Install DXcam with pip install dxcam, then create a camera and call grab(). The result is a NumPy array containing a captured desktop frame. DXcam is a Windows-focused library; its documented workflow is not cross-platform.
Take a one-time screenshot with DXcam
Run this in a Windows Python environment where DXcam is installed:
import dxcam
with dxcam.create() as camera:
frame = camera.grab()
if frame is None:
print("No new frame was available")
else:
print(frame.shape, frame.dtype)camera.grab() returns a NumPy array when a new frame is available. By default, it can return None if the desktop has not produced a new frame since the last capture. If you want the latest frame even when it has not changed, use camera.grab(new_frame_only=False).
The with block releases capture resources when it exits. You can also explicitly call camera.release(); a released camera instance cannot be reused. See the DXcam project README for the documented API and current setup notes.
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Capture only part of the desktop
Pass a region as (left, top, right, bottom) to grab():
import dxcam
left, top, right, bottom = 200, 100, 900, 700
with dxcam.create() as camera:
frame = camera.grab(region=(left, top, right, bottom))
if frame is None:
print("No new frame was available")
else:
print("Captured region shape:", frame.shape)These are desktop coordinates: left and top mark the region’s starting point, while right and bottom mark its far edges. Choose values that fit the target display and the area you want; monitor dimensions vary, so do not assume a particular resolution.
Read frames continuously
For a stream of desktop frames, start DXcam’s capture thread, read its newest frame as needed, and stop capture when the consumer is done:
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import time
import dxcam
with dxcam.create() as camera:
camera.start(target_fps=60)
try:
for _ in range(120):
frame = camera.get_latest_frame()
if frame is not None:
# Process or store the NumPy array here.
print(frame.shape)
time.sleep(1 / 60)
finally:
camera.stop()start() runs a polling thread and stores frames in an in-memory ring buffer. get_latest_frame() reads the latest available frame. If timing matters, get_latest_frame(with_timestamp=True) returns a frame with its timestamp.
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Choose video mode deliberately
With video_mode=True, DXcam fills the ring buffer at the requested target FPS by repeating the previous frame when Windows has not rendered a new one. That can be useful when a downstream video pipeline expects regularly spaced frames, but repeated frames are not new screen updates. Without video mode, frame availability follows new desktop frames.
Size the buffer for your consumer
The documented default ring-buffer size is 8. Set max_buffer_len when creating the camera if the consumer needs a different buffer length. Frames occupy memory, and once the buffer is full, newer frames overwrite older ones; a slow consumer can therefore miss frames. Choose a size that fits the capture rate, processing delay, and available memory rather than treating the buffer as permanent storage.
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Choose a capture backend
DXcam documents two backends: dxgi, the default Desktop Duplication path, and winrt, which uses Windows Graphics Capture. The project recommends starting with DXGI for most workloads, especially one-time grabs. Try WinRT when cursor rendering is needed or its performance and application constraints appear to fit your setup better. The documentation does not establish a universal performance winner.
Microsoft describes the DXGI Desktop Duplication API as a way for applications to access desktop contents, including across monitor boundaries: Microsoft Learn: Desktop Duplication. DXcam’s own README is the source for its library-specific backend guidance.
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DXcam obtains BGRA frames and can process them into RGB, RGBA, BGR, BGRA, or GRAY output. The project recommends the OpenCV processor when OpenCV is installed and NumPy otherwise. BGRA is the leanest dependency path and does not require OpenCV; choose another format when your downstream code needs it. For example, the DXcam README uses BGR for writing video with OpenCV.
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Installation and compatibility notes
- Install: run
pip install dxcamin the Python environment you intend to use. - Check the supported wheels: the project README says its official Windows wheels are built for CPython 3.10 through 3.14. Availability can change, so check the current README and PyPI files if installation fails.
- Run a minimal capture: use
dxcam.create()followed bycamera.grab(), then check whether a frame was returned before processing it.
PyPI lists a CPython 3.14 Windows x86-64 wheel dated March 12, 2026; that dated file listing does not by itself guarantee compatibility with every Python build, architecture, or Windows configuration.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Performance, reliability, and cost
DXcam is free software installed as a Python package; its documented workflow captures the local Windows desktop and does not require a capture card. The project README promotes “Higher capture throughput (240+fps on 1080p).” That is a DXcam project claim, not an independently verified benchmark or a promise for a particular PC. Actual throughput depends on hardware, workload, backend, output processing, and how quickly your code consumes frames.
For sustained capture, keep processing work from blocking frame reads longer than your buffer can accommodate. If you need every frame for an analysis pipeline, monitor acquisition and consumer timing rather than assuming the latest-frame API preserves every intermediate frame. For video, test the chosen color format, frame cadence, and video-mode behavior with the application that will consume the output.
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Troubleshoot common DXcam problems
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'dxcam': install DXcam into the same Python environment that runs the script. If using a virtual environment, activate it before installing and running the code.- Installation cannot find a compatible wheel: verify that the environment is Windows and that its CPython version and architecture match an available wheel. Consult the current project README and PyPI file list; listed wheel support can change.
grab()returnsNone: by default this means no new frame has appeared since the previous capture. Request the latest frame withcamera.grab(new_frame_only=False)if an unchanged frame is acceptable.- The crop is wrong or empty: check that the tuple is ordered as
(left, top, right, bottom)and that its coordinates fit the target desktop dimensions. - The consumer misses frames: reduce processing delay, adjust
max_buffer_lenfor the workload, or redesign the consumer to keep up. Newer frames overwrite older ones when the in-memory ring buffer fills. - The cursor is absent or an application behaves differently: compare the documented backends. DXGI is the default starting point; test
winrtwhen cursor rendering or application fit makes it a better candidate.
Or skip the browser setup
DXcam captures a local Windows desktop. If your goal is instead to capture a web page from code, ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API: one GET request can return an image or PDF, without setting up a browser automation stack. For example, save this response as a WebP file:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for request options. It removes cookie banners, popups, and chat widgets before the shot; bot checks, blank pages, and failed loads are never 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 free for ScreenshotNeo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does DXcam capture a browser page or the whole Windows desktop?
DXcam captures desktop frames. To capture a web page independently of the local desktop, use a website screenshot service or browser automation instead.
Can I use DXcam on macOS or Linux?
The documented DXcam workflow is Windows-focused and should not be treated as cross-platform.
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