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To take a screenshot of a page behind a login with Playwright, sign in in a browser context, wait until the application confirms authentication, then navigate to the protected page and call page.screenshot(). For repeatable tests, save the authenticated context with storageState and load it in later runs. Treat the saved state as a credential: it can contain usable cookies or headers.
Capture a protected page in one Playwright run
For a one-off capture, perform the login and screenshot in the same browser context. Replace the example URLs, labels, and post-login signal with the ones used by your application.
import { chromium } from 'playwright';
const browser = await chromium.launch();
const context = await browser.newContext();
const page = await context.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com/login');
await page.getByLabel('Email').fill(process.env.TEST_EMAIL!);
await page.getByLabel('Password').fill(process.env.TEST_PASSWORD!);
await page.getByRole('button', { name: /sign in/i }).click();
// Wait for a site-specific signal that login finished.
await page.waitForURL('https://example.com/');
await page.goto('https://example.com/account/reports');
await page.getByRole('heading', { name: 'Reports' }).waitFor();
await page.screenshot({ path: 'reports.png', fullPage: true });
await browser.close();Keep credentials out of source code; provide them through environment variables or your test runner’s secret mechanism. A successful click is not proof that login finished. Use a final URL, visible account control, or another application-specific authenticated landmark. Playwright recommends role- and label-based locators because they follow the page’s accessible interface. See the Playwright authentication guide and locator documentation.
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Save and reuse Playwright login state
For a test suite, authenticate once in a setup project, save the browser context’s state, and configure dependent tests to load it. This avoids driving the login UI for every test while still using the normal browser context for the protected page.
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1. Authenticate and save state in setup
// tests/auth.setup.ts
import { test as setup, expect } from '@playwright/test';
setup('authenticate', async ({ page }) => {
await page.goto('https://example.com/login');
await page.getByLabel('Email').fill(process.env.TEST_EMAIL!);
await page.getByLabel('Password').fill(process.env.TEST_PASSWORD!);
await page.getByRole('button', { name: /sign in/i }).click();
await expect(page.getByRole('button', { name: /account/i })).toBeVisible();
await page.context().storageState({ path: 'playwright/.auth/user.json' });
});2. Make the test project depend on setup
In playwright.config.ts, define a setup project and a test project that depends on it. Set storageState on the test project so its browser contexts start with the saved authentication state. The setup project must run before the dependent project.
import { defineConfig } from '@playwright/test';
export default defineConfig({
projects: [
{ name: 'setup', testMatch: /auth.setup.ts/ },
{
name: 'chromium',
use: { storageState: 'playwright/.auth/user.json' },
dependencies: ['setup'],
},
],
});In a test using that project, navigate to the protected URL, wait for the expected content, and capture it:
import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
test('capture reports', async ({ page }) => {
await page.goto('https://example.com/account/reports');
await expect(page.getByRole('heading', { name: 'Reports' })).toBeVisible();
await page.screenshot({ path: 'reports.png', fullPage: true });
});Playwright’s authentication guide describes the setup-project pattern, including waiting for a final URL or authenticated UI element before saving state.
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Choose an authentication strategy that fits the tests
- Shared read-only account: A single setup project and shared state are suitable when parallel tests do not change shared server-side data.
- Separate account per worker: If tests mutate server-side state, use a distinct account and state file for each parallel worker to prevent concurrent tests from interfering. Playwright’s guide demonstrates using
parallelIndexto identify worker state. - API login: If the application supports it, authenticate with an API request and save that request context’s storage state. This can avoid the login UI, but verify that the resulting state works in a browser context.
- Multiple user roles: Save separate state files and create separate browser contexts when a test needs to act as different users.
These patterns and their setup details are covered in the Playwright authentication guide.
Know what Playwright storage state contains
The documented storage-state workflow includes cookies and local storage. The current BrowserContext API also documents optional IndexedDB capture, added in Playwright v1.51, and virtual WebAuthn credential storage, added in v1.61. Check the API documentation for the option and confirm your installed Playwright version supports it before relying on either version-specific capability.
Session storage requires separate handling
storageState does not automatically preserve sessionStorage. Playwright’s authentication guide explains that session storage is scoped to a domain and provides a manual workaround: read and save the values separately, then inject them with context.addInitScript() before the protected application loads. Use this only if the application actually relies on session storage for authentication.
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Choose the screenshot area
Use the capture that matches the evidence you need: the visible viewport, the whole page, or one element.
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// Viewport currently visible in the browser
await page.screenshot({ path: 'viewport.png' });
// Entire page, including below-the-fold content
await page.screenshot({ path: 'full-page.png', fullPage: true });
// One element
await page.getByRole('main').screenshot({ path: 'main.png' });Page screenshots support viewport and full-page capture; locator screenshots capture an element. Wait for the page to reach the intended state before capturing. For visual regression tests, Playwright Test’s toHaveScreenshot() waits for consecutive screenshots to stabilize before comparing them; snapshots default to PNG unless a supported alternate extension is used. Details are in the screenshot documentation and PageAssertions API.
Protect and refresh saved authentication state
Store state under a directory such as playwright/.auth and add that directory to .gitignore. The state file may contain cookies or headers that let its holder impersonate the test user. Do not commit it to a public or private repository. Playwright explicitly warns: “We strongly discourage checking them into private or public repositories.” See the authentication guide’s security guidance.
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Saved state can expire. Rerun the setup project to refresh it. If the state only needs to exist during a test run, saving it in the test project’s output directory lets Playwright clean it before a run; consult the authentication guide for the pattern.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot login screenshots
- The protected page shows a login screen: The click may not have completed authentication, the saved state may be expired, or the app may rely on session storage. Wait for an authenticated landmark before saving, rerun setup, and check whether session storage is required.
- The script times out after clicking Sign in: The post-login URL or UI condition may not match the app’s actual behavior. Replace it with a reliable site-specific URL or visible authenticated control rather than adding an arbitrary delay.
- Parallel tests interfere with each other: A shared account is unsuitable when tests change server-side data. Use per-worker accounts and separate state files.
- State works in setup but not in the browser test: Confirm the test project points at the correct state file and runs after the setup project. If authentication was obtained through an API, validate its saved state in a browser context.
- The capture is incomplete or premature: Wait for the relevant heading or element before taking the screenshot; use
fullPage: truefor below-the-fold content or a locator screenshot to frame one region.
Or skip the browser setup
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For example, capture a protected URL if it is publicly accessible to the service; ScreenshotNeo’s documented request does not provide a way to supply your Playwright login state. Do not send private authenticated URLs or credentials unless the service’s documented authentication options meet your security requirements.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Playwright’s storage state for sessionStorage?
No. The documented storage-state flow does not preserve sessionStorage; use a separate save-and-inject workaround only when the application depends on it.
Can Playwright capture only one part of an authenticated page?
Yes. Call screenshot on a locator, such as a main region, to capture that element rather than the viewport or entire page.
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