To save a website screenshot with Crawl4AI, enable screenshot=True in a CrawlerRunConfig, call AsyncWebCrawler.arun(), then base64-decode result.screenshot and write the resulting bytes to a PNG file. The returned screenshot is an optional base64-encoded PNG string, not a file path or ready-to-save image bytes. Crawl4AI’s Crawler Result documentation and its SDK documentation describe this workflow.
Capture and save a screenshot
Use a run configuration for screenshot settings. This example checks both crawl success and whether a screenshot was returned before writing the image:
import asyncio
import base64
from crawl4ai import AsyncWebCrawler, CrawlerRunConfig
async def main():
run_config = CrawlerRunConfig(screenshot=True)
async with AsyncWebCrawler() as crawler:
result = await crawler.arun(
"https://example.com",
config=run_config,
)
if result.success and result.screenshot:
image_bytes = base64.b64decode(result.screenshot)
with open("page.png", "wb") as image_file:
image_file.write(image_bytes)
else:
print("Crawl or screenshot failed:", result.error_message)
asyncio.run(main())Replace https://example.com with the page to capture. The output path is relative to the directory from which you run the script; change page.png to an absolute path or another filename if needed. The binary write mode ("wb") preserves the decoded PNG data.
Choose when and how much of the page to capture
A screenshot taken before a page has finished rendering may omit content that appears later. Crawl4AI’s run configuration supports a readiness condition and screenshot delay; the parameter reference also documents viewport-only capture and settings for long pages. See the complete SDK documentation and browser, crawler, and LLM configuration reference for the current parameter details.
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| Need | Setting or output | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Wait for a page element or condition | wait_for |
Waits for a CSS selector or JavaScript expression before capture. |
| Add time immediately before the screenshot | screenshot_wait_for |
Adds a delay before the screenshot. A delay is not a guarantee that every page is fully rendered. |
| Capture only the visible browser area | force_viewport_screenshot=True |
Requests a viewport-only screenshot rather than a full-page capture. |
| Handle unusually tall content | screenshot_height_threshold |
Provides a threshold setting relevant to unusually tall screenshots. |
| Allow time between scrolling steps | scroll_delay |
Sets delays between scrolling steps when scanning or capturing a full page. It is relevant when content loads as the page scrolls. |
For example, a page that inserts a chart after loading may need a selector or JavaScript readiness condition that corresponds to the chart being present. A fixed delay can help with timing, but cannot reliably account for every network or application state.
Viewport, full page, PDF, or MHTML?
Viewport screenshot
Use force_viewport_screenshot=True when the visible browser area is all you need, such as a screenshot of a page header or the current screen. It avoids asking for the entire document in one image.
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Full-page screenshot
For a long page, consider how it loads below the fold. Crawl4AI documents scroll_delay for time between scrolling steps and screenshot_height_threshold for unusually tall pages. Tune these to the site instead of assuming an immediate capture or a single fixed wait will include every lazy-loaded element.
PDF for very long or complex pages
Crawl4AI’s advanced features guide cautions that traditional full-page screenshots of large or complex pages can be slow or error-prone, and suggests PDF export as a more reliable option for very long pages. PDF data is returned separately as result.pdf. The guide also says requesting both a PDF and screenshot converts the first PDF page into an image; that is not equivalent to getting a single image of the complete PDF.
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MHTML for page archiving
MHTML capture preserves a page together with its resources for archiving or offline viewing. It is a different output format, not a screenshot image. The Crawler Result documentation describes MHTML alongside screenshot and PDF capture.
Use the current configuration pattern
For screenshot settings, put run-specific options in CrawlerRunConfig and pass it to arun() as shown above. Crawl4AI documentation says older direct arguments to arun() remain accepted for backward compatibility, but recommends moving run-specific settings into the configuration object. The exact parameters available can vary with the installed Crawl4AI version; consult the documentation matching your version if an option is not recognized.
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Troubleshoot missing or unusable screenshots
result.screenshotis empty or absent: Checkresult.successand printresult.error_message. Confirm that screenshot capture is enabled in the configuration passed to the samearun()call.- The output file contains unreadable text or is not a valid PNG: Decode the base64 string with
base64.b64decode()and write the bytes in binary mode. Do not write the encoded string directly as text. - The screenshot misses content that appears later: Add a meaningful
wait_forselector or JavaScript condition, or usescreenshot_wait_forfor an additional delay. Prefer a page-specific readiness condition when one is available. - Content near the bottom is missing: Check whether the site loads it during scrolling. Consider a full-page capture with an appropriate
scroll_delay, and account for tall-page behavior withscreenshot_height_threshold. - A very long full-page capture is slow or fails: The advanced guide identifies large and complex screenshots as a potential problem. Consider PDF output for a long document, or capture only the viewport if that meets the goal.
- A documented option is rejected: Verify the spelling and placement in the
CrawlerRunConfigfor your installed version. The current documentation favors config-based run settings; older directarun()arguments are compatibility behavior, not the recommended pattern.
Or skip the browser setup
If you want a screenshot without configuring Crawl4AI and a browser, ScreenshotNeo offers a one-request API. See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for request options.
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://example.com -o shot.webpScreenshotNeo removes cookie and consent banners, 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 offers screenshot and page-info tools for AI agents. 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
What type of image does Crawl4AI return for a screenshot?
The documented screenshot result is an optional base64-encoded PNG string.
Can I save only the visible screen instead of the full page?
Yes. Set force_viewport_screenshot=True in the run configuration for a viewport-only capture.
Is MHTML another screenshot format?
No. MHTML packages a page with its resources for archiving or offline viewing; it is distinct from an image screenshot.
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