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For repeatable captures in an application, use Puppeteer’s page.screenshot(). Choose the command line for a one-off capture, Puppeteer for JavaScript automation, CDP for direct protocol control, or Selenium if your existing automation already uses WebDriver.
Take a screenshot with Chrome’s command-line Headless mode
Chrome Headless runs Chrome without a visible browser window. The current unified Headless mode is the normal Chrome implementation: it shares Chrome code with headful mode, while omitting the visible UI. The --screenshot option captures the page and writes a PNG named screenshot.png in the directory from which you run the command.
- Check the Chrome executable name. Depending on your operating system and installation, the command may be
chrome,google-chrome, or a full path to the Chrome executable. - Run the capture command:
chrome --headless=new --screenshot --window-size=412,892 https://developer.chrome.com/ - Find the result. Look for
screenshot.pngin the shell’s current working directory. If you omit--window-size, the output dimensions are not explicitly set by your command, so include it for deterministic viewport sizing.
The example uses --headless=new, the explicit spelling for the unified mode. Chrome’s current Headless documentation describes unified mode as the standard implementation; new work should use the current mode rather than depend on the separate legacy shell.
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- 【Plug and Play, Easy to Carry】 This HDMI 1080P video capture card does not require any additional drivers or external power supply, just plug and play for fast capture. The capture card is small and lightweight, so you can put it in your bag for emergencies, making it very portable for outdoor live streaming. It's also a great way to share content in game recording, video conference, video recorder and online teaching
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- 【Package Content & Note】 1x HD Audio Capture Card , 1x USB 3.0 to USB C Adapter (A-side 3.0, B-side 2.0), 1x user manual. Please note that you need to restart the OBS Studio software after the audio setup is complete, otherwise it will result in no sound output. When using an adapter, if the device is recognized as USB 2.0, try using the other side with the USB-C port. Simply flip the capture card and reconnect it to be recognized as USB 3.0
Set viewport dimensions
--window-size=WIDTH,HEIGHT specifies the viewport in pixels. For example, --window-size=412,892 is a narrow, phone-sized viewport, but it does not itself emulate a particular phone, device pixel ratio, or mobile browser. Use it to control the page’s layout width and height for the capture.
Wait for dynamic content
A page may initially render a shell and fill in content after navigation. Chrome provides two different timing controls:
--timeout=5000waits five seconds of real time before capturing. This is useful when you want to allow ordinary asynchronous activity time to complete.--virtual-time-budget=5000advances the page’s virtual clock by five seconds. Timer-driven scripts can observe that elapsed virtual time, without requiring the same five seconds to pass on the wall clock.
These are not interchangeable guarantees that every page has finished loading. A site may depend on network responses, user interaction, or other conditions. Choose a wait based on how the page produces its content, then inspect the resulting image.
Automate captures with Puppeteer
Puppeteer is a JavaScript library for automating Chrome and Firefox through CDP and WebDriver BiDi. Its high-level screenshot method is a practical choice when a script or service needs to navigate to pages and save images.
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- 【1080P HD High Quality】Capture resolution up to 1080p for video source and it is ideal for all HDMI devices such as PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Wii U, DVDs, DSLR, Camera, Security Camera and set top box. Note: Video input supports 4K30/60Hz and 1080p120/144Hz. Does not support 4K120Hz/144Hz. Output supports up to 2K30Hz.
- 【Plug and Play】No driver or external power supply required, true PnP. Once plugged in, the device is identified automatically as a webcam. Detect input and adjust output automatically. Won't occupy CPU, optional audio capture. No freeze with correct setting.
- 【Compatible with Multiple Systems】suitable for Windows and Mac OS. High speed USB 3.0 technology and superior low latency technology makes it easier for you to transmit live streaming to Twitch, Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, OBS, Potplayer and VLC.
- 【HDMI LOOP-OUT】Based on the high-speed USB 3.0 technology, it can capture one single channel HD HDMI video signal. There is no delay when you are playing game live.
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- Install Puppeteer in a Node.js project:
npm install puppeteer. - Save this as
screenshot.mjs. - Run it with
node screenshot.mjs. The script writesexample.pngbeside the script.
import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
const browser = await puppeteer.launch({ headless: true });
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.setViewport({ width: 412, height: 892 });
await page.goto('https://example.com', { waitUntil: 'networkidle2' });
await page.screenshot({ path: 'example.png', fullPage: true });
} finally {
await browser.close();
}waitUntil: 'networkidle2' asks navigation to wait for network activity to become idle according to Puppeteer’s lifecycle condition. It may not suit sites with persistent requests or content that appears later, so use a more appropriate navigation condition or an explicit wait when needed. For a fixed real-time pause after navigation, add await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 5000)); before page.screenshot().
Viewport capture versus full-page capture
The viewport set with page.setViewport() controls the page’s visible layout area. fullPage: true asks Puppeteer to capture the full page rather than only the current viewport. A full-page screenshot can be much taller than a viewport shot; if the target page lazy-loads images as the reader scrolls, confirm those assets have loaded before capturing.
Screenshot return values
With a path, Puppeteer writes the image to disk. Without a path, page.screenshot() returns image data as a Uint8Array; with the screenshot option encoding: 'base64', it returns a base64 string. The API reference also notes that page creation or closing waits for an in-progress screenshot in the same BrowserContext, which helps avoid racing those operations against capture.
Use the Chrome DevTools Protocol directly
The Chrome DevTools Protocol (CDP) gives direct access to browser commands, including Page.captureScreenshot. Choose it when your service already speaks CDP or needs protocol-level control over capture parameters. It has less of Puppeteer’s convenience layer, so you are responsible for connecting to a target and issuing the appropriate protocol commands.
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- Start Chrome with a remote debugging port, for example:
chrome --headless=new --remote-debugging-port=0 https://example.com. - Read Chrome’s output for the WebSocket endpoint. It has a form similar to
ws://127.0.0.1:PORT/devtools/browser/...; use the actual endpoint printed by your Chrome process. - Connect your CDP client to the endpoint and the page target, enable the Page domain, then call
Page.captureScreenshot. - Decode the returned image data if your client needs a file, and write it with the intended image format and path.
The protocol reference defines the command, but the exact connection and target-selection code depends on the CDP client you use. If your application does not already need protocol-level access, Puppeteer is usually the more direct JavaScript interface.
Choose Selenium when your test suite already uses WebDriver
Selenium-WebDriver is another route to a headless Chrome screenshot. It fits best when the surrounding browser tests and automation are already built on WebDriver; for a JavaScript-first screenshot script, Puppeteer offers a more focused API.
In Selenium, add Chrome’s --headless argument to the Chrome options, create a WebDriver instance, navigate to the URL, capture a screenshot using the driver’s screenshot API, and quit the driver. The exact setup code depends on the Selenium language binding and driver version, so follow the installation and API instructions for the binding already used by your project. Keep navigation and wait conditions explicit: a screenshot taken immediately after navigation may capture a loading state.
Compare the four Chrome screenshot routes
| Route | Abstraction and fit | Timing and output | Debugging access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chrome CLI | Fastest way to demonstrate a one-off capture; no application code required. | --screenshot writes PNG; --window-size, --timeout, and --virtual-time-budget provide basic controls. |
Can be launched with remote debugging enabled. |
| Puppeteer | Approachable JavaScript API for browser automation. | page.screenshot() supports options such as a file path, full-page capture, and base64 encoding; navigation and waits are scriptable. |
Uses Chrome automation and can be paired with DevTools inspection. |
| CDP | Lowest-level choice; suitable for software already integrated with the protocol. | Page.captureScreenshot exposes protocol-level capture control. |
Connect to the WebSocket endpoint emitted by Chrome. |
| Selenium | Natural fit for an existing WebDriver test suite. | Screenshot and wait behavior are handled through the selected binding and driver APIs. | Uses the existing WebDriver workflow. |
Inspect a headless page when the image is wrong
Headless Chrome has no visible window to inspect by eye while it runs. Remote debugging gives you a way to attach Chrome DevTools to the running browser and diagnose navigation, timing, viewport, or rendering problems.
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- 【Easy Plug and Play, Compact & Portable】No driver or external power required—just plug and play via USB 3.0 or Type-C connection to your Windows or macOS computer. Lightweight and compact design makes it easy to carry for outdoor streaming, live shows, or mobile recording setups.
- 【Wide Compatibility & Multi-Device Support】Compatible with Windows 7 8 10 11, macOS, Linux,Android and supports most popular software such as OBS, Zoom, VLC, Twitch Studio, and more. Works seamlessly with PS4, PS5, Xbox, Switch, DSLR cameras, TV boxes, and other HDMI-output devices for streaming to YouTube, Twitch, etc.
- 【What You Get】Includes: HDMI Capture Card, USB 3.0 to USB-C Adapter, User Manual. Tips: Make sure your tablet’s OTG function is enabled before connecting. Test your HDMI device with a monitor first to confirm video and audio output, then connect to the Video Capture Card for recording.
- Launch Chrome with
--remote-debugging-port=0along with the relevant Headless and navigation arguments. - Copy the
ws://127.0.0.1:PORT/devtools/browser/...endpoint printed by Chrome. - Open another Chrome instance and visit
chrome://inspect. - Configure the host and port shown in the endpoint, then inspect the available target.
This uses the DevTools inspection workflow available for Chrome; it does not make the original headless window visible.
Troubleshoot common screenshot problems
- The command says Chrome cannot be found. The executable may not be on your shell’s PATH or may have a different platform-specific name. Use the installed executable’s full path or its correct command name.
- No screenshot appears where expected. The CLI writes
screenshot.pngin the current working directory, not necessarily the directory containing Chrome. Checkpwdor its platform equivalent before running the command. - The screenshot is clipped or laid out unexpectedly. Set
--window-size=WIDTH,HEIGHTin the CLI orpage.setViewport()in Puppeteer. Viewport dimensions affect responsive layout; they are not a guarantee of device emulation. - The image shows a spinner, skeleton, or partial page. Add a deliberate wait. Use
--timeoutfor real elapsed time,--virtual-time-budgetfor timer-driven content, or Puppeteer navigation and selector waits suited to the page. - Some images are missing in a full-page shot. Lazy-loaded assets may not be requested until their area approaches the viewport. Scroll through the page or otherwise trigger loading and wait for the images before the capture.
- The page never reaches Puppeteer’s network-idle condition. Pages with long-lived network connections can prevent that condition from being useful. Use a different
waitUntilcondition and wait for a specific page element or state instead. - You need to see what the headless browser rendered. Enable
--remote-debugging-port=0, then connect throughchrome://inspectas described above. - A legacy Headless example behaves differently. Since Chrome 132.0.6793.0, the old Headless implementation is available as a separate
chrome-headless-shellbinary. Prefer unified Headless for new work; use the shell only when a legacy workflow specifically requires it.
Or skip the browser setup
If your goal is to get screenshots through an API rather than manage a local Chrome process, ScreenshotNeo takes a URL in one GET request and returns a PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF. Its API accepts the same parameter names used by other screenshot APIs, which can make switching simpler. The code below follows the ScreenshotNeo API documentation.
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webp- Before capture, it accepts the cookie or consent banner like a visitor and removes 60+ known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets; each step can be turned off.
- Bot checks or CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits cost nothing. Response headers report the page verdict and billing status.
- An MCP server gives AI agents tools named
take_screenshot,get_page_info, andcapture_pdf. - The Free plan includes 1,000 shots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots. Every feature is available on every plan.
Sign up for ScreenshotNeo’s free plan to get 1,000 screenshots a month without a card.
Sources and version notes
Chrome’s Headless behavior and examples are documented by Chrome for Developers. The unified-mode migration note is also described in the Chrome Headless Shell documentation. Puppeteer’s automation overview and screenshot behavior are documented in its official documentation and Page.screenshot API reference. The CDP screenshot command is described in the DevTools Protocol Page reference.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Chrome Headless without Puppeteer?
Yes. Chrome’s command-line --headless and --screenshot options can capture a URL directly.
Does --window-size emulate a phone?
No. It sets viewport width and height, but does not by itself emulate a specific device or device pixel ratio.
Which option should I choose for a new JavaScript screenshot script?
Puppeteer is the high-level JavaScript option; CDP is the lower-level alternative when direct protocol control is needed.
Quick Recap
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