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Use APScheduler to decide when a Python function runs, and Playwright to open the site and capture it. For the example below, install APScheduler 3.x and Playwright, install Playwright’s Chromium browser, then run a persistent Python process. Choose an interval trigger for a fixed elapsed cadence or a cron trigger for calendar times such as weekdays at 9 a.m.
Install APScheduler and Playwright
This example uses APScheduler’s 3.x interface. Its job-and-scheduler API differs from the newer task-and-schedule interface in the current APScheduler documentation, so keep your installed major version aligned with your code. The example uses Playwright’s synchronous Python API.
-
In the Python environment that will run the scheduler, install APScheduler 3.x and Playwright:
python -m pip install "APScheduler>=3,<4" playwright -
Install the browser binary separately:
python -m playwright install chromium -
On Linux or in a container, install the operating-system libraries required by the browser as well. The browser and its dependencies must be present in the environment where the scheduled job executes, not just on your development machine.
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Playwright runs browsers headlessly by default, so a graphical desktop is not required for ordinary captures.
Write a capture function and schedule it
Save this as scheduled_screenshot.py. It creates an output directory, navigates to the target, waits for the page’s load event, captures a full-page PNG, and closes the browser even if navigation or capture fails.
from datetime import datetime
from pathlib import Path
from apscheduler.schedulers.blocking import BlockingScheduler
from playwright.sync_api import sync_playwright
URL = "https://example.com"
OUTPUT_DIR = Path("screenshots")
def capture_website(url: str = URL) -> None:
"""Capture one full-page screenshot, named with its capture time."""
OUTPUT_DIR.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
timestamp = datetime.now().strftime("%Y%m%d-%H%M%S")
output_path = OUTPUT_DIR / f"website-{timestamp}.png"
with sync_playwright() as playwright:
browser = playwright.chromium.launch()
try:
page = browser.new_page()
page.goto(url, wait_until="load", timeout=60_000)
page.screenshot(path=str(output_path), full_page=True)
print(f"Saved {output_path}")
finally:
browser.close()
if __name__ == "__main__":
scheduler = BlockingScheduler()
scheduler.add_job(
capture_website,
trigger="interval",
minutes=30,
id="example-site-screenshot",
max_instances=1,
coalesce=True,
)
scheduler.start()Run it with python scheduled_screenshot.py. A blocking scheduler keeps the script in its scheduler loop; stop it with the normal process shutdown mechanism for your environment. The first scheduled run occurs on the interval cadence, rather than immediately at startup. If you need a startup capture too, call capture_website() explicitly before starting the scheduler.
Choose the right trigger
Use interval for elapsed time
An interval trigger is suited to requests such as “capture every 30 minutes.” The interval controls when a run becomes due; it does not guarantee that a capture finishes within 30 minutes. If the prior capture is still running when the next one is due, APScheduler 3.x’s default is one concurrent instance of a job. The next run may be treated as a misfire, so set concurrency and misfire behavior intentionally for your workload.
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For a weekday capture at 9 a.m., replace the add_job call with a calendar trigger:
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scheduler.add_job(
capture_website,
trigger="cron",
day_of_week="mon-fri",
hour=9,
minute=0,
id="weekday-morning-screenshot",
max_instances=1,
coalesce=True,
timezone="America/New_York",
)Set the timezone explicitly when the schedule means local wall-clock time. Cron fields combine to determine matching fire times; they are not interchangeable with “wait this many minutes after the previous run.” Use a timezone appropriate to the schedule and deployment.
Choose what the screenshot includes
Viewport or full page
page.screenshot(path="capture.png") saves the current viewport. Use full_page=True to capture the page’s full scrollable extent. Full-page output can be very tall on long pages; use viewport capture when you need a consistent above-the-fold image.
Wait for content the page loads later
The sample waits for the browser’s load event, which may not mean a site’s client-rendered or delayed content is ready. For a known element, wait for that selector before capturing:
page.goto(url, wait_until="load", timeout=60_000)
page.locator("main article").wait_for(state="visible", timeout=30_000)
page.screenshot(path=str(output_path), full_page=True)Replace the selector with one that identifies the content you actually need. A selector that does not appear will time out; do not add an arbitrary delay unless the page offers no more reliable readiness condition.
Capture multiple sites
For sites with independent schedules, retries, logs, or retention needs, create one scheduled job per site with a stable job ID. If every site shares the same cadence and operational policy, one dispatcher job can read a target list and capture each URL. The dispatcher is simpler, but one slow or failing site can affect later targets unless failures are handled per target.
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Keep the schedule reliable across restarts
A scheduler running only in memory loses its schedule and job state when the process exits or crashes. APScheduler 3.x can use a persistent job store, but persistence does not keep the Python process alive. Run the service under a suitable process or container supervisor, or use an external scheduler/worker arrangement.
For jobs added during application startup to a persistent store, assign each job an explicit stable ID and use replace_existing=True when registering it. This prevents startup from adding another copy of the same job every time the application restarts. Ensure the callable can be imported by the scheduler and that the browser binaries and system dependencies are installed on the executing host.
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Output naming and retention: the sample uses a timestamped filename so later captures do not overwrite earlier ones. Add a retention policy if the directory must not grow indefinitely.
-
Capture duration: record each run’s start, success or exception, and duration. Pages can be slow or unreachable, and a longer-than-expected capture can collide with the next scheduled time.
-
Failure handling: navigation timeouts and browser launch errors should be logged and surfaced to your monitoring. Ensure cleanup runs on exceptions, as in the sample’s
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Execution continuity: a persistent job store preserves scheduler data, while a supervisor keeps the process running. These solve separate reliability problems.
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Storage: PNG files can accumulate quickly, particularly for full-page captures. Choose output format, retention, and any post-processing to fit the downstream use.
Troubleshooting
Playwright says the browser executable is missing
Install the browser binary in the same environment that runs the job with python -m playwright install chromium. In a Linux deployment, also install the browser’s system dependencies there.
The script exits and no later screenshots appear
The scheduler only runs while its containing process is alive. Start it as a long-running service or worker, and configure the deployment to restart it when needed. A persistent store alone does not keep a stopped process running.
A scheduled capture is skipped or late
Check whether a previous run was still active, whether the process was unavailable at the scheduled time, and how the job’s instance, misfire, and coalescing settings are configured. Log each run’s timing and exceptions so you can distinguish a slow capture from a stopped scheduler.
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The image is blank or misses the important content
Confirm the destination URL is correct and that navigation completed. If the page renders content after the load event, wait for a meaningful visible selector before taking the screenshot. For very long pages, consider whether the relevant content is outside the captured viewport or whether full-page capture is required.
Restarting creates duplicate jobs
When registering a startup-created job in an APScheduler 3.x persistent store, give it a stable explicit ID and set replace_existing=True. Review the installed APScheduler major version as well: current documentation describes a newer API than the 3.x add_job pattern used here.
Or skip the browser setup
ScreenshotNeo provides a one-request alternative if you do not want to install and maintain a browser for the capture. Create an API key, then use this cURL call; see the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for request options.
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://example.com -o shot.webpScreenshotNeo accepts cookie or consent banners like a visitor and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; those steps can be turned off. Bot checks or CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, and response headers report the page verdict and billing status. Its MCP server offers screenshot, page-info, and PDF-capture tools for AI agents. The free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots.
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