Authenticate a Playwright .NET browser context, wait until the site shows that sign-in succeeded, navigate to the protected page, then call Page.ScreenshotAsync. To avoid logging in on every run, save the context’s storage state after authentication and restore it in a later run.
Capture a protected page after signing in
This first-run pattern leaves the site’s login steps and readiness check for you to supply. Use the target site’s actual locators, credentials, and success condition; a successful navigation alone does not prove that authentication completed.
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using Microsoft.Playwright;
using var playwright = await Playwright.CreateAsync();
await using var browser = await playwright.Chromium.LaunchAsync();
await using var context = await browser.NewContextAsync();
var page = await context.NewPageAsync();
await page.GotoAsync("https://example.com/login");
// Fill in the site's login form and submit it with appropriate locators.
// Wait for a final URL or visible element that confirms sign-in succeeded.
await page.GotoAsync("https://example.com/account/report");
await page.ScreenshotAsync(new() { Path = "authenticated.png" });Replace both example URLs and add the site-specific login and readiness steps. The screenshot API’s Path option saves the image to a file. See the Playwright .NET Page screenshot reference and getting-started example.
Reuse authentication in a later run
After signing in and verifying the authenticated UI, save the browser context’s storage state. In a later run, load that state into a fresh context before opening the protected URL:
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var authFile = "playwright/.auth/user.json";
// Run after authenticating and confirming the signed-in state:
await context.StorageStateAsync(new() { Path = authFile });
// In a later run, create a context from the saved state:
await using var restoredContext = await browser.NewContextAsync(
new() { StorageStatePath = authFile });
var restoredPage = await restoredContext.NewPageAsync();
await restoredPage.GotoAsync("https://example.com/account/report");
await restoredPage.ScreenshotAsync(new() { Path = "authenticated.png" });The save-and-restore members are documented in the Playwright .NET release notes; the authentication guide explains the workflow and readiness checks. A restored session can expire, so verify the signed-in condition in the new run and handle a return to the login page rather than assuming the state remains valid.
Include IndexedDB when the app uses it
Playwright .NET added the IndexedDB option to StorageStateAsync in v1.51. If the application stores authentication tokens in IndexedDB, enable it when saving state: await context.StorageStateAsync(new() { Path = authFile, IndexedDB = true });. Do not assume ordinary storage-state capture includes the app’s IndexedDB-based token unless you have enabled and verified this option.
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Session storage is a separate case
The general Playwright authentication guide treats session storage as a special case that requires manual persistence and restoration. If the application relies on it, the cookie/local-storage state-file pattern alone may not reproduce the signed-in session; implement the documented manual handling for that app.
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Wait for authentication and page readiness
- Confirm sign-in before saving state. Wait for a known final URL or a visible, stable signed-in element after submitting the login form. Redirect chains may still be setting cookies.
- Confirm the target page is ready before capture. Navigate to the protected URL, then wait for a page-specific element or other meaningful readiness condition. A screenshot taken during a redirect or loading state may show a login screen or incomplete content.
- Use the same context. Cookies and browser storage belong to the context. Navigate to the protected URL in the context that performed the login, or create a new context from saved state.
The authentication guide shows waiting for a final URL or visible signed-in UI before saving reusable state: Playwright authentication guidance.
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Choose the screenshot area and output
By default, ScreenshotAsync captures the visible viewport. Set FullPage = true to capture the full scrollable page:
await page.ScreenshotAsync(new()
{
Path = "authenticated-full.png",
FullPage = true
});The .NET screenshot API also documents options for clipping to a region, image format and quality, scale, and animation behavior. Choose the option that matches how the image will be reviewed or processed; use the API reference for the exact option names and supported values. Full-page capture can produce a taller image than the viewport, while the default is limited to what is currently visible.
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Keep saved authentication state secure
A storage-state file can contain cookies and headers that allow someone to impersonate the test account. Playwright explicitly warns that the browser state file may contain sensitive cookies and headers usable for impersonation. Keep the file out of source control (for example, add the authentication directory to .gitignore), restrict access, and delete or refresh it when it expires. Avoid sharing it in logs, artifacts, or public build outputs.
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For parallel tests, use a shared authenticated account only when tests do not conflict through server-side state. If concurrent tests modify shared account data, use distinct accounts to avoid interference, as advised in the authentication guide.
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Troubleshoot common capture failures
- The screenshot shows the login page: the login may not have completed, the session may have expired, or the state may have been saved before cookies were set. Wait for a confirmed signed-in condition; if restoring state, detect the login redirect and reauthenticate or refresh the saved state.
- The page is signed in on the first run but not the restored run: verify that the saved state is loaded into the context before navigation, that the state file exists and is current, and that the app’s authentication mechanism is covered. Enable IndexedDB state capture when applicable; session storage needs separate handling.
- The image is cut off: the default capture is the viewport. Set
FullPage = truefor the full scrollable page, or use the documented clip option for a specific region. - The image is blank or incomplete: capture may have occurred while navigation, redirects, or page rendering were still in progress. Wait for a meaningful authenticated page condition before calling
ScreenshotAsync. - The saved file exposes a session: treat the state file as a credential, remove it from tracked files and shared artifacts, and refresh it if its session is no longer valid.
Or skip the browser setup
For a one-call screenshot of a public URL, ScreenshotNeo provides a screenshot API. This example uses the supplied stripe.com target; replace it with the URL you need. It does not log into a protected account on your behalf.
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo API documentation. It accepts cookie or consent banners before capture and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets; these steps can each be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, and response headers identify the page verdict and billing status. Its MCP server offers take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf for AI agents and MCP clients. The free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 screenshots.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can Playwright .NET take a screenshot without saving it to a file?
Yes. The screenshot API returns the image bytes as well as supporting the Path option for saving to a file; consult the Page screenshot reference for the return type and usage.
Does ScreenshotNeo capture a page that requires my Playwright login?
The ScreenshotNeo example here captures a URL, but it does not perform the site-specific login flow shown in the Playwright procedure. Use Playwright for the authenticated page unless you have a supported way to make the target available to the API.
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