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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallBrowserStack Screenshot API creates screenshots of a URL in selected operating-system and browser configurations. You authenticate each HTTP request with your BrowserStack username and access key, submit a screenshot job, then receive the completed image list at a callback URL or retrieve it with the job-result endpoint. API access is tied to Automate plans that include browsers; a Live-only subscription can use the browser-based Screenshots page, but not this API.
This guide explains the documented request flow, configuration fields, result handling, common failures, and when a different screenshot service is a better fit.
What BrowserStack Screenshot API does
The API runs a URL in the OS, browser, version, and (for mobile) device combination you specify, then generates a screenshot. You can request several combinations to build a cross-browser set rather than manually opening each environment.
It is an automation interface, not the same product as BrowserStack’s webpage-based Screenshots workflow. The webpage lets a person choose browsers and devices interactively. BrowserStack documents API access for Automate plans that include browsers; Live-only subscribers are directed to the webpage Screenshots experience. Percy is a separate BrowserStack visual-testing product for comparing changes over time, not the Screenshot API endpoint described here.
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Before you write a request
Check plan eligibility
Confirm that your BrowserStack subscription is an Automate plan with browser access. Having a Live subscription alone does not establish API access. Plan packaging can change, so verify the current entitlement in your BrowserStack account before building a production integration.
Collect credentials safely
Requests use HTTP Basic Authentication with your BrowserStack username and access key. Keep both values in environment variables or a secret manager; never commit them to source control or expose them in browser-side JavaScript.
Choose supported combinations
The reference documents an operation for listing available OS and browser combinations. Use that list as the source of truth instead of guessing version strings. A combination normally includes an operating system, OS version, browser, and browser version. Windows, OS X, iOS, and Android are among the documented OS examples.
Documented request workflow
- Authenticate and request the available OS/browser combinations.
- Send an authenticated POST request to the documented screenshot-job endpoint with the target URL and desired settings.
- Read the returned job identifier and status information.
- Either provide a callback URL and accept the completed screenshot listing there, or retrieve the result with
GET /screenshots/<JOB-ID>.json. - Download or process the image URLs in the completed listing and record the configuration used for each image.
The exact host and endpoint syntax are shown in BrowserStack’s current API reference. Treat those paths and accepted values as versioned documentation, especially when upgrading an existing integration.
Request fields and what they control
| Field | Purpose and requirement |
|---|---|
| URL | The page to capture. Use a fully qualified URL that the selected environment can reach. |
| OS and OS version | Selects the desktop or mobile operating-system family and its version. |
| Browser and browser version | Selects the browser engine and release to render the page. |
| Device | Required when targeting a mobile device. Select a device supported by the available-combinations response. |
| Orientation | Required when a device is specified; portrait is the documented default orientation. |
| Resolution | Sets the viewport for macOS or Windows captures. Do not assume a desktop resolution applies to mobile devices. |
| Quality | Controls screenshot quality according to the values accepted by the API reference. |
| Local testing | Requests access to a site running behind a firewall or on a local network when your BrowserStack local-testing setup is enabled. |
| Wait time | Delays capture so client-side rendering can finish. The reference lists 2, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 60 seconds as example values. |
| Callback URL | Optional destination for BrowserStack’s completed screenshot listing. |
Mobile requests need both a device and orientation. If you omit the device, orientation is not a substitute for a mobile target. A wait value is a fixed delay, not a guarantee that a particular API call or image has completed; for deterministic pages, make the page itself expose a reliable ready state and choose a delay that covers the slowest expected render.
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Submitting a job with cURL
The following is a shape for an authenticated POST. Replace the placeholder endpoint and values with those shown in the current BrowserStack API reference; the sample credentials are deliberately non-real.
curl -u "$BROWSERSTACK_USERNAME:$BROWSERSTACK_ACCESS_KEY"
-X POST "https://api.browserstack.com/screenshots"
-H "Content-Type: application/json"
-d '{
"url": "https://example.com",
"os": "Windows",
"os_version": "11",
"browser": "Chrome",
"browser_version": "latest",
"resolution": "1920x1080",
"quality": "80",
"wait": 5,
"callback_url": "https://your.example/webhooks/browserstack"
}'Use the endpoint and field spelling supplied by the live reference if they differ from this illustrative payload. Store the returned job ID immediately; it is the key for polling or diagnosing a missing callback.
Calling the API from Python
This example keeps credentials out of code and shows the same job concept with Python’s requests library.
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import os
import requests
payload = {
"url": "https://example.com",
"os": "Windows",
"os_version": "11",
"browser": "Chrome",
"browser_version": "latest",
"resolution": "1920x1080",
"quality": "80",
"wait": 5,
"callback_url": "https://your.example/webhooks/browserstack",
}
response = requests.post(
"https://api.browserstack.com/screenshots", # use the current documented endpoint
auth=(os.environ["BROWSERSTACK_USERNAME"], os.environ["BROWSERSTACK_ACCESS_KEY"]),
json=payload,
timeout=90,
)
response.raise_for_status()
job = response.json()
print(job)For a mobile capture, add the documented device value and an orientation such as portrait or landscape. For a local site, enable BrowserStack’s local testing and set the local-testing field exactly as documented.
Calling the API from Node.js
const username = process.env.BROWSERSTACK_USERNAME;
const accessKey = process.env.BROWSERSTACK_ACCESS_KEY;
const payload = {
url: 'https://example.com',
os: 'Windows',
os_version: '11',
browser: 'Chrome',
browser_version: 'latest',
resolution: '1920x1080',
quality: '80',
wait: 5,
callback_url: 'https://your.example/webhooks/browserstack'
};
const auth = Buffer.from(`${username}:${accessKey}`).toString('base64');
const res = await fetch('https://api.browserstack.com/screenshots', {
method: 'POST', // use the endpoint shown in the current API reference
headers: {
'Authorization': `Basic ${auth}`,
'Content-Type': 'application/json'
},
body: JSON.stringify(payload)
});
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`${res.status} ${await res.text()}`);
console.log(await res.json());Receiving and retrieving results
Callback delivery
When you include a callback URL, BrowserStack posts the completed screenshot listing to that address. Make the endpoint HTTPS, authenticate or otherwise verify incoming requests as appropriate for your application, and return a success response quickly. Queue heavier image processing instead of making the callback request wait for your entire pipeline.
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Retrieval by job ID
Without a callback, or when you need a recovery path, request GET /screenshots/<JOB-ID>.json with the same HTTP Basic Authentication. Poll at a measured interval rather than in a tight loop, stop after an application-defined deadline, and persist the final response for auditing. A callback timeout should not cause duplicate business records if a later retrieval finds that the job already completed.
Coverage and cost decisions
Every additional OS, browser version, device, and orientation increases the number of jobs and the amount of result handling. Start with combinations that represent your supported audience, then expand for release-risk areas. Keep a manifest containing URL, configuration, wait setting, job ID, completion status, and result location so a failed run can be retried without losing context.
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Troubleshooting common failures
401 or 403 responses
Check that the username and access key are paired, unexpired, and sent as Basic Authentication. A 403 can also indicate that the account is Live-only or that its Automate plan does not include browser access. Remove credentials from logs before sharing an error report.
Unsupported OS, browser, or device
Refresh the available-combinations list and copy its exact names and versions. Do not infer that a desktop browser version is valid on a mobile device.
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Mobile validation errors
Include a device whenever targeting mobile, and include orientation whenever a device is specified. Use portrait when you need the documented default and the API accepts the omitted value; otherwise send it explicitly.
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Blank or incomplete screenshots
Increase the documented wait value, verify that the URL is reachable from the selected environment, and ensure the page’s critical assets are not blocked by authentication or network policy. A fixed wait cannot repair a page that never finishes loading.
Local page cannot be reached
Confirm the BrowserStack local-testing connection is running, that the request enables the local-testing option, and that the hostname resolves through that connection. Test the URL from the same local environment before changing screenshot parameters.
No callback received
Check that the callback is publicly reachable over HTTPS and returns a timely 2xx response. Log the job ID at submission, then retrieve /screenshots/<JOB-ID>.json directly. Treat callback delivery and result retrieval as separate failure domains.
Or skip the browser setup
If you need a clean website image rather than a matrix of BrowserStack environments, ScreenshotNeo makes one HTTP request and returns PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF output. Before capture it accepts cookie and consent banners and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets; each cleanup step can be disabled. Bot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, and response headers identify the page verdict and whether the request was billed. It also offers an MCP server for AI agents, including Claude and Cursor, with take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf.
Use the documented parameters for full-page or element captures, device and viewport selection, custom CSS or JavaScript, waits, blocking rules, headers, cookies, geolocation, caching, signed links, asynchronous webhooks, and bulk requests. Every plan includes the features; the Free plan provides 1,000 shots per month with no card, and paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots.
Best Value
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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 response headers, output formats, and options. Create a free ScreenshotNeo account to use 1,000 screenshots a month with no card.
When BrowserStack is the right choice
Choose BrowserStack Screenshot API when your acceptance criteria require screenshots from named browser and operating-system combinations, especially mobile devices, and your Automate plan includes those browsers. Choose a simpler screenshot endpoint when you need a single clean render, automated consent removal, explicit no-charge handling for failed pages, or an AI-agent workflow rather than a browser-coverage matrix.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Live-only BrowserStack subscription call the Screenshot API?
The documented API is available on Automate plans that include browsers. Live-only subscribers can use the Screenshots webpage instead.
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No. It is optional; without one, retrieve the completed listing with the job-result request using the job ID.
What is required for a mobile screenshot?
Specify a supported mobile device and its orientation. Portrait is the documented default orientation.
Does the API itself perform visual regression comparisons?
No. It generates screenshots. BrowserStack Percy is a separate visual-testing product for comparison workflows.
Quick Recap
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