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To capture a protected page with Selenium, first establish an authenticated browser session, open the page, wait for a page-specific signal that its content is ready, and then save the screenshot. If login is only setup for another test, Selenium recommends establishing application state outside the browser login flow when possible—for example, by using an authorized API or test fixture and then setting a cookie.
Choose how to authenticate
Use the authentication method that matches what you are testing. If the login flow itself is under test, automate the login form. If the protected page is the subject of the test and login is only preparation, use the application’s permitted test interface, such as an API or fixture, to establish authenticated state. Selenium describes API login followed by setting a cookie as one way to gain access to the application under test and avoid repeating browser-login setup. Selenium: Generating application state.
| Approach | Use it when | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Automate the login UI | The login behavior is what you need to verify. | It exercises the browser flow, but repeats that flow as test setup when the protected page is the real subject. |
| Use an authorized API or test fixture, then set application state | You need a repeatable authenticated starting point for a protected-page test. | It depends on an application-supported mechanism and correct session state; a single cookie is not guaranteed to authenticate every application. |
Selenium’s 2021 article discusses form-based authentication, HTTP basic or digest authentication, and Selenium 4 authentication support. Treat it as historical context, not a complete current recipe for every authentication provider: A Tour of 4: Authentication.
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This example assumes you already obtained a valid session value through an authorized application test mechanism. Replace the example URL, cookie details, readiness selector, and output path with values for your test environment. The cookie name and value below are illustrative, not universal.
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- Start WebDriver. Selenium Manager or your project’s browser-driver setup must make Chrome available to Selenium.
- Open the cookie’s domain first. WebDriver cookie addition applies to the current browsing context; the browser must first be on a domain where that cookie is valid.
- Add the cookie and open the protected route. Use the cookie fields expected by the application.
- Wait for authenticated content. Wait for an application-specific element rather than relying on an arbitrary sleep.
- Save the screenshot and check the result. The Python method saves the current window as PNG and returns
Falseon an I/O error.
from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver.common.by import By
from selenium.webdriver.support.ui import WebDriverWait
session_value = "REPLACE_WITH_TEST_SESSION_VALUE"
driver = webdriver.Chrome()
try:
driver.get("https://example.test/") # Must be on the cookie's valid domain first.
driver.add_cookie({"name": "session", "value": session_value})
driver.get("https://example.test/account")
WebDriverWait(driver, 10).until(
lambda d: d.find_element(By.CSS_SELECTOR, "[data-testid='account-page']")
)
saved = driver.get_screenshot_as_file("/tmp/account.png")
if not saved:
raise OSError("Screenshot could not be saved")
finally:
driver.quit()Remove the single leading space before driver = webdriver.Chrome() when copying the example; it is shown here only as a visual code indent.
The screenshot API is get_screenshot_as_file(filename). Its filename should be a full path ending in .png; it returns True when saved and False on an I/O error. See the Selenium 4.50.0 Python common WebDriver API.
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Keep session credentials secret: do not log them or commit them to source control. Cookie validity may depend on application-specific details such as required companion cookies, server-side state, path, security attributes, or CSRF handling. Selenium documents cookie operations and their domain-context condition, but does not guarantee that a particular application will accept an injected cookie. See Working with cookies.
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Choose current-window or full-document capture
The Python get_screenshot_as_file method captures the current window. If you need the entire document rather than the visible window, check whether the browser-specific driver exposes a full-page method. Selenium’s Firefox API documents get_full_page_screenshot_as_png() for the full document; do not assume that method is portable to other browsers or drivers without checking their API. Selenium 4.50.0 Firefox WebDriver API.
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Troubleshoot failed or incorrect screenshots
- The screenshot shows the login page. Check that authentication succeeded, the cookie was added while on its valid domain, the protected URL is correct, and the application-specific readiness condition targets authenticated content.
- The cookie is rejected or has no effect. Verify the application’s required cookie fields and session setup. The app may require more than one cookie or a different authentication mechanism; use its authorized test interface rather than assuming one session cookie is sufficient.
- The screenshot is taken before content appears. Wait for a meaningful page element or state that confirms the protected content is ready. The right signal is application-specific.
- No file appears. Check that the output directory exists and is writable, use a full path ending in
.png, and inspect the method’s boolean return value for I/O failure. - You need content below the visible window. Confirm that your target browser and driver provide a full-document capture method; Firefox’s documented API is one specific example.
Or skip the browser setup
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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 parameters. The free plan includes 1,000 shots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots. Sign up for 1,000 free screenshots a month, with no card.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently Asked Questions
Does Selenium’s screenshot method save a PNG or a PDF?
The Python get_screenshot_as_file method saves a PNG. PDF output is a separate browser or service capability.
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