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Pass the complete target address as one url parameter in Screenshotlayer’s request. Don’t append the target’s query string directly to Screenshotlayer’s query string: characters such as &, #, +, %, and = can change how a URL is parsed. Build the outer query with your HTTP client’s parameter serializer, and give it the raw target URL as the parameter value.
Why a target URL with a query string breaks
Screenshotlayer’s capture endpoint is https://api.screenshotlayer.com/api/capture. It requires an access_key and a target url; the target must include http:// or https://. See Screenshotlayer’s API specification.
There are two query strings in a request like this: the outer query sent to Screenshotlayer and, potentially, an inner query that belongs to the page being captured. For example, in https://example.com/search?q=red&sort=recent, the ampersand separates parameters for example.com. If you paste that address unescaped into Screenshotlayer’s outer query, the ampersand can instead be read as the start of another Screenshotlayer parameter. The target may then be incomplete.
Characters have meaning according to their position in a URL. An ampersand separates query parameters, a hash begins a fragment, and percent encoding represents characters using % followed by hexadecimal digits. Spaces may appear as %20 or as + in form-style query serialization. Use a query builder rather than applying global character substitutions. MDN explains percent encoding and URLSearchParams serialization.
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Build the request without double-encoding
- Start with an absolute target URL, including its scheme, such as
https://example.com/search?q=red&sort=recent#results. - Pass that complete, raw string as the value of the outer
urlparameter, alongsideaccess_key, using your language or HTTP library’s query-parameter API. - Let that library serialize the outer query. Do not manually join the target’s inner parameters to Screenshotlayer’s parameters.
- Inspect the serialized request and confirm it contains one outer
urlparameter whose value represents the target’s full path and inner query. Do not encode a value a second time after the query builder has serialized it.
For example, a properly serialized outer URL will encode reserved characters that need escaping in the outer parameter value. The decoded value of that parameter should still be the original target address, including its inner query. The exact serialized characters vary by client and encoding context.
Screenshotlayer’s specification requires a target URL but does not provide an explicit nested-query example or specify its exact percent-decoding behavior. Query serialization is standard client practice, not a provider-specific parsing guarantee. The sample target above is illustrative; it is not a tested request.
Handle fragments and other special characters carefully
Ampersands, equals signs, and plus signs
Keep characters in the target’s query as part of the single url value. A query builder handles the outer encoding; don’t replace every & or = in the target by hand. A plus sign can have different interpretations depending on the URL component and serialization format, so preserve it as part of the raw target value and let the client encode the outer parameter correctly.
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Percent signs
A percent sign may already introduce an encoded byte in the target URL. Do not automatically turn every % into %25 yourself and then pass that altered address to a serializer; that can encode the percent sign twice. Supply the intended target URL as a value and inspect the final request to check that one decoding step restores it.
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A # begins a URL fragment. Fragments ordinarily are not sent to the destination website’s server as part of an HTTP request. If your target includes a fragment and you expect the screenshot renderer to navigate to that in-page location, verify Screenshotlayer’s behavior rather than assuming it will. The fragment must also be represented safely when the complete target is nested in the outer request.
Spaces
Spaces can be serialized as %20 or, in form-style query strings, +. These forms are context-dependent; use the query API provided by your HTTP client instead of replacing spaces globally.
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Runnable request examples
These examples use the documented endpoint and parameter names. Replace the access-key placeholder with your Screenshotlayer key. The HTTP libraries serialize the outer query parameters for you. Check the API specification for parameter details.
cURL
Use --data-urlencode for the target parameter so cURL encodes it as an outer query value:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotlayer.com/api/capture"
--data-urlencode "access_key=YOUR_ACCESS_KEY"
--data-urlencode "url=https://example.com/search?q=red&sort=recent#results"
-o screenshot.pngThis saves the response body as screenshot.png. The extension does not itself request a specific output format; Screenshotlayer documents PNG as its default and also lists JPEG and GIF output. Consult its specification for output parameters.
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Python
import requests
endpoint = "https://api.screenshotlayer.com/api/capture"
params = {
"access_key": "YOUR_ACCESS_KEY",
"url": "https://example.com/search?q=red&sort=recent#results",
}
response = requests.get(endpoint, params=params, timeout=90)
response.raise_for_status()
with open("screenshot.png", "wb") as image:
image.write(response.content)params keeps the target as one outer parameter. raise_for_status() catches HTTP-level failures; also inspect the response body when diagnosing an API error.
Node.js
const endpoint = new URL("https://api.screenshotlayer.com/api/capture");
endpoint.searchParams.set("access_key", "YOUR_ACCESS_KEY");
endpoint.searchParams.set(
"url",
"https://example.com/search?q=red&sort=recent#results"
);
const response = await fetch(endpoint);
if (!response.ok) {
throw new Error(`HTTP ${response.status}: ${await response.text()}`);
}
const image = Buffer.from(await response.arrayBuffer());
await import("node:fs/promises").then(({ writeFile }) =>
writeFile("screenshot.png", image)
);Here, URLSearchParams handles serialization of the outer query. Keep the value passed to set("url", ...) as the intended raw target address.
Find the real cause of a failed request
Don’t assume every error is a URL-encoding problem. Screenshotlayer documents error responses with an error code, an error type, and an info field containing plain-text guidance. Its specification lists these common types:
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| Error type | What to check |
|---|---|
invalid_url (code 210) |
Confirm the target is a complete absolute URL with http:// or https://. Then check that the outer query builder passed the full target as one value without truncating it. |
missing_access_key (code 101) |
Include the required access_key parameter. |
invalid_access_key (code 101) |
Check for a typo, an unintended whitespace character, or the wrong key. |
usage_limit_reached (code 104) |
Check the account’s plan usage and limits. |
Error codes and types above are those listed in the Screenshotlayer specification; read the returned info text for the service’s suggested next step.
If the screenshot looks old, check the cache
A successful request can still return a previous capture. Screenshotlayer’s FAQ states that its default screenshot cache duration is 2,592,000 seconds (30 days) and that the ttl parameter can set a lower duration. If the image appears stale, consult the Screenshotlayer FAQ and specification for the current cache options; don’t treat a cached result as proof that URL encoding failed.
Or skip the browser setup
If your goal is simply to capture a page rather than maintain a Screenshotlayer integration, ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API with a one-request workflow. Its endpoint accepts the target URL and returns an image or PDF. For a target with query parameters, pass the whole target as a URL-encoded parameter value:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot"
-d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY
--data-urlencode url=https://example.com/search?q=red&sort=recent#results
-o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for request options. ScreenshotNeo removes cookie banners, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; bot checks, blank pages, failed loads, timeouts, and cache hits are not billed. Its MCP server lets AI agents take screenshots, and the Free plan includes 1,000 screenshots a month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000. Sign up for ScreenshotNeo’s free plan.
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Does the target URL need a protocol?
Yes. Screenshotlayer specifies that the target URL must include its HTTP protocol, such as https://.
Can I put a fragment such as #results in the target URL?
A fragment can be included in the target value, but fragments ordinarily are not sent to a website’s server. Verify Screenshotlayer’s rendering behavior if the capture must open at that in-page location.
Quick Recap
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