Set a custom user agent when you create a Playwright browser context, capture the page in a script, then run that script on a scheduler such as GitHub Actions. This gives you control over the browser identity and capture settings, but scheduled runs are not guaranteed to start at an exact minute.
Capture a page with a custom user agent
In Playwright, set userAgent on the browser context before creating and navigating the page. The context option is documented as the specific user agent to use in that context. Playwright Browser API
Here is an illustrative JavaScript script using Chromium. It expects TARGET_URL and SCREENSHOT_USER_AGENT to be set in the environment, and writes a full-page PNG to artifacts/page.png:
const { chromium } = require('playwright');
const fs = require('node:fs/promises');
async function main() {
const targetUrl = process.env.TARGET_URL;
const userAgent = process.env.SCREENSHOT_USER_AGENT;
if (!targetUrl || !userAgent) {
throw new Error('Set TARGET_URL and SCREENSHOT_USER_AGENT');
}
await fs.mkdir('artifacts', { recursive: true });
const browser = await chromium.launch();
try {
const context = await browser.newContext({ userAgent });
const page = await context.newPage();
await page.goto(targetUrl, { waitUntil: 'networkidle', timeout: 60000 });
await page.screenshot({ path: 'artifacts/page.png', fullPage: true });
await context.close();
} finally {
await browser.close();
}
}
main().catch(error => {
console.error(error);
process.exitCode = 1;
});Install Playwright and its Chromium browser in the environment that will run the script, then test it locally before scheduling it. The Playwright page API documents navigation and screenshot capture; the example above combines those steps with an environment-provided user agent. Playwright Page API
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Choose a wait condition for the page
networkidle is not a universal signal that a page is ready to screenshot. Pages with long-lived network activity may never become idle, while a page that becomes idle may still be loading content later through scripts. Try an appropriate condition for the target, such as waiting for a specific selector or for a short delay after navigation, and verify the resulting image. The code’s 60-second timeout is an example setting, not a guarantee that every page will load within that time.
Choose what to capture
- Use
fullPage: truefor the full document; omit it for the current viewport. - Use a fixed viewport when image dimensions must be consistent between runs.
- For a page with a stable, meaningful region, wait for and capture that element rather than relying on unrelated content elsewhere on the page.
Playwright’s screenshot documentation describes capture options and notes that images can differ across host operating systems, browser versions, settings, hardware, power sources, and headless mode. Keep the environment consistent if you compare screenshots over time. Playwright visual comparisons
Schedule the script with GitHub Actions
GitHub Actions can trigger a workflow on a cron schedule. By default, scheduled times use UTC; GitHub also documents an optional IANA timezone. The shortest supported interval is five minutes. A scheduled workflow runs on the repository’s default branch. GitHub Actions schedule event
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Save the screenshot script in the repository, for example as scripts/capture.js, then add this workflow at .github/workflows/screenshot.yml:
name: Scheduled website screenshot
on:
schedule:
- cron: '17 * * * *'
workflow_dispatch:
jobs:
capture:
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
steps:
- uses: actions/checkout@v4
- uses: actions/setup-node@v4
with:
node-version: 22
- run: npm ci
- run: npx playwright install --with-deps chromium
- run: node scripts/capture.js
env:
TARGET_URL: ${{ secrets.TARGET_URL }}
SCREENSHOT_USER_AGENT: ${{ secrets.SCREENSHOT_USER_AGENT }}
- uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
with:
name: website-screenshot
path: artifacts/page.png
if-no-files-found: errorThe cron expression above requests a run at 17 minutes past every hour in UTC. Replace it with the interval you want, observing GitHub’s five-minute minimum. Add TARGET_URL and SCREENSHOT_USER_AGENT under the repository’s Actions secrets, or use suitable variables if the values are not sensitive. Keeping the user agent and target configurable means they do not need to be embedded in the script.
Account for schedule delays
A cron schedule is a request to start a workflow, not an exact-time guarantee. GitHub warns that runs can be delayed during high load and queued jobs may be dropped; the beginning of an hour is a particularly busy period. Scheduling at a minute such as 17 rather than 00 avoids that peak, but does not guarantee punctuality. If an exact capture time is essential, use a scheduler with service guarantees that meet your requirement.
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Scheduled workflows in public repositories are automatically disabled after 60 days without repository activity, according to GitHub’s documentation. Check that the workflow remains enabled if captures stop after a long period without repository changes.
Make repeat captures useful and comparable
Keep the rendering environment stable
Pin a consistent browser version and use the same operating-system environment for recurring captures or visual comparisons. A hosted runner may change over time, so a browser or system update can alter rendering even when your script has not changed. Playwright specifically cautions that screenshots can vary with the host environment and headless settings.
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Handle changing page content
Animations, personalized content, changing advertisements, consent overlays, fonts, and asynchronously loaded assets can produce different images on each run. Decide whether the goal is to record what an ordinary visit shows or to compare a controlled page state. Wait for a target-specific readiness condition, and consider using a fixed viewport or capturing a selected element. There is no universal wait condition or published accuracy figure that makes screenshots identical across sites.
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Decide where images should live
The workflow uploads each output as a GitHub Actions artifact. Choose an artifact retention policy appropriate to your needs, or change the script to send the image to storage you control. Consider how long you need to keep captures, who can access them, and whether the target page contains information that should not be retained in a broadly accessible repository.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot scheduled screenshot failures
- The script says an environment variable is missing: confirm that
TARGET_URLandSCREENSHOT_USER_AGENTare configured for the repository and available to this workflow. - Navigation times out: the target may be slow, blocked, or continuously active. Review the run log, adjust the timeout if appropriate, and test a more suitable readiness condition rather than assuming network idle will work for every site.
- The image is blank or incomplete: check whether the page needs a selector wait or a delay for asynchronous content, and confirm that the URL is reachable from the runner.
- The captured site behaves differently: verify the configured user agent and remember that websites may vary behavior by browser identity. A user agent changes the identity string; it does not make every browser capability identical to another browser.
- The workflow does not run when expected: check the cron expression, default branch, workflow status, and whether the public repository has been inactive for 60 days. Allow for GitHub’s documented scheduling delays.
- Images differ despite no script changes: compare browser and operating-system versions, viewport, headless configuration, and page content. Dynamic content and environment changes can both affect rendering.
Or skip the browser setup
ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API and MCP server for developers. Its API accepts a URL in one GET request and can return PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF. The API supports custom user agents and scheduled work can call it from your own scheduler; verify that the scheduler you choose meets your timing needs.
Example cURL request, using the documented endpoint and parameters: ScreenshotNeo API documentation
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can a GitHub Actions schedule run more often than once an hour?
Yes. GitHub documents a five-minute minimum interval for scheduled workflows, though runs can be delayed or dropped under high load.
Does setting a custom user agent make screenshots identical on every run?
No. The user agent sets the browser identity string, but rendering can still vary with the browser, operating system, settings, and dynamic page content.
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