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Install pyscreenshot and Pillow, call ImageGrab.grab() to capture the desktop, then save the returned Pillow image. To capture a rectangle, pass its corner coordinates as bbox=(left, top, right, bottom). One important caveat: pyscreenshot is a wrapper around capture backends on your computer, so installing the Python package alone does not guarantee that a suitable backend is available.
Install pyscreenshot and Pillow
Use the Python interpreter and environment where you intend to run the capture script:
python3 -m pip install Pillow pyscreenshotThe project README documents this installation command. Its README lists Python 3.9, 3.10, and 3.11 as supported versions; PyPI’s pyscreenshot 3.1 metadata also displays a broader Python >=3.4 requirement. Those statements are not equivalent: the metadata minimum is not the same as the narrower version list in the README. PyPI lists pyscreenshot 3.1, whose release files were uploaded March 12, 2023 (PyPI record accessed September 29, 2026). Check the package metadata and project guidance for your environment rather than treating the broad minimum as a current tested-version guarantee.
Capture and save the full screen
This is the project’s basic documented example:
import pyscreenshot as ImageGrab
im = ImageGrab.grab()
im.save("screenshot.png")grab() returns an image held in memory. The returned image’s save() method writes it to the path you provide; Pillow handles the image representation and saving. The output extension in this example is PNG. For other image operations and format details, consult Pillow’s documentation.
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Capture a rectangular area
Pass bbox as a four-item tuple in the order (left, top, right, bottom). The coordinates describe the rectangle’s two corners in screen coordinates:
import pyscreenshot as ImageGrab
im = ImageGrab.grab(bbox=(10, 10, 510, 510))
im.save("region.png")This captures the region from the top-left point (10, 10) to the bottom-right point (510, 510), then saves the result as region.png. If the crop is misplaced or its dimensions are not what you expected, check the coordinate origin and rectangle values for your desktop and adjust the four values. Keep the order left, top, right, bottom; swapping corners can describe the wrong area.
Choose a backend when the default does not work
pyscreenshot does not implement every capture path itself. It offers one interface to available backends, which can include Python libraries, desktop D-Bus services, and command-line utilities. The README lists integrations such as Pillow, MSS, xdg-desktop-portal Screenshot, GNOME Shell Screenshot, scrot, maim, ImageMagick, PyQt5, PySide2, wxPython, Grim, Quartz, and macOS screencapture. These are possible integration routes, not a promise that each is installed or usable on every machine.
You can request a backend by name, for example:
import pyscreenshot as ImageGrab
im = ImageGrab.grab(backend="scrot")
im.save("screenshot.png")That call only works if the named backend and its requirements are available in the current environment. If it fails, install or configure the backend appropriate to your operating system and desktop session, or try a backend that is already available. Do not assume that a backend name alone installs the corresponding system utility.
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Wayland desktops
The project documents several Wayland capture routes: the xdg-desktop-portal Screenshot D-Bus service, GNOME Shell Screenshot D-Bus, and Grim on compositors that support wlr-screencopy-unstable-v1. The README says Grim works with Sway but not GNOME or KDE. Where both Wayland and X are available, the project prefers Wayland because Xwayland cannot be used for screenshot capture.
Some of these routes can be visible to the person at the desktop. The README notes that portal capture can show a confirmation dialog, KDE Wayland may show a notification, and GNOME may show a screenshot flash effect. Consider those behaviors before using a capture method in an unattended workflow; a desktop prompt can require interaction.
Pointer and interactive capture limits
The project says its capture is not interactive and the mouse pointer is not visible. Do not rely on pyscreenshot to let a user select an area during capture or to include a pointer in the resulting image. The README’s limitation is project-level guidance; a custom backend may behave differently, so check that backend’s own documentation if pointer behavior matters.
When to use Pillow ImageGrab instead
The pyscreenshot README opens with the recommendation “TL;DR: Use Pillow.” It describes pyscreenshot as obsolete for most cases because Pillow’s ImageGrab now supports Linux and macOS as well as Windows. The project identifies possible reasons to choose pyscreenshot instead: a common interface across flexible backends, a particular Wayland route, performance in some situations, or subprocess isolation. PyPI’s pyscreenshot 3.1 description gives the same broad framing.
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For a simple screen grab, try Pillow’s direct interface first if it fits your platform and requirements. Choose pyscreenshot when its backend options or process behavior solve a specific problem you have. Neither choice can be declared faster or more reliable on every computer from the project’s available evidence: capture depends on the system, session, and backend.
Speed and subprocess isolation
The README provides an example of requesting MSS while disabling child-process execution:
import pyscreenshot as ImageGrab
im = ImageGrab.grab(backend="mss", childprocess=False)
im.save("screenshot.png")The project describes disabling child processes as a possible speed-oriented setting, but says subprocess mode is safer and that turning it off can cause problems. Use this option only if the named backend is available and you have a reason to trade isolation for speed. Test it in the actual environment and workload rather than treating it as a general optimization.
The README’s timing examples are observations from Ubuntu 22.04 X11 with specific dependency versions, including pyscreenshot 3.1, Pillow 9.0.1, and MSS 7.0.1. They are not universal benchmarks or a current comparison across systems. The project says performance is not its main target and recommends benchmarking the available settings in your own environment if speed matters.
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Or skip the browser setup
pyscreenshot captures the desktop where Python runs. If what you need is a screenshot of a public webpage from its URL, you do not need to install or operate a local browser capture stack. ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API and MCP server; it is a different tool for webpage captures, not a replacement for capturing your local desktop.
One GET request can return an image or PDF. For example, save a webpage capture with cURL:
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 for request options and response details. Cookie banners, popups, and chat widgets are removed before the shot; bot checks, blank pages, and failed loads are never billed. Its MCP server lets AI agents take screenshots. The Free plan includes 1,000 screenshots a month with no card, and paid plans start at $5 for 3,000. Sign up for the free plan.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot common capture failures
The import fails
Confirm that installation completed in the same Python environment used to run the script. Install both documented packages with that interpreter’s python3 -m pip, then rerun the script from that environment. If you use a virtual environment, activate it before installing and running.
pyscreenshot installs, but capture fails
The wrapper needs a usable capture backend. Check which backend the error names and whether its Python dependency, desktop service, or command-line utility is installed and accessible. Try an available backend explicitly if the default selection does not work. The package installation itself does not ensure that system-level components are present.
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A Wayland capture waits for a response or cannot run unattended
Check which Wayland route is in use. The portal route may require confirmation, and the project documents desktop-specific notifications or visual effects. If unattended capture is a requirement, verify that the selected route and compositor allow that workflow; do not assume every Wayland backend is prompt-free.
The requested backend is unavailable
A backend name such as scrot, mss, or grim identifies a route, not a bundled dependency. Install the appropriate backend and verify that it supports the current operating system and desktop session. For Grim, the project specifically identifies Sway support and says GNOME and KDE are not supported.
The image is cropped incorrectly
Check that bbox is ordered as (left, top, right, bottom), and confirm the values against the screen coordinate space used by the target machine. Start with a small known rectangle, save it, and adjust the corner values before using the crop in a larger script.
Disabling child processes causes instability
Restore the default process behavior by omitting childprocess=False. The project describes subprocess use as the safer option and warns that disabling it can cause problems; only keep it disabled if testing shows it is stable for your specific backend and workload.
Practical checklist before relying on a script
- Install Pillow and pyscreenshot in the interpreter environment that will run the script.
- Verify a working capture backend on the target OS and desktop session.
- Test both the normal full-screen call and the exact crop coordinates you intend to use.
- Account for Wayland prompts, notifications, or visual effects where applicable.
- Do not depend on interactive selection or pointer inclusion based on pyscreenshot’s documented behavior.
- Benchmark backend and subprocess choices on your own machine if capture time is important.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does pyscreenshot take a screenshot of a webpage just from its URL?
No. Its documented grab() workflow captures the computer’s screen or a screen region. A URL-based webpage capture is a separate task that needs a browser-based service or another webpage-rendering method.
Will the script show the mouse cursor in the saved image?
The pyscreenshot project says its capture is not interactive and the pointer is not visible. If cursor visibility is required, check the behavior of the specific backend you plan to use rather than assuming pyscreenshot includes it.
Can I use the README’s timing figures to predict my computer’s capture speed?
No. The published examples are tied to Ubuntu 22.04 X11 and specific dependency versions, so they are observations for that setup rather than a general performance guarantee.
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