html2canvas turns a DOM element into a <canvas> asynchronously in a browser. Install the package, select the element, await the returned Promise, then display or export the canvas. It reconstructs the image from the DOM and styles it can read; it does not copy the browser’s already-rendered pixels, so unsupported CSS, cross-origin images, and very large elements can produce differences or incomplete output.
What html2canvas actually does
html2canvas walks an element’s DOM tree, reads computed styles and resources, and draws its own representation onto a canvas. The project documentation describes the result this way: “The screenshot is based on the DOM and as such may not be 100% accurate to the real representation as it does not make an actual screenshot, but builds the screenshot based on the information available on the page.”
That distinction determines when to use it. It is useful when a page itself needs to offer an export button, when you want to capture a component without leaving the browser, or when you need a canvas for further processing. It is not a pixel-level browser screenshot API. CSS properties that html2canvas has not implemented, browser-native UI, some generated content, and resources blocked by browser security rules may not appear as they do on screen.
Install and make a minimal capture
Package installation
The official getting-started guide lists the html2canvas package and package-manager installs. Choose one command in your project directory:
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npm install html2canvasyarn add html2canvaspnpm add html2canvas
The current guide targets modern evergreen browsers, including Chrome/Chromium-based browsers, Firefox, and Safari. The library depends on browser APIs such as window, document, layout information, and computed styles.
Smallest working example
import html2canvas from 'html2canvas';
const element = document.querySelector('#capture');
if (!element) throw new Error('Missing #capture element');
const canvas = await html2canvas(element);
document.body.appendChild(canvas);Place an element with id="capture" in the page. Because the function returns a Promise, the code must run inside an async function or another context that permits await. The resolved value is a normal canvas, so you can append it, draw it elsewhere, or encode it.
Export as a downloadable PNG
async function downloadCapture() {
const element = document.querySelector('#capture');
if (!element) throw new Error('Missing #capture element');
const canvas = await html2canvas(element);
const link = document.createElement('a');
link.download = 'capture.png';
link.href = canvas.toDataURL('image/png');
link.click();
}
document.querySelector('#download')?.addEventListener('click', downloadCapture);Keep the export operation after the Promise resolves. Calling toDataURL() before rendering finishes will not produce the intended image.
Options that matter in real pages
Pass an options object as the second argument: html2canvas(element, options). The most useful settings address image loading, viewport dimensions, and output scale.
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Images loaded from another origin are subject to the browser’s same-origin policy. If a remote image is drawn without permission, the canvas can become “tainted”; reading it with toDataURL() or getImageData() then fails.
const canvas = await html2canvas(element, {
useCORS: true
});useCORS: true is effective only when the image server sends a suitable Access-Control-Allow-Origin response header. It does not bypass browser security. If you control the image host, configure that header and ensure the image request is made in a CORS-compatible way. Otherwise, use a server-side proxy that fetches the resource and returns it in a form your page can legally load. A proxy must be configured correctly; merely relaying a URL does not remove the policy.
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For a quick diagnosis, temporarily remove remote images or replace them with same-origin assets. If the canvas becomes readable, inspect the image responses and CORS headers rather than changing unrelated rendering options.
Long or clipped elements
Canvas dimensions have browser- and device-dependent limits. An oversized capture may be blank, partially rendered, or cut off even though a small element works. The FAQ recommends matching windowWidth and windowHeight to the element’s scroll dimensions when a long page needs a larger layout viewport:
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const canvas = await html2canvas(element, {
windowWidth: element.scrollWidth,
windowHeight: element.scrollHeight
});Those values are not a universal safe maximum. Test the target browsers and devices, and split a very large document into sections when a single canvas approaches platform limits. A tiled workflow—capture several smaller elements and combine them—usually fails less dramatically than one enormous canvas.
Choosing the element and preparing it
- Select the smallest container that includes exactly the content you need; capturing the whole document increases memory use.
- Wait until fonts, images, and asynchronous component data have finished loading before calling html2canvas.
- Use a temporary capture class to set a stable background, remove animations, and reveal content that is intentionally hidden during normal interaction.
- Restore any temporary styles after the Promise resolves, including in a
finallyblock if the capture can fail.
Scale, transparency, and output format
Canvas pixels and the displayed CSS size are separate. If you need a higher-density export, use the library’s scale option within the memory limits of the target device:
const canvas = await html2canvas(element, {
scale: 2,
backgroundColor: '#ffffff'
});A transparent background can be requested with backgroundColor: null when the design requires alpha; otherwise choose an explicit color so transparent areas do not become unexpected black or checkerboard regions in downstream tools. Encode with canvas.toDataURL('image/jpeg', 0.9) for JPEG, or keep PNG for transparency and crisp text. Higher scale multiplies pixel count, memory use, and encoding time.
What will differ from the live page
Every CSS property needs an implementation in html2canvas to render correctly; the project FAQ states that it “will never have full CSS support.” Differences are therefore expected, not necessarily bugs in your code.
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- Check the project’s supported-features documentation when a property such as a filter, blend mode, advanced clipping, or a particular generated effect is missing or altered.
- Reduce the page to a minimal element and one style at a time. This identifies whether layout, font loading, an image, or an unsupported property causes the mismatch.
- Compare in each browser you intend to support. Font availability, device pixel ratio, and native rendering can change the result.
- Do not assume browser chrome, scrollbars, video frames, or content rendered outside the DOM will be reproduced.
The official examples page provides a side-by-side HTML/CSS editor and output preview; it is useful for learning which visual constructs are reconstructed rather than captured as pixels.
Browser support and runtime boundaries
Supported browser context
Use html2canvas in a modern browser page where the DOM and styles are available. Test the exact evergreen browser versions your application supports, especially when exports are part of a customer workflow.
Why Node.js does not work directly
html2canvas is client-side software. A Node.js process has no real window, document, layout engine, or browser-computed styles, so importing it in a server script is not a server screenshot solution. For server-side captures, the official FAQ names Puppeteer and Playwright, which drive a headless browser. Those tools render a page in an actual browser context and are a different architecture from html2canvas.
Browser extensions
For an extension, the FAQ recommends the browser’s native extension screenshot APIs as the more reliable choice for that environment. They capture browser-rendered content rather than asking a page script to reconstruct it.
A practical capture workflow
- Define the boundary. Add a stable ID or selector around the component to export.
- Wait for readiness. Confirm data, images, fonts, and any layout-changing animations are complete.
- Check asset origin. Make images same-origin, configure valid CORS headers, or use a correctly configured proxy.
- Capture asynchronously. Await
html2canvas(element, options)and handle rejection. - Inspect before encoding. Append the canvas temporarily or inspect its dimensions to catch clipping.
- Encode and deliver. Use
toDataURL()for a simple download ortoBlob()for a more memory-friendly file workflow. - Test limits. Repeat with the longest content and the smallest supported device, not just a short desktop example.
async function renderCard() {
const element = document.querySelector('#card');
if (!element) throw new Error('Missing #card');
const oldClass = element.className;
element.classList.add('capture-mode');
try {
const canvas = await html2canvas(element, {
useCORS: true,
scale: Math.min(window.devicePixelRatio || 1, 2),
backgroundColor: '#fff'
});
const blob = await new Promise((resolve, reject) =>
canvas.toBlob(file => file ? resolve(file) : reject(new Error('Encoding failed')), 'image/png')
);
return blob;
} finally {
element.className = oldClass;
}
}Troubleshooting by symptom
“My images are missing”
Confirm that the image URL is reachable, the image has finished loading, and its server sends an appropriate CORS header. Add useCORS: true only for a server that actually permits the request. If you cannot change the server, use a properly configured proxy or move the asset to an origin you control.
“The canvas cannot be read” or a security exception appears
This usually indicates a tainted canvas caused by cross-origin image data. Remove images to verify the cause, then fix the response headers or proxy path. No html2canvas option can override the browser’s security policy.
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“The output does not match the page”
Look for CSS that the library does not implement, fonts that were not ready, animations captured mid-frame, and browser-specific layout. Consult the supported-features documentation and reproduce the smallest failing element.
“A long capture is blank or cut off”
Measure the element’s scroll dimensions, try matching windowWidth and windowHeight, lower the scale, and split the capture if necessary. Browser and device canvas limits vary, so do not rely on one maximum dimension.
“It works on desktop but not on a phone”
Reduce width and scale, test the real mobile browser, and avoid one canvas containing an entire long document. Mobile memory and canvas limits can be lower than desktop limits.
“Nothing happens when I click Export”
Check the browser console for a rejected Promise, verify the selector is non-null, and ensure the handler is async or explicitly chains .then(). Also make sure the download is initiated from the user gesture where browser download policies require it.
Or skip the browser setup
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html2canvas or a browser screenshot service?
| Question | html2canvas | Browser screenshot service or headless browser |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Inside the user’s browser | In a service or browser process you control |
| What is rendered | A reconstruction from DOM and supported styles | The browser’s rendered view |
| Remote images | Subject to same-origin and CORS rules | Controlled by the capture environment and its network policy |
| Best fit | Client-side export of a component | Automated, server-side, full-page, or high-fidelity captures |
Choose html2canvas when the export belongs in the page and its reconstruction limits are acceptable. Choose a headless-browser approach or a service when you need server execution, full-page automation, or the pixels a browser actually rendered.
FAQ
Does html2canvas take a real screenshot?
No. It builds a canvas from DOM and style information, so visual differences are possible.
Can I use it without a framework?
Yes. It only needs a browser page, a selected element, and the installed JavaScript package; React, Vue, or another framework is not required.
Should I use the scoped @html2canvas/html2canvas package instead?
The available package listing describes that name as a fork, but the reviewed materials do not establish a replacement policy or migration path. Follow the current official project and package guidance rather than assuming the names are interchangeable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can html2canvas capture content hidden with CSS?
It can only reproduce what its DOM and style traversal can resolve. Temporarily applying a capture-specific class that makes required content visible is more predictable than relying on elements that are permanently detached or unavailable to layout.
What is the safest way to process a large result?
Capture smaller sections when possible, keep scale modest, and use toBlob() instead of a large data URL when handing the image to application code.
Is a proxy required for every external image?
No. A proxy is needed only when the image cannot be served with suitable CORS permission from its host and you still need that cross-origin image in a readable canvas.
Quick Recap
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