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To capture a Browserless screenshot of a protected page, first make the site’s authenticated state available to the browser. For repeat captures, save that state in a Browserless authenticated profile and pass the profile to a later /screenshot request. For a one-off workflow that must interact with the login page, keep a stateful browser session open, sign in, then capture the protected page in that same session.

Choose how to preserve the login

Method Use it when How state carries over
Authenticated profile You will capture repeatedly or want to reuse the same account state across jobs. Browserless restores cookies, localStorage, and IndexedDB before rendering a later request. Its documented profile endpoint coverage includes /screenshot.
Stateful browser session The job needs to navigate through login or perform other interactive steps first. Successive commands use the same browser session and continue from the page state left by the previous command.

Profiles are suited to reusable state; a live session is suited to a multistep flow. In either case, confirm that login actually completed before capturing the protected page.

Use an authenticated profile for repeat captures

  1. Start a Browserless profile session using the authenticated profile workflow in the Authenticated Profiles documentation.
  2. Connect to the session in a browser, navigate to the site, and complete its sign-in flow.
  3. Save the profile after login has completed and the site has set its authentication state. Browserless says the saved state includes cookies, localStorage, and IndexedDB.
  4. Send a POST request to the Screenshot REST API with the protected page URL, your Browserless token, the saved profile, and the capture options you need.

Browserless documents that saved state is loaded before the page is rendered, so the screenshot request can capture the authenticated page without scripting the login again. Keep the token and saved browser state private; both may grant access to the account.

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Use one stateful session for an interactive login

  1. Start a Browserless stateful browser session and connect using the session workflow described in the Browserless Sessions guide.
  2. Navigate to the login page, enter credentials through the site’s normal sign-in flow, and wait until the site confirms authentication.
  3. In that same browser session, navigate to the protected page and wait for its content to load.
  4. Run the screenshot capture in the same session. Do not start a fresh browser between login and capture, or the in-memory page and cookie state may not carry over.

Configure the screenshot

The direct REST workflow sends a POST request to /screenshot with the target URL, API token, and screenshot options. Use the options that match the page rather than assuming navigation alone means the page is ready. Consult the Screenshot API documentation for the current request schema and token format.

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  • Whole page: Set fullPage when you need the complete document rather than only the visible viewport.
  • One element: Use the documented selector option to capture a particular element instead of the whole page.
  • Lazy-loaded content: Set scrollPage: true to scroll before capture; combine it with full-page capture if the entire long page is required. Browserless notes that “Lazy-loaded content only renders when it scrolls into view.”
  • Dynamic readiness: Configure an appropriate wait for the relevant selector, event, or content. A page can finish navigating before the data you need appears.
  • Images and output: If using BrowserQL, its screenshot mutation documents waitForImages, output type, quality, and timeout controls in addition to full-page and selector capture.

BrowserQL’s documented screenshot timeout default is 30 seconds; this is a configuration default, not a measured capture-time guarantee. Check the BrowserQL screenshot reference for current schema details.

Preserve cookies and credentials safely

If you transfer cookies manually, preserve the attributes returned by the browser. Browserless warns that recreating a cookie without its original secure or sameSite values may cause the site to reject or ignore it. Its BAP workflow can read cookies and add them to a later session; use the documented cookie handling rather than guessing attribute values in a hand-built cookie.

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Do not place API tokens, passwords, or exported authenticated state in public code, logs, or shared screenshots. A saved profile or valid cookie can function like an active login.

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Troubleshoot blank, incomplete, or blocked captures

The result shows a login page

  • Check that the login flow reached its authenticated destination before saving the profile.
  • Verify that the site set authentication cookies or other state. If the profile was saved too early, repeat the login and save the updated state.
  • For a stateful session, make sure both login and capture ran in the same session.

The screenshot is blank or shows a CAPTCHA or access-denied page

Browserless identifies blank captures, CAPTCHA pages, and 403/access-denied pages as possible signs that a site is blocking automation. First compare the result with the page in a regular browser and confirm the URL, login state, and page readiness. Browserless has a separate /unblock endpoint for some bot-detection workflows, but it is not a guarantee of access.

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Some content is missing

  • Wait for the specific content or selector rather than relying on navigation completion.
  • For content loaded on scroll, enable scrollPage; lazy-loaded sections may not exist in the page until they enter view.
  • If images are absent in a BrowserQL capture, consider its documented image-wait option.
  • Use full-page capture for content below the fold, or a selector capture when only one component matters.

Or skip the browser setup

ScreenshotNeo is an alternative website screenshot API with one-call capture and an MCP server for AI agents. It removes cookie banners, popups, and chat widgets before the shot; bot checks, blank pages, and failed loads are never billed. Its free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month with no card, and paid plans start at $5 for 3,000.

For a public protected URL, the call pattern is:

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

See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for authentication and options. This API call does not perform a site’s interactive sign-in for you; use it only where the page is reachable through the request and product-supported authentication or state options. ScreenshotNeo also provides an MCP server so AI agents can take screenshots. Sign up for 1,000 free screenshots a month with no card.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can Browserless capture a page that requires a login?

Yes. Restore a saved authenticated profile on a supported screenshot request, or sign in and capture within the same stateful browser session.

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Does Browserless guarantee access to a CAPTCHA-protected page?

No. The documented /unblock endpoint is a separate option for some bot-detection workflows, not a universal bypass.

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