Anyone who takes frequent screenshots knows the frustration of dealing with filenames like “Screenshot 2024-01-01 at 10.30.45 AM.png”. After years of accumulating hundreds of these cryptically named files, I recently discovered ScreenML, an app that uses AI to automatically generate descriptive filenames at the moment of capture.
The problem ScreenML solves is straightforward but annoying. macOS gives screenshots generic timestamp-based names that tell you nothing about the actual content. Finding that screenshot of a specific error message or UI element three weeks later becomes an exercise in opening file after file until you locate the right one. I’ve wasted more time than I care to admit on this exact task.
ScreenML takes a different approach. When you capture a screenshot using its hotkey (Option + 3), the app analyzes the content and surrounding context using AI models like ChatGPT, Claude, or Google Gemini. It then generates a filename in the format “[Context/Window_Title]_[Keywords].png”. So instead of “Screenshot 2024-03-15 at 2.47.32 PM.png”, you might get “Safari_GitHub_Pull_Request.png” or “Terminal_Error_Message_Python.png”.
The app requires an internet connection since the AI processing happens in the cloud. The developer explicitly states that screenshots are processed solely for filename generation and not used for model training, which addresses the obvious privacy concern that comes with sending your screen captures to a third party. This is important context for anyone handling sensitive information.
ScreenML includes a few additional features beyond the core naming functionality. It integrates with Preview for annotation workflows, provides a menu bar view for quick access to recent filenames, and supports launch-at-login. The free tier allows 50 screenshots per month with basic filename customization. A Pro version is planned at $6.99 monthly with a 750 screenshot limit, plus features like batch renaming, custom rules, and background removal.
In my usage, the AI naming works reasonably well for straightforward captures like browser windows, application interfaces, and documents. The accuracy depends on having clear context and readable text in the screenshot. Captures of abstract UI elements or purely graphical content sometimes get generic descriptions, but that’s a limitation of the underlying AI models rather than the app itself.
The monthly screenshot limit on the free tier is worth considering. If you’re a power user who takes dozens of screenshots daily, you’ll hit that 50-screenshot cap quickly. The app developer, Kunal Batra, built ScreenML to solve his own workflow need for meaningful screenshot naming at capture time rather than batch renaming later.
One practical limitation is that the app introduces a slight delay between pressing the hotkey and the actual capture while it processes the AI naming. This is a necessary trade-off for the functionality, but it means ScreenML isn’t ideal for capturing rapidly changing content or situations where instant capture timing is critical.
For users who frequently reference old screenshots or need to organize captures by project or topic, ScreenML provides genuine utility. The automatically generated filenames make Spotlight searches actually useful for finding screenshots. Instead of trying to remember when you took a screenshot, you can search for what was in it.
ScreenML runs on macOS only and can be downloaded from the developer’s website. No credit card is required for the free plan, making it easy to test whether the AI naming accuracy meets your needs before committing to a paid tier.
