Use chromedp.Navigate to load the page, choose a screenshot action for the viewport, a visible element, or the full page, then write the returned []byte with os.WriteFile. The browser capture and the file write are separate steps, so check both errors.
Complete Go example: capture and save a full-page PNG
This standalone program starts Chromium through chromedp, navigates to a URL, captures the page beyond the viewport, and saves the PNG in the current working directory. It uses FullScreenshot with quality 100, which selects PNG encoding.
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package main
import (
"context"
"log"
"os"
"github.com/chromedp/chromedp"
)
func main() {
ctx, cancel := chromedp.NewContext(context.Background())
defer cancel()
var screenshot []byte
if err := chromedp.Run(ctx,
chromedp.Navigate("https://example.com"),
chromedp.FullScreenshot(&screenshot, 100),
); err != nil {
log.Fatalf("capture page: %v", err)
}
if err := os.WriteFile("screenshot.png", screenshot, 0o644); err != nil {
log.Fatalf("write screenshot: %v", err)
}
}Install chromedp in your Go module with go get github.com/chromedp/chromedp, then run the program with go run .. The output path is relative to the process’s current working directory; replace it with an absolute path if you need a predictable destination. Check the API against the chromedp version pinned in your module, because the project source and API may evolve.
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Capture one visible element
Use chromedp.Screenshot when you only need a selected DOM node. The selector must match an element that is visible to the browser. The following variation saves that element as PNG:
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var screenshot []byte
err := chromedp.Run(ctx,
chromedp.Navigate("https://example.com"),
chromedp.Screenshot("main article", &screenshot, chromedp.NodeVisible),
)
if err != nil {
return err
}
if err := os.WriteFile("article.png", screenshot, 0o644); err != nil {
return err
}Place this logic inside a function that returns an error, or adapt the error handling to your program. Selectors depend on the target site’s current markup; a live site’s HTML can change, so do not treat a third-party selector as a stable fixture.
Capture only the current viewport
Use chromedp.CaptureScreenshot for the visible browser viewport rather than the whole document:
var screenshot []byte
err := chromedp.Run(ctx,
chromedp.Navigate("https://example.com"),
chromedp.CaptureScreenshot(&screenshot),
)
if err != nil {
return err
}
if err := os.WriteFile("viewport.png", screenshot, 0o644); err != nil {
return err
}Capture beyond the viewport
chromedp.FullScreenshot is the full-size capture option. Its quality argument controls encoding: 100 produces PNG; any other value from 0 through 99 produces JPEG. Match the file extension to the actual format—for example, use 90 with full-page.jpg, not a PNG extension.
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Wait for a page that is ready to capture
Navigate loads the URL, but some pages render important content later through JavaScript. If you know a reliable selector for the content, add a wait action before the screenshot:
err := chromedp.Run(ctx,
chromedp.Navigate("https://example.com"),
chromedp.WaitVisible("main article", chromedp.ByQuery),
chromedp.FullScreenshot(&screenshot, 100),
)Choose a selector that indicates the content you actually need, not merely a generic page container that appears before rendering finishes. If the target does not expose a dependable selector, your application can use its own timeout or readiness condition; avoid relying on an arbitrary delay when a meaningful page signal is available.
How the save-to-file step works
The screenshot actions place encoded image bytes in the slice passed to them. They do not write a file. After chromedp.Run succeeds, call os.WriteFile(path, screenshot, 0o644) and handle its error as well. The mode is used when creating a new file; it does not override filesystem permissions or access controls.
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- Use a distinct filename if a repeated run should not overwrite an earlier capture.
- For batch jobs, create the destination directory before writing and include the URL or job identifier in filenames safely rather than using raw untrusted input as a path.
- Do not write the buffer after a failed browser action: capture errors can leave it empty or incomplete.
Device emulation and full-page captures
The chromedp maintainers’ screenshot example warns: “Note: chromedp.FullScreenshot overrides the device’s emulation settings. Use device.Reset to reset the emulation and viewport settings.” If your workflow configured a device viewport and will continue using the same context afterward, reset the emulation settings as needed. If the capture depends on a particular emulated viewport, verify the resulting dimensions rather than assuming the full-page action preserves that configuration.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesTroubleshooting
The file is missing or empty
- Check the error returned by
chromedp.Runbefore writing the slice. - Check the error from
os.WriteFile; the working directory may differ from the directory you expected, or the destination may not be writable. - Log the absolute output path during debugging so you can locate the file produced by a relative path.
The selector screenshot fails
Confirm that the selector matches the current page and identifies a visible node. A site redesign or delayed rendering can invalidate a previously working selector. Wait for a content-specific selector when the page renders asynchronously.
The screenshot has the wrong format
For FullScreenshot, use quality 100 and a .png filename for PNG, or a quality from 0 to 99 and a .jpg or .jpeg filename for JPEG. The file extension does not convert the bytes.
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There is no browser window
chromedp runs Chrome headlessly by default, so a visible browser window is not required for capture. The screenshot is still produced as bytes by the browser automation.
The run ends with a canceled context
A canceled context can result when the browser connection is lost or the context is canceled elsewhere. Keep the context alive through navigation, capture, and file writing; inspect the original error and browser lifecycle before retrying.
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Performance, reliability, and cost considerations
Capture time depends on browser startup, page loading, rendering, and image size; the cited chromedp APIs do not establish a general performance figure. Reuse browser infrastructure where appropriate for a high-volume worker, but give each job clear context cancellation and error handling. Full-page images can be substantially larger than viewport or element captures, so choose the smallest capture scope that meets the job’s need. No fixed chromedp release version or universal runtime is specified here; check the version in your Go module and the target site’s behavior.
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Or skip the browser setup
ScreenshotNeo provides a screenshot API if you would rather not manage Chromium in your Go application. One GET request returns an image or PDF. The service accepts cookie and consent banners before capture and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets; each step can be disabled. Bot checks and CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, and response headers report the page verdict and billing status.
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://example.com -o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for request options. 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 screenshots.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does chromedp save the screenshot file automatically?
No. The capture action returns encoded bytes to your Go slice; write them separately with a filesystem function such as os.WriteFile.
Which chromedp screenshot method captures the full page?
Use chromedp.FullScreenshot for a capture beyond the current viewport.
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