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World desk5 min

How to Use the Microlink API to Screenshot a Webpage in PHP

A runnable PHP cURL example for Microlink screenshots, with response handling, capture options, direct image delivery, credential guidance, and troubleshooting.
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To screenshot a webpage in PHP with Microlink, send a GET request to https://api.microlink.io/ with the target address in url and screenshot=true. Microlink returns JSON; the hosted screenshot URL is at data.screenshot.url. The example below makes the request with PHP cURL, checks for transport and API errors, and prints the image URL.

Make a screenshot request from PHP

Requirements: PHP with the cURL extension enabled, and a target webpage that Microlink can load. The following complete example builds the query safely with http_build_query, sets a 30-second request timeout, and verifies both the HTTP response and Microlink’s JSON status.

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<?php

$baseUrl = 'https://api.microlink.io/';
$params = [
    'url' => 'https://example.com',
    'screenshot' => 'true',
];

$url = $baseUrl . '?' . http_build_query($params);
$curl = curl_init();

curl_setopt_array($curl, [
    CURLOPT_URL => $url,
    CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
    CURLOPT_TIMEOUT => 30,
]);

$response = curl_exec($curl);
$curlError = curl_error($curl);
$httpStatus = curl_getinfo($curl, CURLINFO_HTTP_CODE);
curl_close($curl);

if ($response === false) {
    throw new RuntimeException('Microlink request failed: ' . $curlError);
}

$result = json_decode($response, true);
if ($httpStatus < 200 || $httpStatus >= 300 || !is_array($result) || ($result['status'] ?? null) !== 'success') {
    throw new RuntimeException('Microlink did not return a successful screenshot response.');
}

$screenshotUrl = $result['data']['screenshot']['url'] ?? null;
if (!$screenshotUrl) {
    throw new RuntimeException('The response did not include data.screenshot.url.');
}

echo $screenshotUrl;

Replace https://example.com with the page you want to capture. On success, the script prints Microlink’s hosted image URL. The JSON response also includes screenshot image metadata; use the URL in your application when you need to display or pass along the resulting image.

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Choose the capture and response options

Add query parameters to the $params array. Microlink documents dot notation for nested screenshot options in query strings.

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Need Parameter What it does
Capture the full scrollable page screenshot.fullPage=true Requests a full-page image rather than only the initial viewport.
Capture one page element screenshot.element=#section-hero Targets the element matching the CSS selector.
Choose an image encoding screenshot.type=png or screenshot.type=jpeg Selects PNG or JPEG output, among the documented image-type options.
Skip metadata extraction meta=false Useful when you need only a screenshot; Microlink says this usually provides the biggest speedup for screenshot-only requests.
Return an image response instead of JSON embed=screenshot.url Responds as a direct image, useful for markup such as an <img> or CSS background.

For example, to request a full-page PNG while keeping the normal JSON response, add 'screenshot.fullPage' => 'true' and 'screenshot.type' => 'png' to $params. To capture an element, add 'screenshot.element' => '#section-hero'. Because http_build_query encodes query values, it handles characters in the target URL and selector when constructing the request.

JSON or direct image response?

Use the default JSON response when PHP needs to read data.screenshot.url or other screenshot metadata. Choose embed=screenshot.url when a consumer needs an image response directly, such as an HTML image source. In the latter mode, do not expect to decode a JSON object to retrieve the image URL: the API is returning the image response.

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Get the screenshot URL and use it

For a normal successful response, extract the URL from $result['data']['screenshot']['url'], as the example does. You can store that URL, pass it to another service, or render it in markup:

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<img src="<?= htmlspecialchars($screenshotUrl, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8') ?>" alt="Page screenshot">

Escape the URL when inserting it into HTML. If you instead configure embed=screenshot.url, use the API request as the image source and handle the response as an image rather than parsing JSON.

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Credentials and request limits

Microlink’s service overview currently states that its no-key free endpoint allows 25 requests per day. That is a vendor-stated service allowance, not a performance benchmark, and quotas or plan terms can change; check Microlink’s live service page for current details before relying on it.

For a Pro key, Microlink documents the x-api-key request header. Keep the key on your server; do not place it in frontend code where visitors can inspect it. Add the header to cURL options if your account requires the key, for example with CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER => ['x-api-key: ' . $apiKey] in the options array. Store $apiKey in server-side configuration rather than hard-coding or returning it to a browser.

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Troubleshoot failed requests

  • cURL reports an error: The request did not complete at the transport layer. Check that the PHP cURL extension is enabled, the server can reach the API, and the target URL is valid. The example includes cURL’s error text in the exception.
  • The HTTP status is outside 200–299 or JSON status is not success: Microlink did not return a successful API result. Do not read data.screenshot.url as if it were present; inspect the response body and your request parameters, credentials, and current quota.
  • The response has no screenshot URL: Confirm that screenshot=true is included and that the request succeeded before accessing data.screenshot.url.
  • The request exceeds the timeout: The sample stops waiting after 30 seconds. If your application needs a different waiting limit, adjust CURLOPT_TIMEOUT to suit its request lifecycle; do not treat a timed-out request as a completed capture.
  • You expected JSON but received an image: Check whether embed=screenshot.url is set. That option is intended to return an image response directly.

Or skip the browser setup

If you need a screenshot endpoint without wiring up a browser or parsing Microlink’s response, ScreenshotNeo returns a screenshot or PDF from one GET request. Its API also removes cookie/consent banners, newsletter popups and chat widgets before capture; those cleanup steps can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, failed loads and cache hits are not billed, and response headers identify the page verdict and billing status. An MCP server provides screenshot tools for AI agents, and the service offers 1,000 screenshots per month free with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots.

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Example request, adapted to a target page:

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 details. Sign up for ScreenshotNeo’s free plan to get 1,000 screenshots a month without a credit card.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I take a webpage screenshot in PHP?

Send a GET request to Microlink with the page address in `url` and `screenshot=true`; the PHP cURL example above checks the response and prints the returned image URL.

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Where is the screenshot URL in Microlink’s response?

In the default JSON response, read `data.screenshot.url`.

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