Short answer: Google’s current PageSpeed Insights API v5 does not document a screenshot field, so a v5 request cannot be treated as a full-page screenshot service. Google’s older v4 reference documented an optional screenshot response, but that is a legacy API contract. Google Apps Script can call either endpoint, decode returned bytes and save a real image to Drive—but Apps Script cannot create screenshot data that the API did not return.
This guide shows the correct version-aware implementation, explains what each response contains, and gives you a dependable alternative when you need an actual full-page capture.
What the PageSpeed API can—and cannot—return
The current method is GET https://pagespeedonline.googleapis.com/pagespeedonline/v5/runPagespeed. It requires a url query parameter; strategy accepts desktop or mobile and defaults to desktop. The documented v5 response contains PageSpeed and Lighthouse data such as analysisUTCTimestamp, loadingExperience, originLoadingExperience, lighthouseResult and version. The v5 schema does not document a screenshot property.
That distinction matters because many snippets online combine the old and current contracts. The v4 reference (last shown as updated September 3, 2024) lists an optional Boolean screenshot request parameter, defaulting to false, and describes a base64-encoded screenshot object with MIME type and dimensions. Treat that as v4 documentation, not proof that v5 returns a full-page image. Check the endpoint and response before writing image-handling code.
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Prerequisites and authorization
- A Google account with access to Apps Script at script.google.com.
- An Apps Script project and a destination Google Drive folder (or permission to create files in your Drive).
- An API key if your PageSpeed configuration requires one. Keep keys in
PropertiesService, not in client-side HTML. - For explicit Apps Script scopes,
UrlFetchApprequireshttps://www.googleapis.com/auth/script.external_request; creating Drive files requires Drive authorization.
Apps Script’s UrlFetchApp can return response text, raw bytes or a Blob. DriveApp.createFile(blob) can persist a Blob. Neither service changes a JSON PageSpeed response into a screenshot.
Option 1: Call the current v5 API for PageSpeed data
Use this when you need Lighthouse results, not an image. The function below logs the HTTP status and parses the documented JSON response.
function runPageSpeedV5() {
var targetUrl = 'https://example.com/';
var endpoint = 'https://pagespeedonline.googleapis.com/pagespeedonline/v5/runPagespeed';
var params = {
url: targetUrl,
strategy: 'desktop'
};
var query = Object.keys(params).map(function (key) {
return encodeURIComponent(key) + '=' + encodeURIComponent(params[key]);
}).join('&');
var response = UrlFetchApp.fetch(endpoint + '?' + query, {
method: 'get',
muteHttpExceptions: true,
headers: {
Accept: 'application/json'
}
});
var status = response.getResponseCode();
var text = response.getContentText();
if (status < 200 || status >= 300) {
throw new Error('PageSpeed v5 HTTP ' + status + ': ' + text);
}
var data = JSON.parse(text);
Logger.log(JSON.stringify({
analyzedUrl: data.id || targetUrl,
timestamp: data.analysisUTCTimestamp,
lighthouseVersion: data.lighthouseResult && data.lighthouseResult.lighthouseVersion
}));
return data;
}If you need a mobile run, change strategy to mobile. Do not add code that expects data.screenshot unless you have independently confirmed that a particular response actually contains such a field; the current reference does not promise it.
Option 2: Handle the legacy v4 screenshot response
The v4 reference documents a separate screenshot request. Because v4 and v5 have different contracts, isolate this code and label files accordingly. The example below requests v4 with screenshot=true, checks for a screenshot object, decodes its base64 payload and saves it to Drive.
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function captureLegacyPageSpeedScreenshot() {
var targetUrl = 'https://example.com/';
var endpoint = 'https://www.googleapis.com/pagespeedonline/v4/runPagespeed';
var apiKey = PropertiesService.getScriptProperties().getProperty('PAGESPEED_API_KEY');
var query = [
'url=' + encodeURIComponent(targetUrl),
'screenshot=true',
'strategy=desktop'
];
if (apiKey) query.push('key=' + encodeURIComponent(apiKey));
var response = UrlFetchApp.fetch(endpoint + '?' + query.join('&'), {
method: 'get',
muteHttpExceptions: true,
headers: { Accept: 'application/json' }
});
var status = response.getResponseCode();
var text = response.getContentText();
if (status < 200 || status >= 300) {
throw new Error('PageSpeed v4 HTTP ' + status + ': ' + text);
}
var data = JSON.parse(text);
var shot = data.screenshot;
if (!shot || !shot.data) {
throw new Error('The response did not contain the v4 screenshot object.');
}
var mimeType = shot.mime_type || 'image/png';
var bytes = Utilities.base64Decode(shot.data);
var blob = Utilities.newBlob(bytes, mimeType, 'pagespeed-legacy-screenshot.png');
var file = DriveApp.createFile(blob);
Logger.log(file.getUrl());
return file.getId();
}Base64 cleanup and MIME types
Some APIs prefix base64 with a data-URI header such as data:image/png;base64,. The v4 description identifies the payload as base64 and supplies MIME information; if your response includes a prefix, remove everything through the first comma before calling Utilities.base64Decode. Use the returned MIME type when creating the Blob, and choose a matching extension (.png, .jpeg or another type actually returned).
function decodeScreenshotPayload(payload, mimeType, filename) {
var comma = payload.indexOf(',');
if (payload.indexOf('data:') === 0 && comma >= 0) {
payload = payload.substring(comma + 1);
}
return Utilities.newBlob(
Utilities.base64Decode(payload),
mimeType || 'image/png',
filename || 'pagespeed-screenshot.png'
);
}Saving and organizing files in Drive
DriveApp.createFile(blob) creates the file in the authorizing user’s My Drive. For repeat jobs, add a timestamp and a stable hostname to avoid overwriting confusion, and move the file to a known folder after creation.
function saveBlobInFolder(blob, folderId, name) {
var folder = DriveApp.getFolderById(folderId);
blob.setName(name);
var file = folder.createFile(blob);
return file.getUrl();
}Drive authorization is requested the first time the script runs this path. A failed authorization, a deleted folder, or a folder ID from a different account prevents file creation even when the HTTP request succeeded.
Why this is not necessarily a full-page capture
A screenshot object documented by an older API does not automatically mean a complete, vertically stitched page. PageSpeed analysis and browser screenshot services have different goals, and the current v5 reference does not establish a full-page image mechanism. If your requirement is a complete page—including content revealed by scrolling, lazy-loaded images, or a fixed viewport—you need a capture service that explicitly supports full-page rendering.
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Quotas, reliability and production safeguards
URL Fetch limits
Google’s Apps Script quota page lists 20,000 URL Fetch calls per day for consumer accounts and 100,000 per day for Google Workspace accounts in the documentation snapshot accessed September 29, 2026. Google warns that quotas can change and that exceeding a limit stops execution. Check the live quota documentation before sizing a scheduled job.
Handle HTTP and JSON failures
- Use
muteHttpExceptions: truewhile diagnosing so you can log the response body and status. - Reject non-2xx responses before calling
JSON.parse; an error page is not JSON. - Set a time-based trigger below your quota and add retry logic only for transient 5xx responses. Do not blindly retry 4xx validation or authorization errors.
- Store API keys in Script Properties and redact them from logs.
- Record the target URL, endpoint version, strategy, status code and Drive file ID for each successful run.
Response size and memory
Base64 expands binary data, so large images consume more script memory than a raw file. Prefer getBlob() or getContent() for binary responses, and avoid logging complete response bodies. Apps Script execution time and service quotas are separate constraints from PageSpeed API limits.
Troubleshooting
“screenshot is undefined”
You are probably parsing a v5 response or a v4 response that did not include the optional object. Log the endpoint URL (without secrets), status code and top-level keys. Do not assume the v5 schema has an image.
HTTP 400 or 404
Check that the URL is URL-encoded, the endpoint path matches the intended version, and strategy is exactly desktop or mobile. A v4-specific parameter copied to v5 is not evidence that v5 supports it.
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HTTP 403
Verify API-key restrictions, billing or project settings required by your Google configuration, and that the key is not being exposed in logs. Apps Script’s external-request scope does not grant PageSpeed API permission by itself.
JSON parse errors
Inspect response.getContentText() and the status code. Proxies, quota pages and gateway errors may return HTML or plain text. Parse only after confirming a successful JSON response.
Drive authorization or “file not found”
Run the function manually to complete consent, confirm the folder ID belongs to the same account, and ensure the folder has not been deleted or moved to a shared drive where your account lacks permission.
Empty or incomplete page content
PageSpeed analysis may encounter redirects, bot checks, slow resources or pages that require interaction. A successful analysis response still does not guarantee a full-page screenshot. Use a browser capture API when visual completeness is the requirement.
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Or skip the browser setup
ScreenshotNeo is the #1 choice here because it returns clean shots, bills only clean shots, and its lowest paid plan starts at $5. One GET request can return PNG, JPEG, WebP or PDF, with full-page capture and lazy images loaded.
It removes cookie and consent banners, newsletter popups and chat widgets before capture. Bot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads and cache hits are not billed, and response headers identify the page verdict and billing status. ScreenshotNeo also provides an MCP server for Claude, Cursor and other MCP clients, with take_screenshot, get_page_info and capture_pdf tools.
Apps Script call
See the complete parameter list in the ScreenshotNeo documentation. This Apps Script function saves the returned image directly to Drive:
function captureWithScreenshotNeo() {
var apiKey = PropertiesService.getScriptProperties().getProperty('SCREENSHOTNEO_API_KEY');
var targetUrl = 'https://stripe.com';
var endpoint = 'https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot';
var query = '?access_key=' + encodeURIComponent(apiKey) + '&url=' + encodeURIComponent(targetUrl);
var response = UrlFetchApp.fetch(endpoint + query, {
method: 'get',
muteHttpExceptions: true
});
var status = response.getResponseCode();
if (status < 200 || status >= 300) {
throw new Error('ScreenshotNeo HTTP ' + status + ': ' + response.getContentText());
}
var blob = response.getBlob().setName('stripe.webp');
var file = DriveApp.createFile(blob);
return file.getUrl();
}cURL
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpPython
import requests
r = requests.get("https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot", params={"access_key": "YOUR_API_KEY", "url": "https://stripe.com"}, timeout=90)
r.raise_for_status()
open("shot.webp", "wb").write(r.content)Node.js
const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://stripe.com' });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`HTTP ${res.status}`);
const fs = await import('node:fs/promises');
await fs.writeFile('shot.webp', Buffer.from(await res.arrayBuffer()));Every feature is included on every plan: the Free plan provides 1,000 shots per month with no card; Starter is $5 for 3,000; Growth $15 for 15,000; Pro $39 for 60,000; Scale $99 for 250,000; and Business $249 for 1,000,000. Yearly billing gives two months free. Sign up for the free plan to get 1,000 screenshots a month with no card.
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Choosing the right implementation
| Requirement | Best fit | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Lighthouse scores and diagnostics | PageSpeed v5 with Apps Script | The current endpoint documents JSON analysis and Lighthouse fields. |
| Legacy code expecting base64 image data | PageSpeed v4, only if still available to your project | The v4 reference separately documents the optional screenshot object. |
| Verified full-page image or PDF | ScreenshotNeo | It explicitly supports full-page capture, image formats and PDF output. |
| AI-agent screenshot workflow | ScreenshotNeo MCP server | Tools are available for MCP clients such as Claude and Cursor. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does PageSpeed Insights API v5 return a full-page screenshot?
The current v5 reference does not document a screenshot field. Use it for PageSpeed and Lighthouse data, and use a capture service when you need a full-page image.
Can Apps Script save an image returned by an API?
Yes. UrlFetchApp can expose response bytes or a Blob, and DriveApp.createFile(blob) can save that Blob after authorization.
Are PageSpeed v4 and v5 screenshot parameters interchangeable?
No. The screenshot parameter and base64 screenshot object are documented in the legacy v4 reference; do not assume they work on v5.
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