Add block_cookie_banners=true to the ScreenshotOne /take request. The option is off by default for URL captures, so making it explicit is the first fix to try.
1. Enable ScreenshotOne’s cookie-banner blocker
Use the block_cookie_banners option in the request sent to ScreenshotOne:
https://api.screenshotone.com/take?url=https%3A%2F%2Fexample.com&block_cookie_banners=true&access_key=YOUR_ACCESS_KEYReplace example.com with the page you want to capture and provide your own API key. Keep the key private; do not put a real key in a public page, shared log, or source repository.
ScreenshotOne documents this option as blocking cookie banners, GDPR overlay windows, and related privacy notices. It is disabled by default for URL requests. See the ScreenshotOne options documentation.
When using an SDK or POST request
ScreenshotOne also accepts POST requests with JSON options. Set block_cookie_banners to true in the JSON body or in the equivalent option in your SDK’s request builder. The important check is that the option reaches the actual request, not merely that it appears in your application’s configuration.
2. Check the request that was actually sent
- Inspect the final GET URL or POST JSON generated by your code or SDK.
- Confirm the option is present as
block_cookie_banners=true(or JSON booleantrue). - If the API returns an error, check its HTTP status and JSON error object. ScreenshotOne documents human-readable error messages and error codes for errors: error documentation.
Be careful when logging a full request URL: it may contain your access key. Redact the key before sharing logs or asking for help.
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3. Try the heuristic fallback if the popup remains
If the standard blocker does not remove the popup on a particular page, try adding block_banners_by_heuristics=true as a separate fallback option. ScreenshotOne describes it as using a different set of techniques and heuristics for banners the regular option misses. Its documentation also warns that the resulting screenshot may be less precise. See the options documentation.
Compare the result with the original capture: a heuristic can affect page elements beyond the specific consent overlay. Do not treat this fallback as a guarantee that every consent interface will be identified or removed.
4. Hide a known banner by CSS selector
If you know the popup’s stable CSS selector, use ScreenshotOne’s hide_selectors option to target that element. The API applies display:none!important to matching elements before capture. This is useful when broad banner handling is insufficient and the site’s markup gives you a reliable target. Option syntax and request formats are documented in ScreenshotOne’s options reference.
- Choose a selector specific to the consent dialog, not a broad selector such as
divthat could hide unrelated page content. - Check whether the selector still matches if the site changes its markup or loads the dialog differently.
- Review the screenshot for missing content that may have matched the selector unintentionally.
Hiding an element changes what is rendered in the screenshot; it does not establish that the site recorded a consent choice.
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5. Use injected JavaScript only with a site-specific reason
ScreenshotOne documents a scripts option for custom JavaScript. Consider it only when you understand the target site’s DOM and when its content loads. A script that removes a guessed selector can hide the wrong content or run before the popup appears, so there is no safe universal script to recommend without knowing the page.
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What a clean screenshot does—and does not—mean
Removing a consent dialog from the rendered capture is not proof that a visitor accepted or rejected cookies, that a consent cookie was written, or that the site’s consent requirements were fulfilled. The documented banner-blocking and element-hiding options describe capture behavior, not a recorded consent action.
Common problems and what to check
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The popup appears in the screenshot | The blocker was omitted, set to false, or not included in the request actually sent. | Verify the final URL or POST JSON and set block_cookie_banners to true. |
| The standard option is present, but this page’s popup remains | The particular banner may not be caught by the regular option. | Try block_banners_by_heuristics=true, then inspect the full page for unintended changes. |
| A selector-based fix does nothing | The selector may not match the popup, or the page may render a different element than expected. | Inspect the site’s markup and choose a stable, narrowly scoped selector. |
| The API returns an error | The request may be malformed or an option may not be reaching the API as expected. | Check the HTTP status and JSON error code and message in ScreenshotOne’s error documentation. |
When asking for help
If the popup still appears, provide the target URL if it can be shared, the request with access keys and other secrets redacted, the SDK or programming language, and the returned HTTP status and error details. Those details help distinguish an omitted option from a selector mismatch, an unsupported widget, or a request-construction problem.
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For example, this cURL request saves a WebP screenshot; see the ScreenshotNeo documentation for options:
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