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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →URL2PNG’s v6 API can be called from Python by URL-encoding the capture parameters, signing that exact query string with your account secret, and requesting a URL whose path contains your API key and signature. The official example uses Python’s standard library; the function below returns the screenshot URL, which you can then fetch as image bytes.
What you need before calling URL2PNG
- A URL2PNG API key and secret from your account. The key identifies your account; the secret is used to sign requests. See the URL2PNG Quickstart Guide.
- Python 3 with its standard-library
urllib.parseandhashlibmodules. - An HTTPS endpoint if available for your account or plan; URL2PNG lists SSL access as a plan feature on its plans page.
Keep the secret in server-side configuration, such as an environment variable, rather than in source code committed to a repository. That is prudent credential handling because the secret authorizes request signing.
Build and sign the request in Python
For v6, URL2PNG’s token is the lowercase hexadecimal MD5 digest of the URL-encoded query string followed by the secret. The query string used to calculate the token must be identical to the one sent in the request—including parameter order, values, and percent encoding.
import hashlib
from urllib.parse import urlencode
API_KEY = "YOUR_API_KEY"
API_SECRET = "YOUR_API_SECRET"
params = {
"url": "https://example.com",
"fullpage": "true",
"thumbnail_max_width": 1200,
"unique": 0,
"viewport": "1280x1024",
}
# Encode once, then use this exact string for signing and transmission.
query_string = urlencode(params)
token = hashlib.md5((query_string + API_SECRET).encode("utf-8")).hexdigest()
image_url = f"https://api.url2png.com/v6/{API_KEY}/{token}/png/?{query_string}"
print(image_url)This produces the signed screenshot URL; it does not download the image. The documented v6 path shape is /v6/{api_key}/{token}/png/?{query_string}. Use the endpoint and path specified in your URL2PNG account documentation if its current instructions differ.
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Download the screenshot bytes
To save the returned image, make a second request to the generated URL. This standard-library example also checks for an HTTP error before writing the file:
from urllib.request import urlopen
from urllib.error import HTTPError, URLError
try:
with urlopen(image_url, timeout=90) as response:
image_bytes = response.read()
with open("screenshot.png", "wb") as output:
output.write(image_bytes)
except HTTPError as exc:
raise RuntimeError(f"URL2PNG returned HTTP {exc.code}: {exc.reason}") from exc
except URLError as exc:
raise RuntimeError(f"Could not reach URL2PNG: {exc.reason}") from excChoose an output extension that matches the format you requested. The example path uses /png/, so it writes a PNG.
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Keep false values when they matter
Do not discard parameters merely because their values are false-like. For example, fullpage=False may be intentionally sent to request a viewport capture; filtering false values out would omit the parameter. The safest approach is to serialize once and use the resulting string both for the signature and the request, as above.
Choose capture parameters deliberately
| Parameter | Purpose and guidance |
|---|---|
fullpage |
Set to true to ask for a full-document capture. The documented default is viewport-only (false). |
viewport |
Sets the viewport dimensions. The advanced-options documentation gives an API default of 1480x1037. A Python sample function uses 1280x1024 as its own default; that sample default is not the API default. |
thumbnail_max_width |
Limits the rendered screenshot width. |
unique |
Changes request identity to force a fresh screenshot instead of reusing a cached result. The docs suggest a timestamp; provide a changing value for each capture that must be unique. |
custom_css_url |
Loads custom CSS from a URL for the rendered page. |
say_cheese |
Waits until a named element is available before capturing. |
delay |
Adds a fixed delay after document readiness and asset loading. Use it when the page needs additional time to settle. |
accept_languages, user_agent |
Customize the request language and user-agent values. |
ttl |
Sets screenshot time to live. The documented default is 2,592,000 seconds (30 days). |
Consult the official quickstart and advanced options for supported formats and parameter details. The complete set of parameters must be assembled before signing; adding or changing one afterward invalidates the signature.
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Cache behavior, usage, and plan costs
URL2PNG’s plans FAQ says a newly generated screenshot counts as one render, while loading a cached screenshot does not count against the plan. The FAQ also says screenshots are cached for 30 days by default and that the TTL can be adjusted. Use unique only when a new render is needed; a unique value changes the request identity and can bypass reuse of the cached image.
The following vendor-listed plan figures were checked on October 3, 2026. Prices and allowances can change, so confirm them on the URL2PNG plans page before budgeting.
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| Plan | Monthly price | Fresh screenshots included | Additional screenshot price | Workers | Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bootstrapped | $29/month | 5,000 | $0.006 each | 10 | |
| Traction | $99/month | 20,000 | $0.005 each | 15 | |
| Killinit | $199/month | 50,000 | $0.004 each | 35 | Priority |
| Enterprise | Contact-based details | Unlimited, as listed | Not stated on the plans page | Unlimited workers | Premium support; annual billing listed |
These are vendor-published plan terms, not an independent price comparison. A cache hit and a fresh render affect usage differently, so estimate volume using the number of genuinely new captures rather than every request your application makes.
Troubleshooting common request problems
Authentication or signature errors
- Cause: The query string changed after the token was calculated, or the transmitted parameter order or encoding differs.
- Fix: Call
urlencodeonce, build the digest from that exact string, and append that same string to the request URL without rebuilding it. - Also check: The API key and secret are from the same account, and there is no whitespace accidentally included in either credential.
A false or zero option seems to be ignored
- Cause: A helper filters falsey values and omits values such as
Falseor0. - Fix: Keep parameters whose values you intend to send; encode them explicitly as strings if necessary. Do not alter the parameter set between signing and sending.
The image is not fresh
- Cause: The request is being served from cache under the same request identity.
- Fix: Include a new
uniquevalue, such as the current timestamp, when a fresh render is required. Remember that a fresh render counts as a render according to the plans FAQ.
The capture is cropped or misses content
- Cause: The default is viewport-only, the viewport is too small, or page content has not appeared when capture occurs.
- Fix: Set
fullpage=truefor a full-document capture, choose an appropriateviewport, and usesay_cheeseordelayif the page needs additional time or a specific element to load.
The request times out or returns an HTTP error
- Cause: Connectivity trouble, an unavailable endpoint, invalid request parameters, or a target page that does not finish loading can all prevent a usable response.
- Fix: Inspect the HTTP status and response details, verify the endpoint and parameters against the account’s current documentation, and retry transient network failures with a bounded retry policy. Avoid logging the full signed URL if it exposes credentials or sensitive target URLs.
Or skip the browser setup
Instead of assembling a URL2PNG signature and downloading the result, ScreenshotNeo accepts a single GET request with the target URL. Replace the example URL with the page you need to capture. See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for request options.
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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- Cookie banners are accepted and removed before capture, along with known newsletter popups and chat widgets; each cleanup step can be turned off.
- Bot checks and CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed; response headers report the page verdict and billing status.
- An MCP server provides
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Sign up for ScreenshotNeo’s free plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does URL2PNG’s Python quickstart download the screenshot file?
No. It constructs and returns the signed image URL; make a separate HTTP request to retrieve and save the image bytes.
What is the documented default URL2PNG cache TTL?
The quickstart lists 2,592,000 seconds, or 30 days.
Quick Recap
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