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Use Pyppeteer’s asynchronous page.screenshot() method. Install it with pip install pyppeteer, launch a browser, navigate with page.goto(), capture to a file or bytes, and close the browser in a finally block. Set fullPage for the entire document, clip for a rectangle, or capture an individual element through an ElementHandle.
Install Pyppeteer and check compatibility
PyPI’s 2.0.0 release supports Python 3.8 or newer and below Python 4.0. That release was uploaded on 2024-02-18. Create an isolated environment so the browser automation dependency does not interfere with other projects:
python -m venv .venv
# macOS/Linux
source .venv/bin/activate
# Windows PowerShell
.venvScriptsActivate.ps1
python -m pip install --upgrade pip
pip install pyppeteerPyppeteer is an unofficial Python port of Puppeteer. Its upstream README currently says the repository is unmaintained and has been outside of minor changes for a long time. Pin the version in a reproducible build and evaluate an actively maintained alternative such as Playwright Python when starting new automation work.
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If no suitable browser is available, the first launch can download Chromium automatically. The project documentation describes that download as approximately 150 MB. In a container or CI job, account for that network transfer and disk space, or install Chrome/Chromium yourself and select its executable when launching.
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Minimal asynchronous screenshot script
This complete example follows the normal launch, navigation, screenshot, and close sequence. The filename extension selects the image type when you do not provide an explicit type.
import asyncio
from pyppeteer import launch
async def main():
browser = await launch()
try:
page = await browser.newPage()
await page.goto("https://example.com")
await page.screenshot({"path": "example.png"})
finally:
await browser.close()
if __name__ == "__main__":
asyncio.get_event_loop().run_until_complete(main())Run it with python screenshot.py. The resulting example.png is written in the current directory. Keeping browser.close() in finally prevents orphaned Chromium processes when navigation or capture raises an exception.
Choose the capture mode and output
| Goal | Pyppeteer option or call | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Viewport screenshot | page.screenshot({"path": "view.png"}) |
Only the currently rendered viewport. |
| Entire scrollable page | page.screenshot({"path": "full.png", "fullPage": True}) |
The complete document, including content below the fold. |
| JPEG | {"path": "shot.jpg", "type": "jpeg", "quality": 85} |
JPEG output; quality applies to JPEG. |
| PNG | {"path": "shot.png", "type": "png"} |
Lossless PNG output; JPEG quality does not apply. |
| Rectangular region | {"path": "region.png", "clip": {"x": 40, "y": 120, "width": 800, "height": 500}} |
The specified viewport rectangle. |
| Transparent background | {"path": "transparent.png", "omitBackground": True} |
Omits the default white page background where transparency is supported. |
| Bytes instead of a file | await page.screenshot({"encoding": "binary"}) |
Returns binary data you can upload or store. Use "base64" for a base64 representation. |
fullPage and clip solve different problems: the former expands the capture to the page’s full scrollable height, while the latter limits it to a fixed rectangle. Do not combine them when you need a predictable crop.
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Get an element handle, then call its screenshot method. The element method accepts the same screenshot options as a page screenshot and fails if the element has been detached from the document.
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import asyncio
from pyppeteer import launch
async def main():
browser = await launch()
try:
page = await browser.newPage()
await page.goto("https://example.com")
card = await page.querySelector("main")
if card is None:
raise RuntimeError("Could not find main")
await card.screenshot({"path": "main-element.png"})
finally:
await browser.close()
asyncio.get_event_loop().run_until_complete(main())Use a selector that is stable in the target site. If the page replaces that node during rendering, query it again immediately before capture rather than reusing an old handle.
Make captures deterministic
Wait for navigation to finish
page.goto() resolves according to the navigation wait behavior you select. For pages that continue rendering after the initial response, add an explicit wait for a selector, a known delay, or the site’s network-idle condition before taking the screenshot. Waiting for a selector is usually more meaningful than sleeping for an arbitrary number of seconds:
await page.goto("https://example.com")
await page.waitForSelector("main")
await page.screenshot({"path": "ready.png"})Set a viewport before navigation
Responsive layouts depend on viewport dimensions. Set the viewport on the page before loading the URL so the same CSS breakpoint is used on every run:
await page.setViewport({"width": 1440, "height": 900, "deviceScaleFactor": 1})Handle lazy content
A full-page screenshot only contains content that the browser has rendered. If images or sections load when scrolled into view, wait for the relevant selector or perform the page’s normal interaction before calling screenshot. A capture that finishes successfully can still be incomplete if the application has not inserted its lazy content.
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Use a clip after measuring the page
Clip coordinates are in CSS pixels relative to the page. Keep x, y, width, and height within the rendered page area. A clip that extends beyond the available content can produce an error or an unexpected crop, so measure the target element when possible and use its bounding box.
Return screenshot bytes from a function
Omit path when the image should remain in memory. This pattern is useful for an HTTP response, object storage upload, or test assertion:
async def screenshot_bytes(url: str) -> bytes:
browser = await launch()
try:
page = await browser.newPage()
await page.goto(url)
return await page.screenshot({"encoding": "binary"})
finally:
await browser.close()
# Example use:
# image_data = await screenshot_bytes("https://example.com")For a base64 payload, replace "binary" with "base64". Binary data avoids an additional base64 expansion when the receiving API accepts bytes directly.
Common failures and fixes
- Chromium starts downloading on the first run. This is expected when Pyppeteer cannot find a compatible browser. Allow the approximately 150 MB download, cache it in CI, or install a local Chrome/Chromium binary and configure launch to use that executable.
pyppeteer.errors.BrowserErroror an immediate browser exit. Check that the installed browser can run in the environment and that the process has permission to create its profile and temporary files. In containers, verify the image includes the libraries required by Chromium.- The screenshot is blank or missing page content. The navigation may have completed before the application rendered its UI. Wait for a meaningful selector, network idle, or a controlled delay, then capture.
- Images are absent from a full-page shot. Scroll or otherwise trigger lazy loading, wait for the image selector, and capture only after the content is present.
ElementHandleis detached. A framework re-render replaced the node. Query the selector again after rendering settles and callelement.screenshot()on the new handle.- JPEG quality appears to do nothing. The
qualityoption applies to JPEG, not PNG. Settypeto"jpeg"and choose a value appropriate for the file-size/detail trade-off. - The crop is in the wrong place. Recheck that clip coordinates are CSS pixels, set the viewport before navigation, and measure the target after fonts and layout have loaded.
- CI jobs hang after a failure. Always close the browser in
finally. Also avoid launching a new browser for every URL when a single controlled browser can safely serve a batch. - Runs differ between machines. Pin Pyppeteer, use a known browser binary, set the viewport explicitly, wait for stable selectors, and keep fonts and other rendering dependencies consistent in the runtime image.
Performance, reliability, and maintenance decisions
Browser startup is expensive compared with an individual screenshot. For a batch, launch one browser and create or reuse pages while isolating cookies and page state as your workflow requires. Close pages and the browser when the batch ends. Limit concurrency to what the machine’s CPU, memory, and browser process count can sustain; the supplied Pyppeteer references do not establish a performance benchmark, so measure your own URLs and environment.
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For reproducible builds, pin the Pyppeteer version and make the Chromium download location part of your build cache, or manage a tested browser binary yourself. Record the Python version, browser version, viewport, URL, and wait condition alongside generated images so a changed capture can be diagnosed. The unmaintained status of the upstream repository is a maintenance risk for long-lived projects; assess Playwright Python before committing a new system to Pyppeteer.
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ScreenshotNeo provides a website screenshot API and MCP server. One GET request returns a PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF, while its capture process accepts cookie and consent banners and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before the shot. Each cleanup step can be disabled.
Only clean shots are billed. Bot checks and CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits cost nothing, and the response identifies the result with X-Page-Verdict and X-Billed headers. Its MCP server exposes take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf to Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients.
Here is the same kind of capture without installing Chromium. See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for the request options.
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpimport 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)const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://stripe.com' });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);ScreenshotNeo includes 63 options: full-page capture with lazy images loaded, CSS-selector element capture, dark mode, 12 device presets or any viewport, retina scale, PDF paper size/margins/landscape/page ranges, HTML/CSS rendering, custom JavaScript and CSS, pre-capture clicks, hidden selectors, waits for selectors/delays/network idle, ad/tracker/request/resource blocking, custom headers/cookies/user agents/Authorization, timezone and geolocation, transparent backgrounds, resizing, chosen cache TTLs, signed image links, asynchronous jobs with signed webhooks, bulk capture for up to 100 URLs per call, a usage API, an OpenAPI specification, and compatibility with parameter names used by other screenshot APIs.
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| Plan | Included screenshots | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 1,000 per month | $0, no card |
| Starter | 3,000 | $5 |
| Growth | 15,000 | $15 |
| Pro | 60,000 | $39 |
| Scale | 250,000 | $99 |
| Business | 1,000,000 | $249 |
Yearly billing provides two months free, and every feature is included on every plan. Start with 1,000 free screenshots a month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 screenshots.
Pyppeteer or an API: which fits?
| Choose Pyppeteer when… | Choose ScreenshotNeo when… |
|---|---|
| You need browser-level Python control, custom in-page logic, or a self-managed runtime. | You want a single HTTP call without browser installation and maintenance. |
| You can absorb Chromium’s download, runtime dependencies, and CI upkeep. | You need consent cleanup, transparent billing verdicts, PDF output, bulk jobs, or an MCP workflow. |
| Your team accepts the upstream project’s unmaintained status and pins the environment. | You prefer usage plans starting at a free monthly allowance and $5 for 3,000 shots. |
Frequently asked questions
Does the output extension matter if I set type?
The explicit type option controls PNG or JPEG. If you omit it, Pyppeteer infers the image type from the path extension.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsCan I use the same screenshot options on an element?
Yes. An element’s screenshot method accepts the page screenshot options, including path, format, clipping-related output settings, transparency, and encoding.
What should I record for a reproducible screenshot test?
Record the pinned Pyppeteer and browser versions, Python version, viewport, URL, wait condition, and output settings. Those details make rendering changes diagnosable.
Quick Recap
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