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How to Capture a Specific Element with the ScreenshotOne API

Use ScreenshotOne’s selector parameter to capture a specific DOM element, control beyond-viewport capture, and troubleshoot selector errors.
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Use ScreenshotOne’s selector option to capture a webpage element: send the page URL, a CSS-like selector, and your access key to the /take endpoint. By default, ScreenshotOne scrolls the target into view and can capture the whole element, including content beyond the viewport.

Capture an element with a selector

Choose a selector that identifies the element you want, then send it with the page URL and your ScreenshotOne access key. This cURL request captures the element matching #target:

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curl -G "https://api.screenshotone.com/take" 
  --data-urlencode "url=https://example.com" 
  --data-urlencode "selector=#target" 
  --data-urlencode "access_key=YOUR_ACCESS_KEY" 
  -o element.png

Use --data-urlencode so special characters in the selector and URL are encoded correctly. In a raw query string, the # in an ID selector must be encoded as %23; otherwise it can be interpreted as a URL fragment rather than sent as part of the parameter. The equivalent minimal request shape is https://api.screenshotone.com/take?url=https%3A%2F%2Fexample.com&selector=%23target&access_key=YOUR_ACCESS_KEY. The endpoint accepts GET and POST requests. See ScreenshotOne’s getting-started documentation for authentication and request details.

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Python

Pass parameters separately so the HTTP library handles URL encoding:

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import requests

response = requests.get(
    "https://api.screenshotone.com/take",
    params={
        "url": "https://example.com",
        "selector": "#target",
        "access_key": "YOUR_ACCESS_KEY",
    },
    timeout=90,
)
response.raise_for_status()
with open("element.png", "wb") as image:
    image.write(response.content)

Node.js

This example uses the built-in fetch available in current Node.js releases. It URL-encodes the query and checks for an HTTP error before saving the response:

import { writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";

const params = new URLSearchParams({
  url: "https://example.com",
  selector: "#target",
  access_key: process.env.SCREENSHOTONE_ACCESS_KEY,
});

const response = await fetch(
  `https://api.screenshotone.com/take?${params}`
);
if (!response.ok) {
  throw new Error(`ScreenshotOne returned HTTP ${response.status}`);
}
await writeFile("element.png", Buffer.from(await response.arrayBuffer()));

Choose the right selector and capture area

The selector option takes a CSS-like selector for the element to capture. Prefer a unique ID, stable data attribute, or sufficiently specific selector. If several elements match, ScreenshotOne selects the first visible match in DOM order, so a broad selector may capture a different item than intended. Check the live page’s DOM when markup is dynamic. See ScreenshotOne’s options reference for selector behavior.

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Whole element or visible portion

With a selector specified, capture_beyond_viewport defaults to true, allowing capture of the selected element beyond the visible viewport. Set capture_beyond_viewport=false when you want only the portion visible in the viewport. Selector scrolling is enabled by default through selector_scroll_into_view=true; bringing the target into view may also trigger lazy-loaded images or other off-screen content.

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Partially visible targets

If the normal selector capture does not frame a partially visible element as needed, try selector_algorithm=clip. ScreenshotOne describes this algorithm as useful for some elements that are not fully visible or require scrolling, but page layout can affect the result.

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When to use coordinate clipping instead

Use a selector when the target is a dependable DOM element. Use coordinate clipping when you need a fixed rectangular region and a reliable selector is unavailable. Coordinate capture requires all four parameters: clip_x, clip_y, clip_width, and clip_height. The coordinates describe a rectangle, not a semantic page element. ScreenshotOne’s guide explains the distinction in its area-capture documentation.

Handle missing or incorrect selectors

A selector_not_found error does not necessarily mean the selector syntax is invalid. The target might not be visible, may have zero height, may not have rendered before the timeout, or may depend on page state or interaction. ScreenshotOne documents these causes and remedies in its Selector Not Found guide.

  • Inspect the live DOM and verify the selector matches the intended element.
  • Make the selector more specific if it matches several elements.
  • Check that the target is visible and has nonzero dimensions in the current page state.
  • Allow more rendering time if the page creates the target asynchronously.
  • Keep selector scrolling enabled when the element is off-screen or lazy-loaded; try selector_algorithm=clip for a partially visible target.

When error_on_selector_not_found is true, failing to find a visible target can return an error. Set it to false if the desired fallback is a screenshot of the page rather than a selector error. This is different from scroll_into_view: that option positions a matching element in the viewport. If no element matches, the viewport is rendered at the top unless error_on_selector_not_found is enabled.

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Protect the access key

Make API calls over HTTPS and treat the access key like a password. ScreenshotOne supports placing it in a GET parameter, a POST JSON body, or the X-Access-Key header. Keep it in a server-side environment variable or secrets manager rather than a public webpage or source repository. Avoid exposing unsigned screenshot URLs containing the key; ScreenshotOne documents signed links for cases where screenshot URLs need to be shared publicly. See Getting Started for the documented authentication methods.

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Or skip the browser setup

ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API and MCP server. Its one-call endpoint captures a URL as an image or PDF; this example requests the target page and saves a WebP response. See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for request options.

curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://example.com -o shot.webp

ScreenshotNeo removes cookie banners, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture. Bot checks, blank pages, failed loads, timeouts, and cache hits are not billed, with response headers identifying the page verdict and billing status. Its MCP server provides screenshot tools for AI agents. The Free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 screenshots.

Sign up for ScreenshotNeo’s free plan to get 1,000 screenshots a month with no card.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if my selector matches more than one element?

ScreenshotOne selects the first visible match in DOM order. Narrow the selector if you need a particular match.

Can I capture a fixed area without selecting a page element?

Yes. Coordinate clipping uses clip_x, clip_y, clip_width, and clip_height to define the rectangle.

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.

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