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How to Set Custom Headers and Cookies in PhantomJS Before a Screenshot

Set PhantomJS request headers and cookies before navigation, control header scope, verify cookie acceptance, and render after the page loads.
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Set page.customHeaders and add cookies with page.addCookie() before calling page.open(). Check that the cookie was accepted and that navigation succeeded, then call page.render() from the successful load callback. By default, custom headers apply to requests for both the page and its resources.

Set headers and cookies before opening the page

This example follows the documented PhantomJS APIs. It is a practical sequence, not a claim that the code has been tested against a particular site. Replace the example values with credentials and headers appropriate to your target.

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var page = require('webpage').create();

// Set the user agent through the dedicated setting.
page.settings.userAgent = 'ExampleUserAgent';

// By default, these headers apply to page and resource requests.
page.customHeaders = {
  'X-Example': 'value',
  'DNT': '1'
};

var cookieAdded = page.addCookie({
  name: 'session',
  value: 'example-value',
  domain: 'example.com',
  path: '/',
  httponly: true,
  secure: true
});

if (!cookieAdded) {
  console.log('Cookie was not added; check its domain and attributes.');
  phantom.exit(1);
}

page.open('https://example.com/', function (status) {
  if (status !== 'success') {
    console.log('Page did not load successfully: ' + status);
    phantom.exit(1);
    return;
  }

  page.render('screenshot.png');
  phantom.exit();
});

The cookie domain must match the target page. A successful return from page.addCookie() means PhantomJS added it; it does not guarantee that the site will accept the session or that the server will authorize the request. Likewise, a successful page.open() callback is the point to render, but does not guarantee that the page’s content or authentication state is what you intended.

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Choose the right scope for headers

Use page.customHeaders for shared request headers

Set page.customHeaders before page.open(). The property sends additional HTTP headers for every request issued by the page, including resource requests. Header names and values are encoded as US-ASCII. See the PhantomJS customHeaders documentation.

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Do not set User-Agent as an ordinary custom header when you want to configure the page’s user agent. Use page.settings.userAgent. The custom header can override the value configured through that setting, so avoid defining User-Agent in both places unless overriding it is deliberate.

Limit a header to the initial navigation

If the custom headers should accompany the initial navigation but not later page and resource requests, clear them in page.onInitialized. Set the handler before calling page.open():

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page.customHeaders = { 'X-Example': 'value' };
page.onInitialized = function () {
  page.customHeaders = {};
};

page.open('https://example.com/', function (status) {
  if (status === 'success') {
    page.render('screenshot.png');
  }
  phantom.exit();
});

This is the documented workaround for narrowing the header scope. If the target uses redirects or makes requests in an unexpected order, verify which requests actually carry the header in your maintained environment.

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Use a request hook for per-resource handling

For request-level changes, PhantomJS provides page.onResourceRequested(requestData, networkRequest). The networkRequest object has a setHeader(key, value) method:

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page.onResourceRequested = function (requestData, networkRequest) {
  // Add a header to this request when your own conditions match.
  networkRequest.setHeader('X-Example', 'value');
};

Use the request metadata to decide which requests should be changed. The API documents the hook but does not establish every precedence rule or site-specific outcome. Check the resulting request flow rather than assuming a header is applied only where intended. See onResourceRequested.

Add and inspect cookies correctly

Add a cookie with page.addCookie()

Pass a cookie object before opening the URL. The documented fields include name, value, domain, and path; optional attributes include httponly, secure, and expires. The method returns whether the cookie was added successfully. A mismatched domain can cause it to be ignored or rejected. See the addCookie API.

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Set secure: true only when appropriate for the target’s HTTPS context. Supply an expiration only when the cookie needs one and you know the expected format and lifetime. The API call does not bypass server-side session rules, consent requirements, or other access controls.

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Use page.cookies to inspect visible cookies

page.cookies exposes cookies visible to the current URL and may include cookies already in PhantomJS’s CookieJar. It is not the preferred way to create a cookie: PhantomJS recommends page.addCookie() when setting one. Consult the cookies property documentation.

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Render only after a successful load

Call page.render() from the page.open() callback after checking that the status is success. The automation guide documents rendering and the page.clipRect property for choosing the screen area to capture. For example, set a clip rectangle before opening the page if you want a bounded capture:

page.clipRect = { top: 0, left: 0, width: 1280, height: 800 };

Without a clip rectangle, the rendering behavior depends on the page and PhantomJS configuration. Confirm the dimensions and content of the output in your own script. The Page Automation with PhantomJS guide covers the webpage methods.

Troubleshooting

  • The cookie is missing: Check the cookie’s domain against the URL’s host, and check the boolean result of page.addCookie(). Confirm the cookie’s path and security attributes are suitable for the target.
  • The page loads but authentication fails: A cookie being added locally does not prove the server accepts it. Check that the cookie value is current and that the target actually uses that session cookie; inspect the cookies visible to the page and the server’s response.
  • A header appears on images or scripts too: That is the default scope of page.customHeaders. Clear the object in page.onInitialized for the documented initial-navigation workaround, or use the resource-request hook when per-request handling is needed.
  • The configured User-Agent is not used: Set page.settings.userAgent and remove any conflicting User-Agent entry from page.customHeaders, unless overriding it is intentional.
  • The screenshot is blank or incomplete: Render only after the successful load callback, then verify the loaded content and capture dimensions. A successful navigation callback does not prove the intended page content appeared.
  • Behavior differs on a current site: The PhantomJS API and automation pages are legacy documentation. They do not establish compatibility with current websites, TLS behavior, or server policies. Validate the script in the specific PhantomJS environment you maintain.

Or skip the browser setup

If you need a screenshot endpoint instead of maintaining PhantomJS request setup, ScreenshotNeo accepts a URL in one GET request and returns an image or PDF. For example, save a WebP response with cURL:

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curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://example.com/ -o shot.webp

See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for request options. Cookie banners are accepted and removed, and known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets are removed before capture; each step can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, with response headers indicating the page verdict and billing status. An MCP server gives AI agents screenshot, page-information, and PDF-capture tools. The free plan includes 1,000 screenshots a month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000. Sign up for 1,000 free screenshots a month, with no card required.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does `page.customHeaders` apply to images and scripts as well as the document?

Yes. By default it applies to page and resource requests; use the documented `onInitialized` workaround or a request hook when you need narrower handling.

Can `page.addCookie()` guarantee that a site will log me in?

No. It only reports whether PhantomJS added the cookie. The domain must match, and the server still decides whether the cookie represents a valid session.

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