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On GNU/Linux, the simplest native method is MSS: create the capture object with with_cursor=True, then grab a monitor or region and save the resulting image. MSS documents this option as GNU/Linux-only and may silently disable it when the current environment cannot provide the pointer, so inspect sct.with_cursor and verify the saved file.
Capture a full monitor with the cursor on GNU/Linux
Install MSS and Pillow in the environment that will run the script:
python -m pip install mss pillowThen capture the primary monitor:
from mss import MSS
with MSS(with_cursor=True) as sct:
print("Cursor capture enabled:", sct.with_cursor)
shot = sct.grab(sct.primary_monitor)
shot.to_pil().save("screenshot.png")The important detail is the constructor argument. Set it when creating MSS; the documented property cannot be changed after the object is created. grab() accepts a monitor description or a region dictionary, and to_pil() converts the captured image to a Pillow image for saving or further editing.
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Capture a selected region
Use a dictionary with screen coordinates when you do not need the whole monitor:
from mss import MSS
region = {"left": 100, "top": 100, "width": 800, "height": 600}
with MSS(with_cursor=True) as sct:
print("Cursor capture enabled:", sct.with_cursor)
image = sct.grab(region).to_pil()
image.save("region.png")The region’s left and top values are desktop coordinates. The resulting file starts at (0, 0), so a cursor outside the rectangle cannot appear in the image. If the pointer is near an edge, include enough margin for its hotspot and artwork.
Check whether your environment can provide a cursor
Before relying on this in automation, make a small diagnostic script:
from pathlib import Path
from mss import MSS
output = Path("cursor-check.png")
with MSS(with_cursor=True) as sct:
print("Requested: True")
print("Available: ", sct.with_cursor)
shot = sct.grab(sct.primary_monitor)
shot.to_pil().save(output)
print("Wrote", output.resolve())- If
AvailableisFalse, the backend or current desktop circumstances do not support native cursor inclusion. Do not assume the image contains a pointer. - If it is
True, still inspect the file. API availability does not guarantee that every compositor, display server, remote session or desktop effect will produce the expected pixels. - Run the test on each operating system, display-scaling configuration and capture backend you support.
MSS’s command-line interface also exposes a --with-cursor option; its usage documentation identifies that CLI option as available from MSS 8.0.0. The Python constructor remains the more convenient choice when you need to process or name the image in code.
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Windows and macOS: what the flag does not promise
MSS supports platform-specific screen-capture backends, but its documented with_cursor option is explicitly GNU/Linux-only. Therefore, do not publish or deploy code that promises the same native cursor behavior on Windows or macOS merely because the argument is accepted by your installed package. Test the actual output on the target platform and choose a fallback when necessary.
Pillow’s ImageGrab.grab() captures the screen or a bounding box, but its documented signature has no cursor-inclusion parameter. On macOS, Pillow documents Retina output at 2× by default; scale_down=True requests 1× output. On Linux, Pillow documents possible fallback commands such as gnome-screenshot, grim or spectacle when its normal X11 path cannot obtain an image. None of those documented behaviors promises that a pointer will be present.
PyAutoGUI’s pyautogui.screenshot() returns a Pillow image, can write directly to a filename and accepts a region argument, but its screenshot API documentation does not list a cursor-inclusion argument. PyAutoGUI documentation gives an approximate capture time of roughly 100 milliseconds for a 1920 × 1080 screen; treat that as a contextual documentation estimate, not a benchmark or guarantee.
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When the capture library omits the pointer, a practical approach is to obtain the pointer position, capture the screen, and paste a cursor PNG over the result. This is an implementation pattern, not a built-in Pillow or PyAutoGUI guarantee. The details of obtaining the pointer position are platform- and toolkit-dependent, so select a position API that is supported in your application.
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The compositing part can be implemented with Pillow:
from PIL import Image
screen = Image.open("screen.png").convert("RGBA")
cursor = Image.open("cursor.png").convert("RGBA")
# Desktop coordinates captured at the same instant as the screenshot.
pointer_x, pointer_y = 420, 260
# Cursor hotspot: the pixel that touches the screen at the pointer location.
hotspot_x, hotspot_y = 5, 3
paste_at = (pointer_x - hotspot_x, pointer_y - hotspot_y)
screen.alpha_composite(cursor, dest=paste_at)
screen.convert("RGB").save("screen-with-cursor.png")For a cropped capture, subtract the crop’s desktop origin before calculating the paste position:
region_left, region_top = 100, 100
image_x = pointer_x - region_left - hotspot_x
image_y = pointer_y - region_top - hotspot_y
screen.alpha_composite(cursor, dest=(image_x, image_y))Coordinate and scaling rules
- Use one coordinate space. The pointer position and screenshot must refer to the same virtual desktop. Multi-monitor layouts can have negative origins or gaps.
- Account for scaling. Logical pointer coordinates and physical screenshot pixels may differ at fractional display scaling. macOS Retina capture is specifically documented as 2× unless scaled down.
- Use the correct hotspot. The visible arrow’s top-left corner is not necessarily the click point. Store the cursor image’s hotspot and subtract it.
- Capture close together in time. The pointer can move between position sampling and the screen capture, producing an offset.
- Validate each configuration. Check full-screen and region captures, every supported monitor arrangement, scaling level and operating system.
If the cursor image has transparency, use alpha_composite or an equivalent mask-aware operation. A normal opaque paste creates a rectangular box around the pointer.
Common failures and fixes
The output has no pointer on GNU/Linux
- Print
sct.with_cursor. If MSS disabled it, native inclusion is unavailable in that session; use a compositing fallback or change the capture environment. - Move the pointer to a known location before testing and inspect the actual PNG rather than relying on the constructor argument.
- Check whether you are capturing a different display, monitor or region than the one containing the pointer.
The pointer is clipped or appears shifted
- For a region, subtract its
left/toporigin from desktop coordinates. - Apply the cursor hotspot, not simply the image’s top-left corner.
- Recalculate physical pixels when display scaling is enabled.
macOS output is twice the expected size
Pillow documents Retina output at 2× by default. Use scale_down=True where a 1× image is required, and adjust any manually composited cursor coordinates to the image’s actual pixel dimensions.
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Linux Pillow capture returns no image
Pillow documents possible Linux fallback commands including gnome-screenshot, grim and spectacle when its default X11 display path cannot provide an image. Install and configure the appropriate desktop utility for the session, then retest. These fallbacks still do not promise cursor capture.
Automation captures a different pointer position
Prevent pointer movement during the two operations, or capture the position and screen in a tightly controlled sequence. Remote desktops, compositors and accessibility tools can also draw a pointer differently from the hardware cursor.
Choosing an approach
| Approach | Native cursor support | Capture scope | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|
MSS with with_cursor=True |
Documented for GNU/Linux | Monitor or region | Option may be disabled; verify output |
| Pillow ImageGrab | No documented cursor parameter | Screen or bounding box | Platform fallback and scaling differences |
| PyAutoGUI screenshot | No documented cursor parameter | Screen or region | Manual overlay and coordinate mapping |
| Manual Pillow overlay | Application-controlled | Any captured image | Pointer timing, hotspot and scaling errors |
For a Linux desktop where a real pointer must be visible, start with MSS and test the file. For cross-platform tooling, treat cursor rendering as a separate overlay problem unless your chosen backend explicitly documents support.
Or skip the browser setup
If what you actually need is a screenshot of a web page, rather than your local desktop pointer, ScreenshotNeo returns a website image or PDF from one request. It is not a replacement for capturing a physical desktop cursor, but it avoids maintaining a browser automation stack.
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cURL:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpPython:
import requests
r = requests.get("https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot", params={"access_key": "YOUR_API_KEY", "url": "https://stripe.com"}, timeout=90)
open("shot.webp", "wb").write(r.content)Node.js:
const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://stripe.com' });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);See the ScreenshotNeo documentation for request options. Before capture, it can accept cookie or consent banners and remove more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups and chat widgets; bot checks, blank pages and failed loads are not billed, and response headers identify the page verdict and billing status. 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 shots per month without a card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots. Create a free ScreenshotNeo account.
FAQ
Can I turn on with_cursor after creating MSS?
No. Create the MSS object with with_cursor=True; the documented setting cannot be changed afterward.
Will the cursor be visible in a screenshot taken by a headless process?
Do not assume so. Cursor availability depends on the desktop session and capture backend, and MSS can disable the option. Verify the resulting image in the environment that runs the process.
Does ScreenshotNeo capture my computer’s mouse pointer?
No. ScreenshotNeo captures web pages at its service endpoint. Use MSS or a desktop capture API for a local pointer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Python library has a documented native cursor option?
MSS documents with_cursor=True for GNU/Linux capture.
What should I do when my library has no cursor parameter?
Capture the pointer position and image, then composite a cursor PNG using the correct crop origin, scale and hotspot.
Why must I inspect the saved image instead of only checking the flag?
A backend can accept the request but disable cursor inclusion when the current desktop circumstances cannot provide the pointer.
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