Awesome Screenshot Upload Failed: How to Save the Capture Locally
Save an Awesome Screenshot capture locally before closing its tab, then troubleshoot cloud upload separately. Learn how to enable automatic downloads.
If an Awesome Screenshot capture is still open, click Download beside it now. That saves the capture to your browser’s configured download folder. Save it before closing the capture tab or window: an undownloaded screenshot in Local mode may be lost. A local download preserves the image; it does not repair or retry a failed cloud upload.
1. Save the open capture before closing it
- Return to the Awesome Screenshot capture tab or window.
- Click Download beside the screenshot.
- If the browser asks whether Awesome Screenshot can manage downloads, allow it.
- Wait for the browser’s download to finish, then open the downloaded file or check the browser’s download list.
The file should go to the browser’s configured download folder. If you do not know that folder, open the browser’s download list and use its option to reveal the file in the file manager. Do not close the capture until the download has completed.
2. Keep future Local captures automatically
In the Awesome Screenshot extension for Chrome or Edge, open Options and enable Auto-download screenshots. The setting is off by default. If the browser prompts you to let the extension manage downloads, choose Allow. Future captures made in Local mode can then download automatically.
Auto-download is a convenience for future captures; it cannot recover a capture that has already disappeared. For a one-off capture that is open now, use Download first.
3. Save as PDF when needed
For a Local-mode capture, use PDF beside the capture. The documented Local workflow only shows this option when Auto-download is off. For a Cloud capture, open More and choose Download as PDF. PDF export is separate from saving an image file.
4. Treat local saving and cloud upload as separate steps
If the cloud upload failed, first secure the screenshot with Download. Once the file is on your computer, you can retry the cloud workflow if you still need a shareable link. Awesome Screenshot documents an Upload to get shareable link action for a locally saved screenshot.
The available help instructions explain how to keep a screenshot locally, but do not identify the cause of a particular cloud-upload failure or define a universal fix. Do not assume that enabling Auto-download fixes cloud upload: it changes local saving behavior. Keep the downloaded original until you have confirmed that any required cloud copy or share link is available.
5. Troubleshoot the download or capture
| Symptom | Likely explanation | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The capture is still open, but no local file exists | The capture has not been downloaded, or the download did not finish. | Click Download, allow the browser permission prompt if shown, and wait for completion before closing the capture. |
| The capture tab was closed before downloading | An undownloaded Local-mode screenshot may be lost when its tab or window closes. | Reopen Awesome Screenshot and check whether the capture is still available. If it is not, capture the page again if possible. |
| The file downloaded somewhere unexpected | The browser’s configured download folder determines the destination. An extension conflict may affect the folder behavior. | Check the browser’s download list and configured download location. If the folder still seems wrong, try a fresh browser profile with only Awesome Screenshot installed. |
| Auto-download does not start | The option may be off, or the extension may not have permission to manage downloads. | In Chrome or Edge, open extension Options, enable Auto-download screenshots, then accept the browser’s permission prompt if it appears. |
| PDF is missing from a Local capture | The documented Local workflow hides the PDF option while Auto-download is on. | Turn off Auto-download for this workflow, then use PDF beside the capture. For a Cloud capture, use More → Download as PDF. |
| Cloud upload still fails after the local save | The local download and cloud upload are separate operations; the available instructions do not specify the upload error’s cause. | Keep the local file safe, then retry the upload/share-link action. Record the exact error and browser details if you need to investigate further. |
| The screenshot capture controls themselves fail | This is a capture problem, distinct from a cloud upload failure. | Awesome Screenshot’s help suggests providing diagnostic console information or trying a fresh browser profile, another supported browser extension, or the desktop app. These are capture troubleshooting options, not documented fixes for cloud upload. |
6. Make the recovery more reliable
- Download first, then troubleshoot the cloud copy.
- Wait for the browser to finish the download before closing the capture tab or window.
- Confirm the browser’s download folder and verify the file opens before deleting or replacing anything.
- Enable Auto-download in advance if you routinely use Local mode in Chrome or Edge, and allow the required download permission.
- Keep a local copy until any needed shareable link has been created and checked.
The documented recovery has no service fee or special hardware requirement: it uses the extension’s Download control and your browser’s normal download folder. The main reliability risk is closing an undownloaded Local capture. Auto-download can reduce repeated manual steps, but it does not make cloud upload more reliable.
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FAQ
Does Auto-download recover a screenshot after I close its tab?
No. It is a setting for future captures. If the existing capture is still open, download it before closing the tab.
Does saving locally mean the screenshot was uploaded?
No. A local file and a cloud copy or shareable link are separate. Keep the file locally while you retry the upload.
Where is the downloaded screenshot?
It goes to the browser’s configured download folder. Check the browser’s download list if you are unsure where that folder is.
