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How to Take Authenticated Website Screenshots with Browserless

Save your signed-in browser state as a Browserless profile, then pass it with the page URL to the screenshot endpoint. Learn when to use a live session and how to fix common capture problems.
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To screenshot a page behind a web-app login with Browserless, first save the signed-in browser state as an authenticated profile, then pass that profile name to Browserless’s REST screenshot endpoint. For a login that needs clicks, redirects, or other interaction, connect to a live browser, finish logging in, save the profile, and capture the page. The saved state can include cookies, localStorage, and IndexedDB; it does not include sessionStorage.

Choose the right authentication method

Browserless offers several ways to carry authentication into a capture. The right one depends on what kind of login the site uses and whether you need to interact with the page before taking the screenshot.

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Situation Documented approach What to know
Repeat screenshots behind a standard web-app login Save and reuse an authenticated profile The profile restores cookies, localStorage, and IndexedDB. Complete the final login redirect before saving it. Browserless authenticated profiles
Login requires several interactive steps or a wait before capture Persistent browser session using BAP or a CDP client Use the connected browser to perform navigation and interaction; cookies and login state persist between commands in the session. Close the browser when finished. Browserless session guide
HTTP Basic or proxy authentication challenge BrowserQL authenticate mutation This handles HTTP authentication challenges, not an interactive web-app login. Set an origin to scope credentials; without one, credentials apply to every challenge. Browserless authenticate mutation
You already have valid cookie values BrowserQL cookies mutation Set cookies before navigation and ensure their domain, path, security, and SameSite attributes match the site. Browserless cookie management

Save and reuse a logged-in profile

1. Create a profile

Create an authenticated profile in the Browserless dashboard or by opening a profile session through the API. Profiles are scoped to the API token used to create and access them. See the authenticated-profile documentation.

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2. Log in through a live browser

Connect to the browser session and complete the site’s login normally. Wait for redirects to finish and confirm that the signed-in page has loaded. Saving before the final redirect or before the site writes its authentication state can leave the profile unusable.

3. Save the authenticated state

After verifying that the browser is logged in, call Browserless.saveProfile. Browserless documents profile restoration for cookies, localStorage, and IndexedDB. It excludes sessionStorage, which is tied to a tab and may contain short-lived flow data. The official authenticated-profile example demonstrates saving state and using the profile for a screenshot.

4. Request the screenshot

Send a POST request to the /screenshot endpoint. Include the API token and profile name as query parameters, and provide the target URL in a JSON request body. This cURL example saves the response bytes to a PNG file:

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curl -X POST 
  "https://production-sfo.browserless.io/screenshot?token=YOUR_API_TOKEN_HERE&profile=my-profile" 
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" 
  -d '{"url":"https://app.example.com/dashboard"}' 
  --output dashboard.png

Replace the token, profile name, and target URL with your own values. Treat the token as a secret; do not put a real credential in public code or logs. Browserless documents PNG, JPEG, and WebP response formats. Check the REST screenshot API documentation for the current request schema before using additional options.

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Set screenshot options for the result you need

Browserless’s screenshot mutation documents options for capture scope, format, and page readiness. Use the mutation schema when building a BrowserQL capture or adapting these choices to a REST request. Browserless screenshot mutation schema

  • Capture the whole page: Set fullPage when the image should include content beyond the visible viewport.
  • Choose an image type: Use type for the output format. The REST endpoint documents PNG, JPEG, or WebP responses.
  • Adjust JPEG quality: The quality option applies to JPEG, not PNG.
  • Capture one component: Set selector when you need a particular element rather than the entire page.
  • Wait for images: Set waitForImages when image completion matters to the result.
  • Allow enough time: The screenshot mutation’s documented default timeout is 30 seconds. Raise it when the page needs longer, while accounting for the endpoint’s current limits.

When a profile is not enough

A saved profile is useful for repeat captures, but it does not perform the login steps for you. If the flow requires entering a one-time code, clicking through a consent screen, navigating after sign-in, or waiting for dynamic content, use a connected browser session and perform those steps before capturing. Browserless’s screenshot example recommends a browser connection when interaction or waiting is needed. See the screenshot example and the BAP screenshots and PDFs guide.

For HTTP authentication challenges, use the separate BrowserQL authenticate(username, password, origin) mutation. It is not a replacement for signing into an application through its web form.

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Troubleshoot logged-out, blank, or blocked captures

  • The screenshot shows a logged-out page: Reopen the live session, finish the final login redirect, verify the signed-in page, and save the profile again. A profile captured too early may lack the site’s final authentication state.
  • The page is blank or incomplete: Check that navigation finished and allow more time if the site loads slowly. For content that appears after interaction or a specific event, use a connected session to perform the necessary step before capture.
  • A CAPTCHA or bot-check page appears: The site may be blocking automation, or the profile may not contain valid state. Browserless documents an Unblock API that attempts to handle bot detection and can return a screenshot, cookies, content, or a browser endpoint, but it does not guarantee success against every protected page. See Browserless Unblock API documentation.
  • The profile works in one flow but not another: The site may depend on sessionStorage or other short-lived, tab-bound data. Browserless’s authenticated-profile documentation excludes sessionStorage; use a live session for flows that depend on it.
  • HTTP credentials do not sign in to the app: Confirm whether the site presents an HTTP authentication challenge or a web form. The authenticate mutation handles the former; save a profile or interact with a live browser for the latter.
  • Cookies are ignored: Verify cookie domain, path, secure, and SameSite settings, and set them before navigation when using BrowserQL cookie management.
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Or skip the browser setup

For a one-call alternative, ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API and MCP server. Its API accepts a URL and returns an image or PDF. For example, this cURL request saves a WebP screenshot:

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

See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for request options. ScreenshotNeo accepts cookie and consent banners like a visitor and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; each cleanup step can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, and the response identifies the page verdict and billing status in headers. Its MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools for AI agents. The Free plan includes 1,000 screenshots a month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 screenshots.

Sign up for ScreenshotNeo’s free plan: 1,000 screenshots a month, no card required.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does an authenticated profile save sessionStorage?

No. Browserless documents restoration of cookies, localStorage, and IndexedDB, but excludes sessionStorage because it is tied to a tab.

Can I use Browserless for a page that requires HTTP Basic authentication?

Yes. BrowserQL’s authenticate mutation handles HTTP authentication challenges; scope credentials with an origin. It does not handle a web-app login form.

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Will Browserless Unblock always get past a CAPTCHA?

No. Browserless documents an attempt to handle bot detection, but does not promise success against every protected page.

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