what the screenshot is about - include product, application, website, or system names when visible - include the key task, configuration, event, or issue shown - be useful to someone searching for this image years later - avoid filler words - do not include the time in the filename Formatting: - lowercase - hyphen-separated - 30-80 characters - no extension Return only the filename and nothing else. Here is the screenshot: {Item} --- 3. Then, add a "Renamed {item} to {response}" action. 4. Then, save this shortcut and add it as an automation with the "When items are changed in folder" action.

cs1996 21d ago
wow very cool. That's definitely better than mine. Props.
- runjake 21d ago
  Improve on it, and share it back!
  - cs1996 21d ago
    man it took codex HOURS to get this right but finally it works: https://gist.github.com/andrewarrow/964e11b760806848006f4c8773c53e9d https://gist.github.com/andrewarrow/964e11b760806848006f4c87... https://gist.github.com/andrewarrow/fd5de072214871d55813ec3868bb6fce https://gist.github.com/andrewarrow/fd5de072214871d55813ec38... https://gist.github.com/andrewarrow/15a8b67122969d610dceba8adb5d3233 https://gist.github.com/andrewarrow/15a8b67122969d610dceba8a... that last one is base64 encoded binary file of the "AI Rename Screenshot.shortcut"