For an authorized page that uses a cookie-backed login, capture it with ScreenshotMachine by sending a still-valid session cookie in the API’s cookies parameter. First sign in through the site’s normal login process and obtain the cookie securely; ScreenshotMachine’s reviewed API documentation does not describe a username-and-password field or logging in through arbitrary website forms. Never send your website password as an API parameter.
What you need before making the request
- Permission to access and capture the target page.
- Your ScreenshotMachine API key, called
keyin its API request. - A valid session cookie from a normal, authorized login to the target website, if that site authenticates the page with cookies.
- The full page URL and, if needed, desired viewport, output format, and capture timing.
There are two separate credentials to keep straight: key authorizes your request to ScreenshotMachine; the target site’s session cookie represents an already-established login to that site. The API reference also describes an optional hash for protecting public-page API calls. That hash is not a login credential for the protected destination page. See the ScreenshotMachine API documentation for its request parameters.
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Capture the page with the cookies parameter
- Sign in to the target website through its usual authorized login process. Do not give your account password to ScreenshotMachine.
- Use your browser’s developer tools or another approved method to obtain the session cookie needed for that page. The API documentation does not prescribe how to acquire a cookie or guarantee compatibility with every login method.
- Build the cookie string in
name=valueform. Multiple cookies are separated by semicolons, for examplename1=value1;name2=value2. - Percent-encode the complete cookie string before placing it in the request. The documentation’s example becomes
name1%3Dvalue1%3Bname2%3Dvalue2. - Send the full target URL, your API key, and encoded cookie string to ScreenshotMachine. Keep both the API key and cookie private; do not expose them in a public example, shared URL, or application log.
Example request pattern (replace the sample values with your own, and keep the cookie secret):
curl -G "https://api.screenshotmachine.com"
--data-urlencode "key=YOUR_SCREENSHOTMACHINE_KEY"
--data-urlencode "url=https://example.com/account"
--data-urlencode "cookies=name1=value1;name2=value2"
--data-urlencode "dimension=1024x768"
--data-urlencode "device=desktop"
--data-urlencode "format=png"
--data-urlencode "cacheLimit=0"
-o capture.png--data-urlencode encodes each parameter for the request. If you construct a URL by hand instead, encode reserved characters in both the cookie value and target URL query values. Use the API’s documented request format and current parameter names; the examples here illustrate the documented cookie workflow rather than a tested recipe for a particular website.
#1 Best Overall
- 【Instant Snap-on Magnetic Attachment】- The Patented Magnetic Privacy Screen – Protected by U.S. Patents 9,829,669 and D844,012. Simply place the privacy screen along the top of your MacBook and let the magnets attach along the top. No need for tricky placement, messy tape, or damaging adhesive. Easily remove and reattach when you need it.
- 【Filter Dimensions】: Width: 11 15/16" (304 mm), Height: 7 1/2" (190 mm), Diagonal: 14.1" (358.14 mm) - SightPro Blackout Privacy Filter is engineered to be compatible with Lenovo, HP, Dell, Acer, Asus, Samsung, and other laptop brands. Please verify your screen's width and height measurements before ordering. It's not recommended to make your selection based solely on your screen's diagonal size. [Not optimized for touchscreens.]
- 【Superior Privacy】- Our advanced multi-layered film filter blacks out your screen when viewing from the side, while maintaining a crystal clear screen straight-on. It also protects your eyes from harmful UV and blue light. [Note: It does not block visibility directly behind you, regardless of the distance.]
- 【Perfect for Travel and Open Workspaces】- The Laptop Privacy Screen Filter is the ideal solution for healthcare providers, mobile workers, commuters, students, and business travelers. Now you can stay compliant and safeguard sensitive corporate information while working in airplanes, subways, airports, and public areas.
- 【Package Contents】- Each package includes a magnetic privacy screen filter, magnetic stickers, a webcam privacy cover, a storage folder, and a cleaning cloth. Buy with confidence – located in the US, Sight Pro specializes in providing best-in-class privacy solutions to individuals, small businesses, corporations, government, and educational institutions. Our privacy screens are Section 889 and TAA compliant.
Choose capture settings for the page
ScreenshotMachine documents settings for the requested image, viewport, device, delay, and caching. Add only the options that suit the page and consult the API reference for accepted values and any additional parameters.
- Viewport and device: Set
dimensionanddeviceto the view you need. The documentation lists desktop, phone, and tablet devices. - Image format: The API documentation lists JPG, PNG, and GIF formats.
- Full-page capture: A
fullheight can request a full-page image. Very long pages may take longer to capture. - Delay: Increase
delayif assets or animations need more time before capture. - Freshness: Set
cacheLimit=0when you need a fresh image rather than a cached one. ScreenshotMachine’s pricing page says cached screenshots are retained for 14 days and repeated cached downloads are not billed; this is provider-stated pricing information checked on 2026-10-03. Check the pricing page for current details.
Understand errors and troubleshoot failed captures
ScreenshotMachine says invalid or incomplete API calls return an error image, and its documentation identifies invalid_url as a possible result when the URL is invalid or authorization is required and the destination sent a 401. Inspect the X-Screenshotmachine-Response header when a capture fails; do not assume the returned image is a successful screenshot.
Rank #2
- Filter Dimensions: Width: 11 15/16" (304 mm), Height: 7 1/2" (190 mm), Diagonal: 14.1" (358.14 mm) - SightPro Blackout Privacy Filter is engineered to be compatible with Lenovo, HP, Dell, Acer, Asus, Samsung, and other laptop brands. Please verify your screen's width and height measurements before ordering. It's not recommended to make your selection based solely on your screen's diagonal size. [Not optimized for touchscreens.]
- Two Attachment Options - Installs in minutes. Option 1 uses clear adhesive strips that securely attach to any screen. Option 2 uses slide mount tabs that easily stick to the display frame, allowing you to slide the filter on and off the screen as needed.
- Superior Privacy and Anti Glare - Our advanced multi-layered film filter blacks out your screen when viewing from the side, while maintaining a crystal clear screen straight-on. It also protects your eyes from harmful glare, UV, and blue light. [Note: It does not block visibility directly behind you, regardless of the distance.]
- Perfect for Travel and Open Workspaces - Our computer screen privacy filter is the ideal solution for healthcare providers, mobile workers, commuters, students, and business travelers. Now you can stay compliant and safeguard sensitive corporate information while working in airplanes, subways, airports and public areas.
- Package Contents - Each package includes one privacy screen shield filter, two sets of clear adhesive strips, two sets of slide mount tabs, and a microfiber cleaning cloth. Buy with confidence – located in the US, Sight Pro specializes in providing best-in-class privacy solutions to individuals, small businesses, corporations, government, and educational institutions. Our privacy screens are Section 889 and TAA compliant.
| Symptom | What to check | Practical next step |
|---|---|---|
invalid_url or an error image |
The target URL, request completeness, and whether the destination returned 401. | Check the URL and required parameters, then verify the session cookie is current and applies to the destination. The documentation describes this error behavior; the diagnosis steps are practical checks, not a guaranteed fix. |
| The image shows a login page | The cookie may be expired, may not apply to the target host or path, or the site may require additional state or an authentication flow not represented by that cookie. | Sign in again through the authorized site flow and obtain an appropriate current cookie. If the page relies on another mechanism, ask ScreenshotMachine whether that specific target and authentication method are supported. |
| The captured page is incomplete or still loading | Whether assets or animations need more time, or whether a full-page image is being requested. | Try a longer delay; allow for longer capture time on long pages. |
| The result is not current | Whether a cached image was eligible to be returned. | Set cacheLimit=0 when a fresh capture is required. |
| The request fails despite a valid session | Cookie encoding, cookie scope, redirects, API key, and whether the destination uses a different authentication mechanism. | Confirm the cookie string is percent-encoded and sent with the correct target URL. The API documentation does not establish direct support for HTTP Basic Auth credentials or arbitrary form login. |
Use protected-page capture responsibly
Only capture pages you are authorized to access, and keep session cookies as carefully as passwords: anyone who obtains an active session cookie may be able to use that session. ScreenshotMachine’s terms restrict unlawful or harmful use and systematic or automated collection without express written consent. Review the ScreenshotMachine terms and the destination site’s applicable rules before automating captures. This is a summary of the provider’s terms, not legal advice.
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Current ScreenshotMachine plan context
As listed on ScreenshotMachine’s pricing page checked 2026-10-03, the plans include 100 fresh screenshots per month on Free, 2,500 on Basic at 9 EUR/month, 20,000 on Pro at 59 EUR/month, and 50,000 on Enterprise at 99 EUR/month. The page also describes additional screenshot rates by tier, usage billed in groups of 1,000 rounded down, 14-day screenshot caching with cached downloads not billed, and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Prices, taxes, and availability can change; verify the current terms on the ScreenshotMachine pricing page.
Rank #3
- 【Instant Snap-on Magnetic Attachment】- The Patented Magnetic Privacy Screen – Protected by U.S. Patents 9,829,669 and D844,012. Simply place the privacy screen along the top of your MacBook and let the magnets attach along the top. No need for tricky placement, messy tape, or damaging adhesive. Easily remove and reattach when you need it.
- 【Filter Dimensions】: Width: 13.56" (344.5 mm), Height: 8.49" (215.6 mm), Diagonal: 16" (406 mm) - SightPro Blackout Privacy Filter is engineered to be compatible with Lenovo, HP, Dell, Acer, Asus, Samsung, and other laptop brands. Please verify your screen's width and height measurements before ordering. It's not recommended to make your selection based solely on your screen's diagonal size. [Not optimized for touchscreens.]
- 【Superior Privacy】- Our advanced multi-layered film filter blacks out your screen when viewing from the side, while maintaining a crystal clear screen straight-on. It also protects your eyes from harmful UV and blue light. [Note: It does not block visibility directly behind you, regardless of the distance.]
- 【Perfect for Travel and Open Workspaces】- The Laptop Privacy Screen Filter is the ideal solution for healthcare providers, mobile workers, commuters, students, and business travelers. Now you can stay compliant and safeguard sensitive corporate information while working in airplanes, subways, airports, and public areas.
- 【Package Contents】- Each package includes a magnetic privacy screen filter, magnetic stickers, a webcam privacy cover, a storage folder, and a cleaning cloth. Buy with confidence – located in the US, Sight Pro specializes in providing best-in-class privacy solutions to individuals, small businesses, corporations, government, and educational institutions. Our privacy screens are Section 889 and TAA compliant.
Or skip the browser setup
ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API and MCP server. Its one-call request can return an image or PDF, and its clean-shot options remove cookie/consent banners, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture. Only clean shots are billed: bot checks/CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits cost nothing, with the outcome identified in response headers. An MCP server provides screenshot tools for AI agents and MCP clients. The Free plan includes 1,000 shots a month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000.
For an authorized target URL, a basic cURL call is:
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 request options. The call above illustrates a standard capture; it does not configure authentication for a protected destination page.
Rank #4
- 【Filter Dimensions】: Width: 13 9/16" (345 mm), Height: 7 5/8" (194 mm), Diagonal: 15.6" (396.24 mm) - SightPro Blackout Privacy Filter is engineered to be compatible with Lenovo, HP, Dell, Acer, Asus, Samsung, and other laptop brands. Please verify your screen's width and height measurements before ordering. It's not recommended to make your selection based solely on your screen's diagonal size. [Not optimized for touchscreens.]
- 【Two Attachment Options】- Installs in minutes. Option 1 uses clear adhesive strips that securely attach to any screen. Option 2 uses slide mount tabs that easily stick to the display frame, allowing you to slide the filter on and off the screen as needed.
- 【Superior Privacy and Reduce Glare】- Our advanced multi-layered film filter blacks out your screen when viewing from the side, while maintaining a crystal clear screen straight-on. It also protects your eyes from harmful glare, UV, and blue light. [Note: It does not block visibility directly behind you, regardless of the distance.]
- 【Perfect for Travel and Open Workspaces】- Our computer screen privacy filter is the ideal solution for healthcare providers, mobile workers, commuters, students, and business travelers. Now you can stay compliant and safeguard sensitive corporate information while working in airplanes, subways, airports and public areas.
- 【Package Contents】- Each package includes one privacy screen shield filter, two sets of clear adhesive strips, two sets of slide mount tabs, and a microfiber cleaning cloth. Buy with confidence – located in the US, Sight Pro specializes in providing best-in-class privacy solutions to individuals, small businesses, corporations, government, and educational institutions. Our privacy screens are Section 889 and TAA compliant.
Sign up for ScreenshotNeo’s free plan: 1,000 screenshots a month, no card required.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently Asked Questions
Can I send my website username and password to ScreenshotMachine?
No. The documented method relevant to a cookie-backed session is the cookies parameter with a valid cookie obtained after an authorized login; the API documentation does not describe a username/password field or arbitrary form-login workflow.
Best Value
- 【Instant Snap-on Magnetic Attachment】- The Patented Magnetic Privacy Screen – Protected by U.S. Patents 9,829,669 and D844,012. Simply place the privacy screen along the top of your MacBook and let the magnets attach along the top. No need for tricky placement, messy tape, or damaging adhesive. Easily remove and reattach when you need it.
- 【Filter Dimensions】: Width: 12 3/16" (310 mm), Height: 6 7/8" (175 mm), Diagonal: 14" (355.6 mm) - There are two different 14 inch screen sizes, please select the correct one. SightPro Blackout Privacy Filter is engineered to be compatible with Lenovo, HP, Dell, Acer, Asus, Samsung, and other laptop brands. Please verify your screen's width and height measurements before ordering. It's not recommended to make your selection based solely on your screen's diagonal size. [Not optimized for touchscreens.]
- 【Superior Privacy】- Our advanced multi-layered film filter blacks out your screen when viewing from the side, while maintaining a crystal clear screen straight-on. It also protects your eyes from harmful UV and blue light. [Note: It does not block visibility directly behind you, regardless of the distance.]
- 【Perfect for Travel and Open Workspaces】- The Laptop Privacy Screen Filter is the ideal solution for healthcare providers, mobile workers, commuters, students, and business travelers. Now you can stay compliant and safeguard sensitive corporate information while working in airplanes, subways, airports, and public areas.
- 【Package Contents】- Each package includes a magnetic privacy screen filter, magnetic stickers, a webcam privacy cover, a storage folder, and a cleaning cloth. Buy with confidence – located in the US, Sight Pro specializes in providing best-in-class privacy solutions to individuals, small businesses, corporations, government, and educational institutions. Our privacy screens are Section 889 and TAA compliant.
Does a ScreenshotMachine hash authenticate me to the protected website?
No. The documented optional hash protects public-page API calls; it is not the destination website’s login credential.
Does the ScreenshotMachine cookie workflow work with every protected site?
The documentation describes passing cookies, but does not demonstrate cookie acquisition or guarantee support for every site or authentication method. Confirm support for a specific target with ScreenshotMachine.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
