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To approve only some visual changes in BackstopJS, run backstop approve --filter='<image-filename-regex>' after reviewing the latest test report. The filter matches screenshot filenames, so only matching changed captures are promoted to references. Build the pattern from the actual filenames shown in your report; an unfiltered approval promotes every changed image from the latest test batch. See the BackstopJS README.

Approve selected captures step by step

  1. Run the visual test: backstop test. BackstopJS captures screenshots, compares them with the reference images, and presents the differences in a report.

  2. Inspect the report and identify the exact image filename—or a sufficiently narrow pattern—that corresponds to the scenario and viewport whose change you want to accept. Filenames normally include scenario and viewport names, and the report displays them.

  3. Pass a regex matching only the intended filename or filenames to approval. For example:

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    backstop approve --filter='checkout.*desktop'

    This is an illustrative pattern, not a guaranteed match for your project. Replace it with a pattern that matches the filenames you saw in your report.

  4. If the test used a custom config path, pass that same path when approving: backstop approve --config=backstop.custom.js --filter='checkout.*desktop'. Replace the example path and filter with your own.

  5. Inspect the updated references or rerun the test to verify the intended captures now compare against the accepted baseline.

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What the approval filter does—and does not do

BackstopJS documents --filter=<image_filename_regex> as an approval filter: it limits which test captures are promoted based on image filename. Without it, backstop approve promotes all images with changes from the most recent test batch.

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A filter on the test command works at a different stage. backstop test --filter=<scenarioLabelRegex> limits the scenarios that run. It does not replace approval filtering: if you want to accept only some captures from that run, inspect the report and use backstop approve --filter=... as well.

Build a safe filename pattern

  • Start with a filename copied or checked from the report, including the scenario and viewport parts relevant to your intended approval.

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  • Make the pattern as specific as practical. A broad regex can match multiple captures, so check every filename it may match before approving.

  • Quote the expression in the shell, as in --filter='checkout.*desktop', to avoid shell interpretation of special characters.

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  • When uncertain, approve an exact filename match if supported by the filename pattern, rather than guessing from a scenario label alone. The documented filter is against image filenames.

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Keep comparison thresholds separate from approval selection

Approval selection and visual comparison settings solve different problems. The README lists misMatchThreshold with a default of 0.1, described as the percentage of difference tolerated before an image is marked failed. It lists requireSameDimensions with a default of true, controlling whether dimension changes cause failure. These settings affect comparison results; they do not decide which captures approval promotes. Consult the README for the configuration details.

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Troubleshooting selective approvals

No captures are approved

Check that the regex matches the full image filename shown in the report, not merely a scenario label. Also confirm that the capture is part of the most recent test batch and has a change to promote.

More captures are approved than intended

The pattern is matching additional filenames. Recheck the filenames in the report and narrow the regex before running approval. Do not omit the filter when you intend a partial approval.

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Approval uses the wrong configuration

If the test was run with a non-default config, include the same --config path on the approval command. Otherwise approval may not operate on the configuration you expected.

A screenshot fails comparison despite approval intent

Approval filtering controls which changed screenshots are promoted; it does not change the comparison threshold or dimension rules. Check the relevant comparison settings and the report to understand why the capture is marked as changed.

Or skip the browser setup

If you need screenshots through an API rather than managing a browser capture setup, ScreenshotNeo returns a screenshot or PDF from one GET request. Its cookie/consent cleanup removes supported consent banners, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture. Bot checks, blank pages, failed loads, timeouts, and cache hits are not billed; response headers report the page verdict and billing status. It also provides an MCP server with screenshot tools for AI agents.

cURL example (replace the URL with the page you want to capture):

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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.webp

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