If URL2PNG returns a blank screenshot, first check that the request is valid and that you are viewing the API’s actual image response; then test freshness, page readiness, and capture dimensions one at a time. URL2PNG’s documentation does not identify one universal cause, so a methodical comparison is more useful than assuming the target page or renderer is always at fault.
1. Confirm the request and response
Before troubleshooting page rendering, establish whether URL2PNG returned a blank image or whether your application mishandled the response. Inspect the HTTP status, response headers, and body; save the returned bytes to a file and open that file directly. If the response is an error or HTML rather than an image, investigate request construction or your client’s handling before changing capture settings.
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URL2PNG v6 requests use an API key, a token, and a target URL. The token is an MD5 hash of the entire query string and the secret key, so every query option must match the options used when generating the token. Encode the target URL as part of the query string. If you change a setting but reuse a token generated for the old query, the request may no longer be valid. See the URL2PNG quickstart documentation for its request format.
- Check that the target URL is correctly URL-encoded.
- Regenerate the token whenever the signed query string changes.
- Keep API keys and secrets out of public logs, screenshots, and shared debugging reports.
- Confirm the request is asking for an image and that your application saves or displays the response body as image data.
2. Test whether you are seeing a cached capture
URL2PNG documents a default cache TTL of 2,592,000 seconds (30 days). If a previously captured blank image may be reused, request a fresh capture by adding a new value for the documented unique parameter. Compare that output with the original. This is a way to test whether freshness matters, not evidence that caching explains every blank screenshot.
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Because the token is based on the query string, include the new unique value when generating the matching token. The quickstart documents unique as the cache-busting option and the 30-day default TTL.
3. Give the page time to render
A screenshot can be taken before the content you care about appears. URL2PNG’s delay option waits a fixed number of seconds after document readiness and asset loading; its documentation notes that this can be useful for animations. Try a short delay, then compare the result. Avoid treating a longer delay as a universal fix: it tests a timing hypothesis and may increase the time a request takes.
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Use a DOM readiness marker when you can edit the page
For a page you control, URL2PNG’s say_cheese=true option waits for the marker <div id='url2png-cheese'></div> to become available. Add the marker only when the content you need is ready, and then request the capture with say_cheese=true. This is more targeted than waiting an arbitrary interval when your application can signal readiness.
Both options are documented in the URL2PNG quickstart. Change one readiness setting at a time so you can tell whether timing affected the result.
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4. Check the viewport and capture mode
URL2PNG documents a default viewport of 1480×1037. Content below that area may not appear in a viewport capture. Set a viewport appropriate to the page and verify that the relevant element is visible at those dimensions.
For content extending beyond the viewport, test fullpage=true, which attempts to capture the whole document canvas. Compare viewport-only and full-page results rather than assuming full-page capture is already enabled; it is not the documented default.
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5. Isolate target-page differences
Try a simple public page using the same request setup, then return to the target and vary one condition at a time. If the simple page works but the target does not, compare the pages’ rendering needs, timing, viewport, and any required request context.
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6. A controlled troubleshooting sequence
- Save and inspect the raw response. Determine whether it is an image, an API error, or a client-side display problem.
- Validate request signing. Check URL encoding and ensure the token corresponds to the full query string and secret.
- Test freshness. Set a new
uniquevalue and regenerate the token to compare a fresh capture with the existing result. - Test readiness. Add a short
delay, or usesay_cheese=truewith the documented DOM marker on a page you control. - Test capture area. Use a suitable viewport, then compare with
fullpage=trueif the desired content is outside the viewport. - Compare a simple page with the target. If only the target fails, investigate its rendering conditions and test documented overrides only where they fit the page.
Keep a copy of each request and its output. Changing one variable at a time makes the comparison useful; changing signing, cache, timing, and viewport together makes it harder to identify what changed the result.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does URL2PNG use as its default viewport?
The documented default is 1480×1037 pixels.
How can I force URL2PNG to take a fresh screenshot?
Use a new value for the documented unique parameter and generate a token for the updated query string.
Quick Recap
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