Use PyAutoGUI’s screenshot() function with a region tuple in (left, top, width, height) order. The first two numbers identify the upper-left screen coordinate; the last two define the rectangle’s size. The returned Pillow image can be saved directly:
import pyautogui
image = pyautogui.screenshot(region=(100, 150, 400, 300))
image.save('region.png')The direct method
Install PyAutoGUI, choose the rectangle in screen coordinates, pass it as region=(left, top, width, height), and save the returned image. This captures what is currently visible on the desktop, not an arbitrary web page in the background.
| Tuple value | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
left |
Horizontal position of the rectangle’s upper-left corner | 100 |
top |
Vertical position of the upper-left corner | 150 |
width |
Number of pixels captured to the right | 400 |
height |
Number of pixels captured downward | 300 |
It is not a pair of corners. Do not supply (left, top, right, bottom); convert the second corner to dimensions first: width = right - left and height = bottom - top.
Install PyAutoGUI and its screenshot dependencies
Screenshot support depends on Pillow, the Python imaging library. PyAutoGUI’s installation page gives platform-specific instructions; the commonly shown macOS and Linux command is:
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python3 -m pip install pyautoguiWindows instructions use the Windows Python launcher and are listed separately in the official installation guide. On Linux, that guide also names scrot and Tkinter as additional screenshot requirements. Package names and display-server requirements can change, so use the installation instructions that match your operating system and the PyAutoGUI release installed in your environment.
After installation, run the smallest possible check from a graphical desktop session:
import pyautogui
image = pyautogui.screenshot(region=(0, 0, 300, 400))
print(image.size)The documented example uses a region beginning at the top-left corner. If this test raises an import or display error, fix the environment before debugging coordinates.
How PyAutoGUI screen coordinates work
PyAutoGUI uses the screen’s top-left as the coordinate origin. X increases as you move right, and Y increases as you move down, as described in the mouse-coordinate documentation. Therefore, a region starting at (100, 150) begins 100 pixels from the left edge and 150 pixels from the top edge.
Turning two corners into a region
If you know the upper-left corner (x1, y1) and lower-right corner (x2, y2), calculate the dimensions before calling PyAutoGUI:
x1, y1 = 100, 150
x2, y2 = 500, 450
region = (x1, y1, x2 - x1, y2 - y1)
image = pyautogui.screenshot(region=region)
image.save('region.png')The resulting image is 400 pixels wide and 300 pixels high. If either calculated dimension is zero or negative, the corners are reversed or identical and the rectangle must be corrected.
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Retina and display scaling
Operating-system display scaling can make a visual measurement differ from the pixel coordinates expected by a screenshot API. If the capture is consistently shifted or the dimensions are not what you expect, test a small known rectangle and inspect image.size. Keep the coordinate system and scaling settings consistent between the application used to identify the rectangle and the Python process that captures it.
Save the region as a file
screenshot() returns a Pillow image object. You can process it in memory, or call save() with a filename. These are the two normal save patterns.
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import pyautogui
left, top, width, height = 100, 150, 400, 300
image = pyautogui.screenshot(region=(left, top, width, height))
image.save('region.png')Give the filename to screenshot()
import pyautogui
image = pyautogui.screenshot(
'region.png',
region=(100, 150, 400, 300),
)The second form both writes the file and returns the image object. Use the first form when you need to inspect, transform, or make several output files from the same capture.
A reusable command-line script
This complete script keeps the rectangle and output path explicit, validates dimensions, and reports the resulting image size:
#!/usr/bin/env python3
import argparse
import pyautogui
def main():
parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
description='Capture a rectangular screen region.'
)
parser.add_argument('output', help='output image filename')
parser.add_argument('--left', type=int, required=True)
parser.add_argument('--top', type=int, required=True)
parser.add_argument('--width', type=int, required=True)
parser.add_argument('--height', type=int, required=True)
args = parser.parse_args()
if args.width <= 0 or args.height <= 0:
parser.error('width and height must be positive')
image = pyautogui.screenshot(
args.output,
region=(args.left, args.top, args.width, args.height),
)
print(f'Saved {args.output}: {image.size[0]}x{image.size[1]}')
if __name__ == '__main__':
main()Example invocation:
python capture_region.py region.png --left 100 --top 150 --width 400 --height 300Capture repeatedly or protect against changing content
A region is sampled at the instant the screenshot call runs. If an application is animating, loading, or being covered by another window, the pixels captured will reflect that moment. For repeatable output:
- Bring the target window to the front before the call.
- Use the same window size, display arrangement, and scaling each time.
- Wait for the application to finish changing before taking the screenshot. A normal Python delay can be used when the timing is known.
- Capture one region per call and generate distinct filenames when collecting a sequence.
- Check
image.sizeand the saved file after a first run instead of assuming the rectangle is correct.
Keep the region no larger than necessary. A larger rectangle takes more memory to hold and write, while a small rectangle is easier to compare in automated workflows.
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Common errors and fixes
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'pyautogui'
PyAutoGUI is not installed in the Python environment running the script, or it was installed into a different virtual environment. Activate the intended environment and run its interpreter’s pip command, then verify with python -c "import pyautogui; print(pyautogui.__file__)". On systems where python points to another version, use the same interpreter for both installation and execution.
Missing Pillow or a screenshot backend
The screenshot function requires Pillow. Install or repair the package through the platform instructions. Linux users should also check the scrot and Tkinter requirements called out in the installation documentation.
The screenshot is the wrong area
Check the tuple order first. The correct order is position, then dimensions: left, top, width, height. A frequent mistake is entering a right or bottom coordinate where a width or height is required. Recalculate with the corner formula above and print the tuple before capturing.
The image is blank or shows the desktop
PyAutoGUI captures visible screen pixels. Make sure the intended window is not minimized, covered, on another virtual desktop, or still loading. Some operating-system security settings can restrict screen capture; test a simple visible desktop rectangle to distinguish an environment restriction from an application issue.
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The call fails in a server, container, or remote session
A graphical display must be available to capture the screen. A headless process without an accessible desktop cannot provide the same pixels as an interactive session. Run the script inside the logged-in graphical session or use a browser screenshot service when the target is a web URL rather than the local desktop.
Coordinates work on one monitor but not another
Screen coordinates depend on the current monitor arrangement and scaling. Reconfirm the origin, monitor positions, and effective resolution after docking, undocking, or changing display settings. Store coordinates as configuration rather than assuming they remain valid on every workstation.
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The output file is missing
Use an absolute path while testing and confirm that the Python process has write permission for the destination directory. The filename form of screenshot() writes immediately; the separate form requires an explicit image.save() call.
Timing, reliability, and file format notes
PyAutoGUI’s screenshot documentation gives an approximate figure of roughly 100 milliseconds for a 1920×1080 screenshot. That is a resolution-qualified documentation estimate, not a benchmark or a guarantee for every operating system, display server, or region size. Measure your own workflow if capture latency affects a test or monitoring loop.
For reliable automation, treat the screenshot as a point-in-time observation: establish the window state, capture, verify the dimensions, and handle file errors. PNG is a practical lossless default for UI text and diagrams; choose another format only when the Pillow image-saving behavior and your downstream consumer require it.
The PyAutoGUI screenshot reference documents the region parameter, filename behavior, Pillow return value, and its timing example. The quickstart cheat sheet provides additional usage examples. Because documentation pages and platform dependencies can evolve, compare these instructions with the documentation version that matches your installed release.
Or skip the browser setup
PyAutoGUI is the right choice when you need pixels from your own visible desktop. If the real target is a public or authenticated web page, ScreenshotNeo can render the URL on its servers instead of requiring a local browser, display session, and coordinate maintenance. It is a website screenshot API and MCP server for developers.
One GET request returns a PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF. The following cURL example is documented for the API; replace the URL with the page you need.
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curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpPython equivalent:
import requests
r = requests.get(
'https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot',
params={'access_key': 'YOUR_API_KEY', 'url': 'https://stripe.com'},
timeout=90,
)
r.raise_for_status()
open('shot.webp', 'wb').write(r.content)Node.js equivalent:
const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://stripe.com' });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`HTTP ${res.status}`);
const data = Buffer.from(await res.arrayBuffer());
require('fs').writeFileSync('shot.webp', data);See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for authentication, output options, and request parameters. It can load lazy images, capture a CSS-selected element, set a viewport or device preset, use dark mode or retina scale, apply custom CSS and JavaScript, click before capture, wait for a selector, delay, or network idle, block selected requests or resource types, provide headers, cookies, a user agent, authorization, timezone, or geolocation, produce PDFs, resize images, cache with a chosen TTL, create signed public image links, run asynchronous jobs with signed webhooks, capture up to 100 URLs per call, and expose usage data. The parameter names used by other screenshot APIs also work, which can simplify migration.
- Cookie and consent banners, newsletter popups, and chat widgets are accepted or removed before capture; each cleanup step can be turned off.
- Bot checks or CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed. Response headers identify the page verdict and whether the request was billed.
- An MCP server provides
take_screenshot,get_page_info, andcapture_pdftools for Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients. - The Free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month with no card. Paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots; every feature is included on every plan, and yearly billing gives two months free.
Start with ScreenshotNeo’s free sign-up to use the 1,000 monthly screenshots without a card.
FAQ
Can PyAutoGUI capture a region without saving a file?
Yes. Keep the returned Pillow image in memory and pass it to whatever image-processing or comparison code you use. Saving is optional unless another program needs a file.
Does the region argument crop after a full-screen capture?
The call requests the rectangle directly through region; it is not necessary to take a full-screen image first.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsIs PyAutoGUI suitable for capturing a page that is not visible?
No. It records visible desktop pixels. For a URL that must be rendered independently of your local desktop, use a browser screenshot API such as ScreenshotNeo.
Where are the official examples?
The screenshot reference at pyautogui.readthedocs.io includes the region example and save behavior; the coordinate explanation is in the mouse functions reference.
Quick Recap
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