The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →A 401 from BrowserStack’s Screenshots API usually means the request is not authenticated as documented. Send the account username and access key as HTTP Basic Auth, confirm both values are current, and replace any key that was rotated. Also verify that the account has an Automate plan that includes browsers; BrowserStack does not say that plan ineligibility always returns 401.
1. Send the documented Basic Auth credentials
The Screenshots API uses your BrowserStack username as the Basic Auth username and your BrowserStack access key as the password. The endpoint-specific example is:
curl -u "USERNAME:ACCESS_KEY" https://www.browserstack.com/screenshotsReplace both values with credentials for the same BrowserStack account. Do not put the access key in the username position or use your account password in place of the access key. BrowserStack’s endpoint documentation describes authentication with the username and access key in the HTTP request: Screenshots API documentation.
Check how your client attaches credentials
If you are using an HTTP client rather than cURL, configure its HTTP Basic Auth fields explicitly: username = BrowserStack username; password = BrowserStack access key. Avoid manually constructing an Authorization header unless you have confirmed the client’s encoding and header handling; the main check is that the outgoing request contains Basic Auth with the correct pair.
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2. Confirm the username and access key are current
BrowserStack documents Account Settings as the place to find the username and access key. Check the values there against what your script or API client actually sends. In particular, inspect the following:
- An environment variable may be unset or empty in the shell, container, or CI job running the request.
- A CI secret may contain an older value or credentials for a different account.
- A copied value may include unintended leading or trailing whitespace.
- The request may be passing your account password rather than the access key.
For the account-specific steps to locate and manage keys, see BrowserStack’s Manage Access Keys documentation.
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3. Replace a rotated access key everywhere
Rotating an access key invalidates the existing key, so a request still using the previous value will no longer authenticate. Update the saved secret in every place that makes the request, such as local environment configuration and CI secret stores. BrowserStack states this directly in its access-key management guidance.
4. Check whether the account can use the Screenshots API
BrowserStack says the Screenshots API is available only on Automate plans that include browsers. Live-only subscribers are directed to use Screenshots through the webpage instead. If the credentials are correct and current but the request still fails, verify the account’s plan eligibility. The documentation does not establish that a plan issue always produces a 401, so treat this as an access check rather than a guaranteed explanation for that status. See the Screenshots API page for the product’s stated availability.
Rank #3
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5. Keep the endpoint specific to Screenshots
BrowserStack documents Basic Auth across API examples, but hosts and paths vary by product. For the Screenshots API, use the endpoint documented for that operation rather than copying a host or path from another BrowserStack API. The separate Automate API authentication page is about a different API and should not replace the Screenshots API endpoint.
6. Troubleshoot in this order
- Inspect the request: confirm it uses HTTP Basic Auth with the BrowserStack username and access key in the correct fields.
- Check the values at runtime: confirm neither credential is blank, stale, from another account, or accidentally padded with whitespace.
- Check for rotation: if the key changed, replace the old value in every local or automated environment that sends requests.
- Verify plan eligibility: confirm the subscription includes an Automate plan with browsers, not Live-only access.
- Confirm the API target: make sure the request is using the Screenshots API endpoint, not a different BrowserStack product’s host or route.
Or skip the browser setup
If you need a screenshot API alternative to try first, ScreenshotNeo provides clean screenshots and bills only clean shots. Its one-call example is:
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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.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for options. Cookie banners, popups and chat widgets are removed before the shot; bot checks, blank pages and failed loads are never billed; an MCP server lets AI agents take screenshots. The Free plan includes 1,000 screenshots a month with no card, and paid plans start at $5 for 3,000. Sign up for free.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently Asked Questions
Does BrowserStack’s Screenshots API use my account password?
No. Its documented Basic Auth password field is the BrowserStack access key, not the account password.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Does a Live-only BrowserStack plan include the Screenshots API?
BrowserStack says the API is available on Automate plans that include browsers; Live-only subscribers are directed to use Screenshots through the webpage.
Quick Recap
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