To create a website thumbnail with the ScreenshotOne API, send the page URL to its HTTPS /take endpoint and set image_width and/or image_height to the maximum output dimensions you need. ScreenshotOne preserves the image’s aspect ratio and keeps the result within those bounds. First choose whether the thumbnail should show the viewport, the full page, or a specific clipped area; that choice affects the image’s content, not just its size.
Make a basic thumbnail request
ScreenshotOne’s /take endpoint accepts GET requests and POST requests with options in JSON. Use HTTPS: the vendor warns that HTTP does not encrypt access keys, cookies, authorization headers, or other sensitive request data.
Create or copy an API access key from the relevant ScreenshotOne organization, then keep it in an environment variable or secrets manager. The examples below read the key from an environment variable rather than embedding it in source code. Set SCREENSHOTONE_ACCESS_KEY before running the example in your shell or deployment environment.
cURL
curl -G 'https://api.screenshotone.com/take'
--data-urlencode 'url=https://example.com'
--data-urlencode 'image_width=500'
--data-urlencode 'image_height=400'
-H "X-Access-Key: $SCREENSHOTONE_ACCESS_KEY"
-o thumbnail.pngPython
import os
import requests
response = requests.post(
"https://api.screenshotone.com/take",
headers={"X-Access-Key": os.environ["SCREENSHOTONE_ACCESS_KEY"]},
json={
"url": "https://example.com",
"image_width": 500,
"image_height": 400,
},
timeout=120,
)
response.raise_for_status()
with open("thumbnail.png", "wb") as image:
image.write(response.content)Node.js
const accessKey = process.env.SCREENSHOTONE_ACCESS_KEY;
if (!accessKey) throw new Error("Set SCREENSHOTONE_ACCESS_KEY first");
const response = await fetch("https://api.screenshotone.com/take", {
method: "POST",
headers: {
"X-Access-Key": accessKey,
"Content-Type": "application/json",
},
body: JSON.stringify({
url: "https://example.com",
image_width: 500,
image_height: 400,
}),
});
if (!response.ok) {
throw new Error(`ScreenshotOne request failed: ${response.status} ${await response.text()}`);
}
await require("node:fs/promises").writeFile("thumbnail.png", Buffer.from(await response.arrayBuffer()));The POST examples use the documented X-Access-Key header; ScreenshotOne also documents supplying the access key in the request body. The response is binary image content with a content type appropriate to the requested format. POST is useful when you have many options or want to avoid assembling a long query string. The documented maximum POST body size is 100 MiB.
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Choose what part of the page to capture
Decide the capture scope before adjusting dimensions. A small output size cannot compensate for capturing the wrong portion of the page.
| Thumbnail goal | Capture setting | Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary page preview | Default viewport capture | Shows the rendered viewport rather than the entire document. Resize it with image_width and/or image_height. |
| Preview of a long page | full_page=true |
Full-page output can require adjustments to viewport, scrolling, delay, or capture algorithm. More rendering steps may improve coverage but can take longer. |
| Hero, card, or specific region | Set clip_x, clip_y, clip_width, and clip_height |
All four clip values are required by the clipping guide. A selector-based target may be more stable than fixed coordinates when the layout changes. |
Full-page captures and lazy content
If a full-page thumbnail omits lazy-loaded images or captures animation inconsistently, try full_page_algorithm=by_sections, adjust scrolling and delay, or consider motion reduction. These changes can add rendering work, and the vendor notes that some pages remain difficult to render reliably. There is no universally correct setting for every site.
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Focus on a region or remove page elements
For a precise crop, provide all four clip coordinates and dimensions. If page layout changes make coordinates brittle, consider selector targeting. To remove or alter elements before capture, use hide selectors, custom CSS, or scripts. URL-encode supplied styles, and allow enough waiting time when a script navigates or reloads the page.
Set output dimensions, format, and quality
image_width and image_height are maximum bounds, not a command to stretch every result to an exact rectangle. Specify both to fit an output box; specify only one when you want the other dimension calculated automatically. ScreenshotOne preserves the page’s aspect ratio and keeps both dimensions at or below the requested limits, so the resulting image may not fill both sides of a differently proportioned thumbnail slot.
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Choose a supported image format for the destination and set image_quality where applicable. The option accepts values from 0 to 100 and defaults to 80, according to ScreenshotOne’s live options documentation. That is an API default, not a recommendation that 80 is best for every thumbnail. Check the resulting file in the actual card, page, or preview where it will appear; the documentation does not prescribe one universal size, format, or quality.
Keep credentials and thumbnail delivery safe
- Keep the API access key out of source control, client-side JavaScript, and publicly visible markup.
- Do not put an unsigned key-bearing request URL in a public
<img>element. A GET request may expose its key wherever that URL is published or logged. - For browser-facing use, make the request from your server and return or store the resulting image, or use the provider’s documented approach for your application.
- ScreenshotOne’s secret signing key is separate from the API access key. The secret key is used for signing public links or verifying signed webhook payloads; do not send it as a request parameter.
- If a key is exposed, replace it and update the application configuration.
ScreenshotOne’s getting-started documentation demonstrates using an API URL as an image source, but that should not override its warning about exposing a public unsigned URL that contains an access key. Protect the credential rather than copying a live key into page markup.
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Troubleshoot common thumbnail problems
- The thumbnail has the wrong content. Check whether you need the default viewport,
full_page=true, or a clipped region. Output dimensions resize the capture; they do not change its scope. - The image does not fill a fixed-width-and-height slot. The API preserves aspect ratio and treats the dimensions as bounds. Adjust the destination box or crop/clip the capture to a suitable composition rather than expecting the image to be stretched.
- A full-page image misses lower-page images. Lazy-loaded content may need scrolling or additional delay. Try
full_page_algorithm=by_sectionsand tune the scrolling and delay settings. - A clip request fails or captures the wrong area. Supply all four of
clip_x,clip_y,clip_width, andclip_height; verify the coordinates against the rendered page. Consider selector targeting if fixed coordinates do not survive layout changes. - A custom style or script has no visible effect. URL-encode supplied styles and allow enough wait time, particularly if the script navigates or reloads the page.
- The request fails after moving from GET to POST. Check that the body is valid JSON, that the access key is supplied through the header or supported body field, and that the request body does not exceed the documented 100 MiB maximum.
- The key may have leaked. Replace the exposed access key and update the secret configuration used by the application. Do not confuse it with the separate secret signing key.
Or skip the browser setup
For a screenshot service that handles rendering and thumbnail delivery through a single request, ScreenshotNeo is an alternative. It accepts a URL and can return a PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF. Here is a one-call WebP example; replace the target URL and keep your API key private:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://example.com -o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo documentation for request options. ScreenshotNeo accepts cookie and consent banners and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; each of these steps can be disabled. Bot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, and responses identify the page verdict and billing status in headers. An MCP server exposes take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools to AI agents and other MCP clients. The free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 screenshots. Sign up for ScreenshotNeo’s free plan to try it with 1,000 screenshots a month and no card.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the ScreenshotOne secret signing key instead of the access key?
No. The API access key authenticates a screenshot request; the separate secret signing key is for signing public links or verifying signed webhook payloads.
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Does the API resize the thumbnail by stretching it to the exact width and height?
No. The requested dimensions are upper bounds, and ScreenshotOne preserves the source image’s aspect ratio.
Quick Recap
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