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Freedom251 › Blog › authenticated profiles

How to Capture Screenshots of Pages Behind a Login with Browserless

By Freedom251 Team · · 7 min read

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To screenshot a page behind a login with Browserless, first make the authenticated browser state available to the capture. For repeat captures, save a Browserless authenticated profile and pass it to a later screenshot request. For a one-off, multi-step workflow, sign in and capture the protected page in the same stateful browser session. Then wait for the page to render and choose full-page or element capture as needed.

Choose how to preserve the login

Browserless documents two practical workflows. Use an authenticated profile when you need to reuse the same account state across later captures. Use a live stateful session when the job must interact with the sign-in page before it can reach the protected page.

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Method Best fit How state carries over
Authenticated profile Repeated captures or jobs that need reusable login state Browserless saves cookies, localStorage, and IndexedDB, then restores them before rendering a later request.
Stateful browser session A short workflow that must navigate through login or other interactive steps Successive commands use the same browser session and continue from the page state left by the previous command.

Use a saved authenticated profile for repeat captures

  1. Start a profile session. Use Browserless’s authenticated-profile workflow to open a browser session associated with the profile you intend to save.
  2. Complete the site’s sign-in flow. Finish any required redirects, multifactor prompts, or consent steps in the connected browser. Check that the protected page is available and that the site has set its authentication state before saving.
  3. Save the profile. Browserless stores the browser state, including cookies, localStorage, and IndexedDB, for later use. The documentation explains: “The captured state is loaded into the browser before the page is rendered, so you can take a screenshot or PDF of an authenticated page without scripting the login.” Browserless Authenticated Profiles.
  4. Pass the profile to a supported capture endpoint. Browserless documents profile use with the Screenshot REST API. Include the profile parameter in a later screenshot request along with the protected page URL and your API token. Consult the current endpoint documentation for exact request fields and token placement: Screenshot API.

A saved profile avoids scripting the login on every capture, but it only helps if the saved state is still accepted by the site. Sites can expire sessions or require fresh authentication, so check the returned image for a sign-in page rather than assuming that a successful HTTP response means the profile worked.

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Use one stateful session for an interactive login

If login requires navigation or interaction that you cannot complete ahead of time, keep the browser open through the entire workflow. Navigate to the login page, complete the sign-in flow, then navigate to the protected URL and capture it in that same session. Browserless’s session guide describes successive commands as continuing from the state left by the preceding command, so cookies and page state remain available within that live session: Browserless Sessions.

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  1. Connect to a Browserless stateful browser session using the method documented for your Browserless plan and client.
  2. Open the site’s login page and complete its required form, redirects, and verification steps.
  3. Confirm the browser has reached an authenticated page, then navigate to the protected page.
  4. Wait until the relevant content is visible or the site’s loading activity has settled, then issue the screenshot command in the same session.

This approach is useful when login is dynamic, but it couples the capture to the live session. If you need to run many independent captures with the same account, an authenticated profile is the more reusable state mechanism.

Capture the authenticated page through the Screenshot REST API

For a direct REST capture, send a POST request to Browserless’s /screenshot endpoint with the protected URL, your API token, and the screenshot options. Browserless returns an image. The request supports full-page capture and documented controls for waits; check the current API reference for the required authentication format and supported option names before using the example below.

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curl -X POST "https://production-sfo.browserless.io/screenshot?token=YOUR_API_TOKEN" 
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" 
  --data '{"url":"https://example.com/account/report","options":{"fullPage":true}}' 
  --output authenticated-page.png

Replace the example URL with the protected page and use the Browserless endpoint host for your account. Add the profile parameter using the documented format when restoring a saved profile. Do not put a real token into source control, logs, or a publicly shared command history.

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Capture a whole page, a selected element, or lazy content

  • Whole page: Set fullPage when the output should include content below the initial viewport.
  • One element: Use the documented selector option to capture a specific element, such as a report panel, rather than the entire page. Confirm the selector matches the authenticated page’s rendered DOM.
  • Lazy-loaded sections: Browserless notes, “Lazy-loaded content only renders when it scrolls into view.” Use scrollPage: true to scroll before capture; combine it with full-page capture when you need the complete long page. See the Screenshot API options.
  • Dynamic rendering: Use an appropriate wait for the target page or content rather than assuming that navigation completion means the dashboard, chart, or report has finished loading.

BrowserQL alternative within Browserless

Browserless’s BrowserQL screenshot mutation documents fullPage, selector, waitForImages, output type, quality, and screenshot timeout. Its schema reference lists a 30-second default screenshot timeout; that is a documented default, not a promise about how long a particular page takes to render. See the BrowserQL screenshot reference.

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Preserve cookies correctly and protect the saved state

If you transfer cookies manually between browser sessions, preserve the attributes returned by the browser. Browserless warns that recreating a cookie without its original secure or sameSite flags can cause the site to reject or ignore it. Browserless BAP can read cookies and add them to a later session; use the documented cookie workflow rather than guessing attributes: Browserless cookie state.

  • Keep API tokens and saved browser profiles private; they can grant access to authenticated pages.
  • Do not assume a cookie alone contains all login state. A site may also rely on localStorage, IndexedDB, or a fresh authentication challenge.
  • If a profile stops working, complete login again and save refreshed state before investigating screenshot options.

Diagnose blank, incomplete, or blocked captures

What the image shows Likely cause What to check
Login page or redirect instead of the target The profile was not restored, the live session did not finish signing in, or the site’s authentication expired. Verify login in the connected browser; confirm authentication state was set before saving the profile; refresh the profile if needed.
White or blank page The page may not have rendered before capture, or automation may be blocked. Wait for the target content or images, compare with a regular browser, and check for an error page hidden behind the blank output.
CAPTCHA or access-denied/403 page The site may be blocking automated access. Confirm the same URL works in a normal browser and inspect the actual rendered page. Browserless documents a separate /unblock endpoint for some bot-detection workflows, but it is not a guarantee of access: Browserless Unblock API.
Top of page is correct but lower sections are missing Content may be lazy-loaded and not yet scrolled into view. Enable scrolling before capture and use full-page capture if you need the whole document.
Page loads but charts, images, or widgets are missing Those components may need additional time or an image-specific wait. Wait for the relevant selector or image-loading condition; BrowserQL documents waitForImages.
Cookie appears present but login still fails Cookie attributes may have changed, or the site requires other stored state. Carry over original secure and sameSite values and consider saving a complete authenticated profile instead of reconstructing cookies.

Browserless identifies blank captures, CAPTCHA pages, and access-denied or 403 pages as signs that a site may be blocking automation. Treat those as page-level outcomes to diagnose, not as proof that the screenshot option itself is wrong.

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Or skip the browser setup

ScreenshotNeo is a screenshot API and MCP server for developers. Its one-request API can return an image or PDF and supports authenticated requests with custom cookies, headers, and Authorization. The endpoint can accept URLs that require login credentials supplied by you; it does not replace a site’s sign-in flow when the site requires an interactive challenge.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

For a page accessible with an Authorization header, adapt this cURL request with your target URL and credentials:

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See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for request parameters, including custom headers and cookies. Cookie banners, newsletter popups, and chat widgets are removed before capture; each cleanup step can be turned off. Bot checks or CAPTCHAs, blank pages, failed loads, timeouts, and cache hits are not billed, and response headers identify the page verdict and billing status. An MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf 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 1,000 screenshots a month, with no card required.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a Browserless screenshot request itself sign in to a website?

Not by itself in the saved-profile workflow: the login state must first be created in a profile session. For an interactive login, use a stateful browser session and complete sign-in before capture.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Does Browserless guarantee that /unblock will get past a CAPTCHA?

No. Browserless documents it as a separate endpoint for some bot-detection workflows, not as a universal bypass.

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.

authenticated profilesBrowserlessDeveloper Toolsscreenshotsweb automation

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