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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →BrowserCat provides the cloud browser for a screenshot run; a separate scheduler starts your script each day. Connect to BrowserCat from Playwright, wait for the page content you need, capture it, and save or deliver the dated image. The reviewed BrowserCat quick start documents capture and cloud connection, not a built-in daily schedule: configure the recurring trigger and archive in your runtime or another service.
What you need to schedule daily screenshots
- A BrowserCat account and API key. Its quick start shows connecting a Playwright script to the BrowserCat cloud browser.
- A JavaScript runtime with
playwright-coreinstalled. - A scheduler that can run your script daily, plus a place to store the resulting files.
- The target URL and a consistent capture plan: viewport or full page, and any specific content the script should wait for.
Keep the API key in your scheduler or hosting environment’s secret/configuration facility, not in a public repository. The secret-storage choice is implementation guidance; BrowserCat’s quick start establishes that the cloud connection requires an API key. See the BrowserCat quick start.
Build a Playwright script that captures a page
This illustrative script follows BrowserCat’s documented cloud connection and screenshot approach. It has not been run or tested here. Set BROWSERCAT_API_KEY and TARGET_URL in the environment where the scheduler will execute it.
import * as pw from 'playwright-core';
async function run() {
const browser = await pw.chromium.connect(
'wss://api.browsercat.com/connect',
{ headers: { 'Api-Key': process.env.BROWSERCAT_API_KEY } }
);
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto(process.env.TARGET_URL);
await page.waitForLoadState();
await page.screenshot({
path: `screenshots/site-${new Date().toISOString().slice(0, 10)}.png`,
fullPage: true
});
} finally {
await browser.close();
}
}
run().catch(error => {
console.error(error);
process.exitCode = 1;
});The dated filename uses the script environment’s UTC date. If you need the capture date in another timezone, generate the date with an explicit timezone or have the scheduler pass a date value; do not assume the server’s local timezone matches your business timezone. The fullPage: true option captures the whole document. Remove it when you want only the current viewport. BrowserCat’s cloud connection and screenshot call are documented in its quick start.
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Wait for the content you actually need
A navigation event does not guarantee that every dynamic element is ready. The example waits for the page load state, but pages that populate content asynchronously may need an explicit wait for a selector or a deliberate delay before capture. Choose a stable element that indicates the relevant content is present, and keep the wait strategy the same across daily runs. Capture settings such as viewport, format, and waits are configurable in the scheduled screenshot guide.
Configure the daily trigger separately
Use the scheduler available in your hosting environment to invoke the script once a day. For a conventional five-field cron parser, 0 6 * * * means minute 0 of hour 6 every day. Cron implementations and hosting platforms can differ in timezone behavior, so confirm the scheduler’s timezone and displayed next run before activating it. Daylight-saving changes can affect when a local-time schedule fires; review the scheduler’s behavior if the capture must align with local business hours. The scheduling guide also describes five-field cron order and timezone considerations.
BrowserCat supplies the browser session when the script runs; do not configure a presumed BrowserCat cron setting on the basis of its reviewed quick start. The recurring trigger belongs to your runtime or a service that explicitly supports scheduled captures.
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Choose a destination and keep the archive predictable
The sample writes a local PNG into a screenshots directory. Before scheduling it, make sure that directory exists and that the runtime preserves files between executions; ephemeral job environments may discard local output after a run. For an archive, choose a durable destination and define who can access it, how long files are retained, and how sensitive or authenticated page captures should be protected.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesUse a stable naming convention that identifies the page and capture date, such as site-YYYY-MM-DD.png. If screenshots are used for evidence or visual QA, record the intended capture timezone or region in the path or metadata as well as the date. The hosted scheduling guide documents delivery to S3, Azure, Google Cloud Storage, Cloudflare R2, FTP, webhooks, and email; those are capabilities of that service, not BrowserCat.
Keep successive screenshots comparable
- Use the same capture scope each day: viewport, full page, or a chosen element.
- Keep viewport and relevant browser settings fixed. A changed viewport can alter responsive layouts and invalidate visual comparisons.
- Wait for the same meaningful page state instead of relying solely on elapsed time or initial navigation.
- Choose a consistent image format and filename convention.
- Expect some variation: live pages, personalized content, advertisements, and asynchronous data can change between runs, so identical settings cannot guarantee identical screenshots.
Choose between BrowserCat plus your scheduler and a hosted schedule
| Workflow | What it provides | What you manage or compare |
|---|---|---|
| BrowserCat plus a scheduler you operate | A Playwright capture script running in BrowserCat’s managed cloud browser. | You configure the recurring trigger, timezone, script, output destination, and maintenance. This approach offers control over capture logic. |
| A hosted scheduled screenshot service, such as Add Screenshots | The guide documents recurring schedules, reusable capture settings, and delivery destinations. | Compare setup effort, capture controls, timezone handling, supported destinations, current price, and partner terms. The documented features do not establish a neutral price or performance comparison. |
BrowserCat describes managed cloud browser execution and usage-based pricing on its homepage. The Add Screenshots guide documents scheduling and delivery. Verify current product details directly before choosing a workflow.
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Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshooting scheduled captures
The script cannot connect to BrowserCat
Check that the scheduler has the correct BROWSERCAT_API_KEY, that the connection URL is wss://api.browsercat.com/connect, and that the request sends the key using the Api-Key header as shown in BrowserCat’s quick start. Also confirm that the job environment can reach the cloud endpoint.
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The screenshot is blank or misses dynamic content
Confirm that navigation reaches the intended URL and that the page has loaded the content required for the capture. Add a wait for the relevant selector or a suitable delay when the page renders content asynchronously. Check that the chosen viewport/full-page scope includes the content you expect.
The daily run happens at the wrong time or appears to skip a day
Inspect the scheduler’s configured timezone and next-run display. Cron’s time interpretation is implementation-dependent, and local-time schedules can be affected by daylight-saving transitions. Use the scheduler’s own documentation to confirm the behavior for your environment.
The job succeeds but no archive appears
Check whether the job environment keeps local files after completion, whether the output directory exists, and whether the process has permission to write there. For recurring archives, configure a durable destination rather than relying on temporary job storage.
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Two screenshots differ despite identical settings
Verify capture scope, viewport, browser settings, and wait condition first. If they are stable, the page itself may have changed or may include personalized or live content. A daily capture records what the page rendered at that run; it does not freeze the site’s content.
Access and reliability considerations
Only capture pages you are authorized to access, and follow the site’s terms. For authenticated pages, protect credentials and outputs as sensitive data, limit who can read the archive, and decide retention before enabling a recurring job. A scheduler can retry failures, but repeated retries may create duplicate files unless your naming or delivery logic handles them; use a stable date-based key or another idempotent destination convention.
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