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Playwright does not expose an API named shell.screenshot. For browser screenshots, the documented methods are page.screenshot() for a page and locator.screenshot() for one element. The examples below show how to save viewport, full-page and element images, return image bytes, use the command-line interface, and avoid common rendering problems.
What “shell.screenshot” refers to
The exact name shell.screenshot is not a Playwright browser API. Playwright’s JavaScript API uses page.screenshot() and locator screenshots. The bracketed name [shell.screenshot] appears in Noctalia documentation for desktop screenshot output, which is a different project. If you are automating a website, use the Playwright methods in this guide rather than trying to call shell.screenshot.
Set up a minimal Playwright project
- Create a directory and initialize Node.js:
mkdir playwright-shots cd playwright-shots npm init -y npm install playwright npx playwright install - Create
capture.jsand run it withnode capture.js. The browser installation step downloads the browser binaries that Playwright launches.
How do I take a screenshot with Playwright?
Navigate to the page, call page.screenshot(), then close the browser. Supplying path writes the image to disk.
const { chromium } = require('playwright');
(async () => {
const browser = await chromium.launch();
const context = await browser.newContext({
viewport: { width: 1440, height: 900 }
});
const page = await context.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com', { waitUntil: 'networkidle' });
await page.screenshot({ path: 'example.png' });
await browser.close();
})();PNG is the documented default. Replace the filename with a .jpg or .webp name and set the matching type when you need another format:
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await page.screenshot({ path: 'example.webp', type: 'webp', quality: 85 });When path is omitted, the method returns a buffer instead of creating a file. That is useful for an upload, an HTTP response, or image processing:
const image = await page.screenshot({ type: 'png' });
require('fs').writeFileSync('example.png', image);Viewport versus full-page capture
Capture only the visible viewport
The default screenshot contains what is currently visible in the browser viewport. Scrolling the page before the call changes which portion is captured.
await page.screenshot({ path: 'viewport.png' });Capture the entire scrollable page
Set fullPage: true to capture the page’s full scrollable height in one image:
await page.screenshot({
path: 'full-page.png',
fullPage: true
});Very long pages can produce very large files and may expose layout issues caused by lazy loading, sticky headers or animations. If content appears only after scrolling, trigger that behavior first or wait for the relevant selector before capturing.
How do I screenshot an element?
Use a locator rather than the older ElementHandle screenshot API. Playwright waits for locator actionability checks and scrolls the matching element into view.
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const header = page.locator('.header');
await header.screenshot({ path: 'header.png' });A locator screenshot includes the matched element’s visible box. If another element covers it, the covered portion will not appear as visible content. A scrollable container contributes only the content currently visible inside that container; it is not automatically expanded to include every child.
Make the target deterministic
const card = page.getByTestId('pricing-card');
await card.waitFor({ state: 'visible' });
await card.screenshot({
path: 'pricing-card.png',
animations: 'disabled'
});Prefer stable test IDs or specific CSS selectors. A selector matching multiple elements can make the operation fail or target an unintended node; narrow it with .first(), .nth(), or a more precise locator.
Useful screenshot options
| Option | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
path |
Save an image file. Parent directories must already exist. | { path: 'artifacts/home.png' } |
type |
Choose png, jpeg or webp where supported. |
{ type: 'jpeg' } |
quality |
Set lossy JPEG/WebP quality; it does not affect PNG. | { type: 'jpeg', quality: 80 } |
fullPage |
Include the full scrollable page rather than the viewport. | { fullPage: true } |
scale |
Choose CSS-pixel output or device-pixel output. Device scale can create larger high-DPI images. | { scale: 'css' } |
animations |
Disable or allow CSS/Web animations during capture. | { animations: 'disabled' } |
mask |
Cover dynamic regions with a mask color for stable comparisons. | { mask: [page.locator('.timestamp')] } |
style |
Inject CSS that applies only while the screenshot is taken. | { style: '.cursor{visibility:hidden}' } |
CSS scale makes one output pixel correspond to one CSS pixel. Device scale uses device pixels and can substantially increase dimensions on a high-DPI context. Choose one consistently when comparing images.
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A screenshot captures the current state, not an eventual state. Use a navigation wait condition, an explicit selector wait, or a short delay only when the page has a known timed transition.
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await page.goto('https://example.com/dashboard', {
waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded'
});
await page.locator('[data-testid="dashboard"]').waitFor({ state: 'visible' });
await page.screenshot({ path: 'dashboard.png' });For images that lazy-load, wait for the image to complete:
await page.locator('img.hero').waitFor({ state: 'visible' });
await page.locator('img.hero').evaluate(img => {
if (!img.complete) return new Promise(resolve => {
img.addEventListener('load', resolve, { once: true });
img.addEventListener('error', resolve, { once: true });
});
});
await page.screenshot({ path: 'hero.png' });Use a fixed viewport, timezone, locale, color scheme and test data when repeatability matters. Disable or mask clocks, rotating banners, random IDs and live counters.
Command-line screenshots
Playwright’s CLI can capture a page or a target element without writing a JavaScript file. The viewport command accepts a filename, while the target form captures a selected element.
npx playwright screenshot https://example.com viewport.png
npx playwright screenshot --full-page https://example.com full-page.png
npx playwright screenshot --device="Desktop Chrome" https://example.com desktop.pngCheck the installed CLI’s help for the exact options available in your Playwright version:
npx playwright screenshot --helpCLI screenshots are convenient for one-off captures. For authentication, custom waits, masking, cookies, or repeatable test fixtures, a script or Playwright Test gives you more control.
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Screenshot capture in Playwright Test
Playwright Test can save screenshots after tests or only when they fail. Its visual assertion API compares a new capture with a reference:
import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
test('landing page matches', async ({ page }) => {
await page.goto('https://example.com');
await expect(page).toHaveScreenshot('landing.png');
});Reference images are environment-sensitive. Operating-system font rendering, browser version, settings, hardware, power source and headless mode can all change pixels. Generate and compare baselines in the same environment, and update them deliberately when the rendering change is expected.
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“shell.screenshot is not a function”
That name is not a Playwright page method. Replace it with page.screenshot() or locator.screenshot().
The browser executable is missing
Run npx playwright install. In a restricted CI image, install the browser during image creation and ensure the process has permission to read its cache.
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Navigation times out
Check the URL, proxy and DNS settings. A page can remain busy because of analytics or streaming requests; wait for a specific ready selector instead of requiring networkidle. Increase the timeout only after fixing an actual slow dependency.
The screenshot is blank or incomplete
Wait for the visible content, confirm that the page did not redirect to a login or bot-check screen, and inspect console and network errors. For full-page captures, verify that lazy content is loaded before the call.
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Use a locator that matches exactly one intended element, wait for it to be visible, and check whether a modal or sticky layer covers it. For a scrollable element, capture the container’s visible area or implement a deliberate scrolling routine.
Visual tests differ on every run
Freeze animation, mask dynamic regions, use deterministic data, and keep browser, operating system, viewport and scale consistent. Do not treat a baseline generated on one host as universally portable.
The output directory does not exist
Playwright can write the file only when its parent directory exists. Create it first with mkdir -p artifacts (or the equivalent in your build script).
Or skip the browser setup
ScreenshotNeo provides a website screenshot API and MCP server. A single GET request returns PNG, JPEG, WebP or PDF. Before capture it accepts cookie and consent banners and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups and chat widgets; each cleanup step can be turned off. Bot checks, CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads and cache hits are not billed, and the response identifies the result with X-Page-Verdict and X-Billed headers.
One-call cURL example
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpPython
import requests
r = requests.get("https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot", params={"access_key": "YOUR_API_KEY", "url": "https://stripe.com"}, timeout=90)
open("shot.webp", "wb").write(r.content)Node.js
const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://stripe.com' });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);See the ScreenshotNeo documentation for parameters. It supports full-page and CSS-selector captures, dark mode, 12 device presets or custom viewports, retina scale, PDF paper and page controls, custom CSS and JavaScript, pre-capture clicks, waits, ad/tracker/request blocking, headers, cookies, user agents, authorization, timezone, geolocation, transparent backgrounds, resizing, chosen cache TTLs, signed image links, asynchronous jobs with signed webhooks, bulk capture of 100 URLs per call, a usage API and an OpenAPI specification. Parameter names used by other screenshot APIs also work, which can simplify migration. Its MCP server exposes take_screenshot, get_page_info and capture_pdf to Claude, Cursor and other MCP clients.
The Free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month with no card. Paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots; every feature is on every plan. If you want to avoid installing and maintaining a browser, create a free ScreenshotNeo account.
Quick Recap
Choosing the right capture method
| Need | Best fit |
|---|---|
| One local browser capture with custom interaction | Playwright script and page.screenshot() |
| One element after actionability checks | locator.screenshot() |
| Repeatable visual regression | Playwright Test with stable baselines |
| One-off terminal capture | Playwright CLI |
| Remote capture, cleanup of consent UI, PDFs or agent access | ScreenshotNeo API or MCP server |
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