The Tool Desk
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Send a screenshot command to the right page target
Page.captureScreenshot is a command in CDP’s Page domain. The command must go to the page target you intend to capture; a command sent to a different target may capture the wrong page or fail. The exact message envelope depends on the CDP transport or client.
A minimal CDP request is:
{"id":1,"method":"Page.captureScreenshot","params":{"format":"png"}}In a JSON-based CDP exchange, the response contains image data in result.data as a base64 string. Decode that string to bytes before writing the file, and use a filename extension that matches the requested format. Writing the base64 characters directly as though they were image bytes will not produce a valid screenshot.
Send a command interactively with Protocol Monitor
Chrome DevTools’ Protocol Monitor lets you send CDP commands and inspect their responses without building a separate automation client. Enable the Protocol Monitor experiment if it is not already available, open the panel from the Command menu or More tools, and select the intended page target.
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- Open Protocol Monitor. If necessary, enable its experiment in DevTools settings, then use the Command menu or More tools to open the panel.
- Select the page target. Check that the selected target is the tab and page you want to capture.
- Enter a command. For example, to request a JPEG screenshot, submit
{"cmd":"Page.captureScreenshot","args":{"format":"jpeg"}}. The structured command editor can also generate a form from the protocol definitions. - Inspect the response. Find
result.data, decode its base64 value into binary image data, and save it with the matching extension.
The command format shown in Protocol Monitor is not the same as the CDP wire message in every transport. Use the format expected by the panel or client you are using.
Choose viewport, crop, or full-page capture
The default capture is not automatically a full-page image. Decide whether you need the visible viewport, a defined region, or content beyond the viewport before setting parameters.
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Visible viewport
For an ordinary viewport screenshot, send Page.captureScreenshot without a crop and leave beyond-viewport capture disabled. PNG is the default format.
Specific region with clip
Pass a clip viewport object to limit the screenshot to a region. Its geometry and scale must follow the protocol definition used by the target Chrome build. If the crop is shifted or the size is wrong, check those values and the scale rather than assuming the page viewport and clip use the same dimensions.
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Content beyond the viewport
Use captureBeyondViewport when you need content outside the visible viewport, provided the target version supports it. Determine the page’s actual content dimensions: Chromium’s protocol tests note that page content size can differ from the defined viewport dimensions. An unexpectedly viewport-sized result is a reason to check both the target version and this parameter.
Format and capture parameters
| Parameter | What it does | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
format |
Supports png, jpeg, and webp; PNG is the default. |
Choose PNG when lossless output matters; JPEG or WebP when a smaller lossy image is acceptable. |
quality |
An integer from 0 to 100 that applies to JPEG. | Set it when requesting JPEG and balancing image quality against file size. It does not apply to PNG. |
clip |
Limits the capture to a region described by the protocol’s viewport object. | Use it for a defined area; check geometry and scale against the target protocol definition. |
captureBeyondViewport |
Allows capture beyond the visible viewport where supported. | Use it for full-page or off-viewport content after checking support in the target Chrome build. |
fromSurface |
Controls capture from the surface. | Check the target version’s protocol definition before relying on it; this field is marked experimental in Chromium’s version 140 schema. |
optimizeForSpeed |
Requests speed-oriented capture behavior. | Check the target version’s protocol definition before relying on it; this field is marked experimental in Chromium’s version 140 schema. |
In Chromium’s version 140 protocol schema, fromSurface, captureBeyondViewport, and optimizeForSpeed are marked experimental. Protocol support can vary with the Chrome build, so consult the protocol definition corresponding to the target rather than assuming an option works everywhere.
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Use a built-in alternative when raw CDP is unnecessary
If you need a screenshot rather than direct protocol control, these Chrome and browser-automation options may be simpler:
| Option | Best fit | Scope and difference |
|---|---|---|
| Protocol Monitor | Manual CDP exploration and debugging | Sends one-off commands to a selected target and exposes requests and responses. |
| DevTools Device Mode | Manual visual checks | Offers viewport and full-size page screenshot actions through the DevTools interface. |
Headless Chrome --screenshot |
Simple command-line captures | Saves screenshot.png in the current working directory; the documented example pairs it with --window-size=412,892. The --timeout flag sets a maximum wait before capture, including while content is still loading. |
| Puppeteer | Scripted browser automation | A higher-level JavaScript library that works with Chrome and Firefox over CDP and WebDriver BiDi, with full-page and specific-element screenshot support. |
In Device Mode, Capture screenshot captures the visible viewport, while Capture a full size screenshot includes page content that is not currently visible. DevTools also provides node, oversized-node, mobile/device-frame, full-page, and area capture workflows. Choose raw CDP when direct protocol control is the goal; choose the built-in workflow or an automation library when it better matches the task.
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Troubleshoot common capture problems
- The image is only viewport-sized. Check the target Chrome version and whether
captureBeyondViewportis enabled and supported. Also account for actual page content dimensions rather than assuming they equal the defined viewport. - The crop has the wrong position or size. Verify the clip geometry and scale against the protocol definition for the target build.
- The saved file is corrupt or unreadable. Decode
result.datafrom base64 into binary bytes before saving, and make sure the extension matches the requested format. - The command affects the wrong tab or page. Confirm the command is directed to the intended page target.
- Chrome reports “Screenshot capture is restricted by policy.” For the Chrome extension
browser.debuggerAPI, enterpriseDisableScreenshotspolicy or Data Loss Prevention rules can block capture and cause debugger attachment to fail. This restriction is documented for the extension debugger API; do not assume it applies to every remote-debugging transport.
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ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API and MCP server. One GET request returns a PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF. Its capture flow accepts cookie and consent banners like a visitor and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; each step can be turned off. Bot checks and CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, and responses identify the page verdict and billing status in headers. AI agents can use its MCP server tools: take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf.
cURL example, adapted to capture the requested page:
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 API documentation for request options. The Free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000. Every feature is on every plan. Sign up for free: 1,000 screenshots a month, no card required.
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