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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallScreenshotMachine’s API delay is a fixed timer before capture, not a documented “wait until the page is ready” command. Its API guide lists a default of 200 ms and specific values up to 10,000 ms. If delayed content is missing, increase the delay and check the result for that page; there is no documented duration that guarantees every dynamic page has finished loading.
What ScreenshotMachine’s delay option does
ScreenshotMachine describes delay as the time the capture engine waits before creating a screenshot. In practice, it gives a page extra time after the capture process begins. It is a timer, not a documented signal that a particular element appeared, network activity stopped, or an application finished rendering. The vendor’s API documentation, accessed October 3, 2026, states the parameter behavior and values: ScreenshotMachine API documentation.
That distinction matters on dynamic pages. A fixed wait can help when an image, animation, or other content appears shortly after the initial page render, but it cannot determine whether a page-specific asynchronous task has completed. ScreenshotMachine’s documentation does not specify how delay behaves with individual frontend frameworks or promise a universal wait time.
API delay values and default
The API documentation gives a default of 200 milliseconds and accepts these listed values:
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0,200,400,600,800, and1000ms2000,3000,4000,5000,6000,7000,8000,9000, and10000ms
Use a value from that documented list rather than assuming any arbitrary number is supported. A value of 0 requests no additional delay; it does not mean the page’s content is guaranteed to be ready.
How to choose a delay for a dynamic page
- Start with the API default. When using the API without a delay override, the documented default is 200 ms.
- Inspect the screenshot for the specific page. If content that appears later in the browser is absent from the capture, try a longer supported value.
- Increase in measured steps. Compare the result at values such as 1000, 2000, or 3000 ms rather than assuming that a longer wait always fixes the problem.
- For some long full-page captures, consider 2000 ms or more. ScreenshotMachine says a longer delay may be worth considering because long pages can contain more images or animations. This is vendor guidance, not a guarantee or a universal setting.
- Stop when the page’s needed content is present. Longer waits add time to the capture request, so use only as much delay as that page requires.
The right value depends on the page and the content being captured. A page that renders its important content quickly may need little or no extra delay; one with later images or animations may need more. The documentation does not establish a single setting for all JavaScript-heavy pages.
API and online generator defaults are different
Do not carry the online generator’s default over to API requests. ScreenshotMachine’s API guide expresses delay in milliseconds and states a 200 ms default. Its online generator uses a seconds-based delay control and states a two-second default. These are separate interface descriptions, both accessed October 3, 2026: ScreenshotMachine online generator and the API documentation.
Related options: click, hide, and selector
ScreenshotMachine also documents options that change page interaction or capture scope. They may be useful alongside a delay, but the vendor does not describe them as guarantees that dynamic content is ready.
click: click a page element before capture, for example to trigger an interaction. This is an interaction step, not a documented wait-for-content condition.hide: hide matching elements in the captured image when they obstruct the content you need.selector: capture a single DOM element rather than the whole page.
Check the API documentation for the exact parameter syntax and supported values before combining these options with delay. A click may cause content to load, but the documented delay remains a fixed timer; neither option is stated to wait for a particular application event.
Troubleshooting missing or late content
- Content appears in the browser but not the screenshot: increase
delayto another supported value and compare captures. A timer may give late content more time, but cannot ensure it will finish. - The API rejects the delay value: use one of the documented values from 0 through 10,000 ms rather than an unlisted increment.
- The generator and API seem to wait different amounts: check which interface you are using. Their documented defaults differ: two seconds in the generator and 200 ms in the API.
- A full-page image or animation is missing: for some long full-page captures, ScreenshotMachine suggests considering 2000 ms or more. Inspect the result; this is an example to consider, not a guaranteed fix.
- The capture still misses an application-specific state: the reviewed documentation does not describe waiting for a CSS selector, network idle, or an app event. Do not treat a larger fixed delay as proof that the state was reached.
Or skip the browser setup
If you would rather use a screenshot API with a fixed one-call request, ScreenshotNeo returns a screenshot or PDF from a URL. For a WebP screenshot of a page, using its documented cURL pattern:
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curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for authentication and options. Before the shot, it accepts the cookie or consent banner like a visitor and removes 60+ known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets; each of those steps can be turned off. Bot checks or CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits cost nothing, and each response identifies the result with X-Page-Verdict and X-Billed headers. Its MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools for Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients. The free plan includes 1,000 screenshots a month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots. Sign up for ScreenshotNeo’s free plan.
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