Website screenshot FAQ

ScreenshotBolt is a browser-based website screenshot tool. Paste a public web address, choose a desktop, tablet, mobile, or custom viewport, and receive a PNG preview that you can download.

Open the home page, paste a complete http:// or https:// address, choose the viewport, optionally enable Full page, and select Capture screenshot. Your request enters a short queue while a Chromium browser renders the page.

No account is required for the public capture flow. The service creates a temporary task identifier so the result page can check the job status. An account is required to create API keys, manage API usage, or purchase a paid API plan.

ScreenshotBolt is designed for public pages that can be opened over http:// or https:// without a login. The page must be reachable from the rendering server. A site may still refuse automated browsers, require interaction, or render differently outside its normal browser environment.

No. Localhost, private IP ranges, credential-containing URLs, and other non-public network targets are blocked. This protects the rendering server and prevents the tool from being used to probe internal systems.

The public tool includes Desktop at 1920×1080, Tablet at 768×1024, and Mobile at 375×667. Custom viewports are also available within the displayed width and height limits.

A custom viewport lets you enter an exact browser canvas width and height before the page is rendered. It is useful for responsive design checks, documentation images, client previews, and layouts that do not match a standard device preset.

Yes. Enable Full page to capture the page below the initial viewport. Very tall or unusually large pages are bounded to protect the browser and storage service. A page with continuously changing height may fail instead of returning a misleading partial image.

Yes. Pages are rendered in Chromium, so client-side JavaScript can run before the screenshot is taken. The current public flow waits for the document to load and then allows a short rendering window. Pages that need a login, a click, a long data fetch, or a specific interaction may not appear exactly as expected.

Common causes include slow third-party scripts, consent dialogs, bot protection, content that appears only after scrolling, blocked resources, or a page that changes its height continuously. Try a simpler URL, confirm that the page works in a private browser window, or retry after the page has finished publishing.

Most simple pages finish within a few seconds. Busy periods add queue time, and complex pages take longer to render. The result page shows a queue state while the worker is processing the request. Individual captures have a time limit so one page cannot hold the queue indefinitely.

Screenshots run in an isolated browser worker and are processed through a queue to keep the service stable. Queueing prevents a sudden burst of requests from taking down the renderer and gives the service a controlled way to apply rate limits.

The current public tool returns PNG files. PNG is useful for crisp UI captures and text. Additional formats such as WebP or JPEG may be added to the API as the product expands.

Public results are temporary and are intended to expire after about seven days. Do not use the result URL as permanent archival storage. Download the image if you need to keep it longer.

The service needs the submitted URL to render the requested page and temporarily stores the resulting image so the result page can display it. It does not promise to archive the source webpage. Avoid submitting pages that contain confidential information, private customer data, or access tokens.

Not through the public no-sign-up form. Do not place usernames, passwords, cookies, or access tokens in the URL. The public service is intended for pages that are already publicly reachable without authentication.

You may use a generated image only when you have the rights and permissions needed for the page, logo, text, images, and other material shown in it. ScreenshotBolt does not transfer ownership of third-party webpage content to you. You are responsible for your intended use.

The public page is intended for occasional interactive use. Automated or high-volume usage should wait for an authenticated API plan with explicit quotas and terms. Do not build production workflows around undocumented limits or repeatedly bypass the public rate limit.

The target may resolve to a private or local address, use a blocked hostname, contain credentials, or request a private subresource while it loads. These checks are intentional safety controls for a service that opens user-supplied URLs.

Read the message on the result page and select Try again once. If the same page keeps failing, test a public page such as https://example.com. A repeat failure usually means the target site blocks automated access, exceeds the rendering limits, or depends on an interaction that the public tool does not perform.

The public capture page remains free and does not require registration. API access can use a free quota or a paid Waffo plan, depending on the configured product. Usage limits, retention, and plan pricing are shown before purchase.

Yes. The asynchronous API accepts a screenshot request, returns a task ID, and exposes a task status endpoint. API keys, monthly quotas, Waffo checkout, and production API terms must be configured before treating a deployment as a paid production API.

No. The screenshot is rendered by a browser engine. ScreenshotBolt does not need a generative AI model to create the PNG, and you should not submit sensitive information expecting an AI system to anonymize it.

The public service is not a private document vault. It opens the URL on a rendering server and temporarily stores the resulting image. Use public, non-sensitive pages and review the Privacy Policy and Acceptable Use Policy before using the service for client work.

Do not use the public form to test private systems or send credentials. For abuse, copyright, or security reports, use the operator contact channel published with the production deployment. The operator should publish that contact address before launch.

The interface works in modern desktop and mobile browsers with JavaScript enabled. The actual target page is rendered by a server-side Chromium worker, so the captured result reflects Chromium rather than your local browser's exact extensions, fonts, or account state.

Use a stable public URL, select a fixed viewport, avoid pages that depend on personal sessions, and wait until the page's visible content is published. For repeatable production captures, an authenticated API with explicit wait rules, caching, and versioned render settings is more suitable than the anonymous form.