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You can try capturing a password-protected web app with ScreenshotMachine by passing a valid target-site session cookie in its documented cookies parameter. The ScreenshotMachine API key only authorizes your capture request; it does not log in to the app. The documented command-line route uses curl to call the API, not a separate CLI executable. [ScreenshotMachine API documentation]

What you need before capturing a protected page

  • A ScreenshotMachine customer key for the capture API.
  • A valid session cookie obtained through an authorized login to the target app.
  • The URL of the page you want to capture.
  • curl installed in your shell.

Keep the two credentials separate: the ScreenshotMachine key is sent as key, while the target app’s session cookie is sent as cookies. Treat the cookie like a password. Do not publish it, commit it to a repository, or leave it in shared shell history or logs. [ScreenshotMachine API documentation]

Capture the page with ScreenshotMachine and curl

  1. Log in to the target app through an authorized process. Obtain a current session cookie for the account and page you are permitted to access.
  2. Encode the cookie value. ScreenshotMachine documents cookies as a semicolon-separated list of name=value pairs and requires percent-encoding. For a single cookie, encode the complete text session=VALUE as the parameter value. If there are several cookies, join their pairs with semicolons before encoding.
  3. Send a GET request and save the returned image. Replace the example URL, cookie, and key with your values:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotmachine.com/" 
  --data-urlencode "key=YOUR_SCREENSHOTMACHINE_KEY" 
  --data-urlencode "url=https://example.com/account/report" 
  --data-urlencode "cookies=session%3DYOUR_SESSION_VALUE" 
  --data-urlencode "dimension=1024x768" 
  --data-urlencode "format=png" 
  -o output.png

The encoded cookie shown is an example for one cookie; replace it with the correctly encoded name-and-value text for your app. ScreenshotMachine recommends URL-encoding the target URL as well; --data-urlencode handles that for you. The API is based on HTTP GET requests. [ScreenshotMachine API documentation]

  1. Check the result, not just the file. Open output.png and confirm it shows the authenticated page rather than a login, denial, or error screen. Also inspect the response headers for X-Screenshotmachine-Response, which the API documents for errors.

Choose capture settings for the page

The cookie is the key authentication input, but capture parameters affect what you see. ScreenshotMachine documents these relevant options: [ScreenshotMachine API documentation]

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Parameter What it controls Documented values or behavior
dimension Viewport dimensions or full-page capture WIDTHxHEIGHT; width 100–1920 and height 100–9999; full for a full-length capture
device Device profile desktop, phone, or tablet
format Output image format jpg, png, or gif
delay Wait time before capture For long pages with images or animations, the vendor suggests a longer delay such as 2000 ms or more
cacheLimit How old a cached screenshot may be 0–14 days; 0 requests a fresh screenshot
Accept-Language and User-Agent Language and browser identity for the target request Both are listed as customizable request settings

For example, use dimension=full for a long report, and set cacheLimit=0 when you need a fresh capture after a data change. A longer delay can help content that appears after initial load, but it does not refresh an expired session or guarantee that every app resource finishes loading.

Understand the authentication boundary

The documented route is cookie-based: log in separately, then supply a session cookie. The vendor documentation does not establish support for entering credentials into a login form or for a target site’s HTTP Basic authentication. It also warns that a URL requiring authorization may produce an invalid_url error image. Do not assume either unsupported method will work. [ScreenshotMachine API documentation]

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Cookie behavior across redirects, subdomains, and resources loaded from other origins is not specified in the reviewed API documentation. If the app depends on those behaviors, confirm it against the particular site rather than assuming the session will carry across every request.

Troubleshoot errors and unexpected screenshots

Symptom or code Likely meaning What to check
Login page appears The app did not accept the supplied session for the requested page. Check that the cookie is current, has the correct name and value, is encoded correctly, and is valid for the target. Consider whether redirects or app resources require additional cookies; the API documentation does not specify cross-domain cookie behavior.
invalid_url The URL is invalid or the target requires authorization; ScreenshotMachine specifically associates this code with HTTP 401 authorization required. Verify the URL and session cookie. An error image is not proof that the target content was captured.
invalid_key or missing_key The capture API key is invalid or absent. Pass the correct ScreenshotMachine customer key in key; it is separate from the app session cookie.
missing_url The target URL parameter is absent. Include the complete target address as url and URL-encode it.
no_credits The account has no capture credits available. Check the ScreenshotMachine account and available credits.
invalid_selector or invalid_crop A selector or crop setting is invalid. Review the relevant selector or crop values if your request uses those options.
invalid_hash or system_error The API reports a request hash or system error. Inspect the response header and request parameters; if the request is correct and the problem persists, consult the vendor.
Image loads but content is incomplete Some page content may load late or depend on app resources not available in the capture context. Try a longer delay, check whether the page is authenticated, and verify the result visually.

ScreenshotMachine documents errors as potentially returned in image form and identifies X-Screenshotmachine-Response as the error header. Check both the header and the image; a successful file write alone does not establish that the desired authenticated content is present. [ScreenshotMachine API documentation]

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Or skip the browser setup

ScreenshotNeo offers a one-request screenshot API and an MCP server for AI agents. Its clean-shot options accept cookie banners and remove more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; each step can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, failed loads, timeouts, and cache hits are not billed, and response headers indicate the page verdict and billing status. ScreenshotNeo’s API is a separate service, not a ScreenshotMachine command or feature.

curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://example.com/account/report -o shot.webp

See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for request options. One thousand screenshots a month are free with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots. The MCP server exposes take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf to Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients. [ScreenshotNeo]

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Security and reliability considerations

  • Use a dedicated, authorized account where possible, and avoid sharing a cookie that grants access to sensitive data.
  • Do not put live credentials in source code, public issue reports, or examples intended for publication.
  • Consider where the API key and cookie appear in shell history, process inspection, proxy logs, and request logs; the documentation does not describe every handling or retention detail.
  • Use cacheLimit=0 when a stale image would mislead downstream users. Cached results may not reflect current app content.
  • Build a check of the response header and rendered image into workflows that depend on authenticated captures; a returned image may be an error or login page.

Node.js example and SDK distinction

ScreenshotMachine’s vendor-linked Node.js example uses the screenshotmachine package to generate an API URL and save the response stream as output.png. It is an SDK/example workflow rather than a separate CLI executable. The curl command above is the documented shell approach for a direct API request. [ScreenshotMachine Node.js example]

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does the ScreenshotMachine API key log me in to the web app?

No. It authorizes the capture API request; the target app’s session cookie is a separate credential.

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Can I use ScreenshotMachine for HTTP Basic authentication or automate a login form?

The reviewed ScreenshotMachine API documentation does not establish either capability. Its documented authentication route for this use is a target session cookie.

How do I know whether the screenshot is the protected page or an error image?

Inspect the captured image and the X-Screenshotmachine-Response response header; a saved image alone is not confirmation of authenticated content.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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