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browser_take_screenshot

Capture screenshots of web pages or specific elements in PNG or JPEG format. Specify file names, target elements, or full-page captures for precise documentation and analysis.

Instructions

Take a screenshot of the current page. You can't perform actions based on the screenshot, use browser_snapshot for actions.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
elementNoHuman-readable element description used to obtain permission to screenshot the element. If not provided, the screenshot will be taken of viewport. If element is provided, ref must be provided too.
filenameNoFile name to save the screenshot to. Defaults to `page-{timestamp}.{png|jpeg}` if not specified.
fullPageNoWhen true, takes a screenshot of the full scrollable page, instead of the currently visible viewport. Cannot be used with element screenshots.
refNoExact target element reference from the page snapshot. If not provided, the screenshot will be taken of viewport. If ref is provided, element must be provided too.
typeNoImage format for the screenshot. Default is png.png

Implementation Reference

  • Handler function that executes the screenshot logic: prepares options, generates code snippet for execution, defines an action to capture and return the screenshot as base64 image data.
    handle: async (context, params) => { const tab = context.currentTabOrDie(); const snapshot = tab.snapshotOrDie(); const fileType = params.raw ? 'png' : 'jpeg'; const fileName = await outputFile(context.config, params.filename ?? `page-${new Date().toISOString()}.${fileType}`); const options: playwright.PageScreenshotOptions = { type: fileType, quality: fileType === 'png' ? undefined : 50, scale: 'css', path: fileName }; const isElementScreenshot = params.element && params.ref; const code = [ `// Screenshot ${isElementScreenshot ? params.element : 'viewport'} and save it as ${fileName}`, ]; const locator = params.ref ? snapshot.refLocator({ element: params.element || '', ref: params.ref }) : null; if (locator) code.push(`await page.${await generateLocator(locator)}.screenshot(${javascript.formatObject(options)});`); else code.push(`await page.screenshot(${javascript.formatObject(options)});`); const includeBase64 = context.clientSupportsImages(); const action = async () => { const screenshot = locator ? await locator.screenshot(options) : await tab.page.screenshot(options); return { content: includeBase64 ? [{ type: 'image' as 'image', data: screenshot.toString('base64'), mimeType: fileType === 'png' ? 'image/png' : 'image/jpeg', }] : [] }; }; return { code, action, captureSnapshot: true, waitForNetwork: false, }; }
  • Tool schema definition including name, title, description, inputSchema reference, and type.
    schema: { name: 'browser_take_screenshot', title: 'Take a screenshot', description: `Take a screenshot of the current page. You can't perform actions based on the screenshot, use browser_snapshot for actions.`, inputSchema: screenshotSchema, type: 'readOnly', },
  • Zod input validation schema for the tool parameters: raw, filename, element, ref with refinement to ensure element and ref are both provided or neither.
    const screenshotSchema = z.object({ raw: z.boolean().optional().describe('Whether to return without compression (in PNG format). Default is false, which returns a JPEG image.'), filename: z.string().optional().describe('File name to save the screenshot to. Defaults to `page-{timestamp}.{png|jpeg}` if not specified.'), element: z.string().optional().describe('Human-readable element description used to obtain permission to screenshot the element. If not provided, the screenshot will be taken of viewport. If element is provided, ref must be provided too.'), ref: z.string().optional().describe('Exact target element reference from the page snapshot. If not provided, the screenshot will be taken of viewport. If ref is provided, element must be provided too.'), }).refine(data => { return !!data.element === !!data.ref; }, { message: 'Both element and ref must be provided or neither.', path: ['ref', 'element'] });
  • src/tools.ts:36-52 (registration)
    Registration of the screenshot tool by importing and including it in the snapshotTools array.
    export const snapshotTools: Tool<any>[] = [ ...common(true), ...console, ...dialogs(true), ...files(true), ...install, ...keyboard(true), ...navigate(true), ...network, ...pdf, ...screenshot, ...snapshot, ...tabs(true), ...testing, ...video, ...wait(true), ];
  • Tool definition and export using defineTool, which registers the tool with its schema and handler.
    const screenshot = defineTool({ capability: 'core', schema: { name: 'browser_take_screenshot', title: 'Take a screenshot', description: `Take a screenshot of the current page. You can't perform actions based on the screenshot, use browser_snapshot for actions.`, inputSchema: screenshotSchema, type: 'readOnly', }, handle: async (context, params) => { const tab = context.currentTabOrDie(); const snapshot = tab.snapshotOrDie(); const fileType = params.raw ? 'png' : 'jpeg'; const fileName = await outputFile(context.config, params.filename ?? `page-${new Date().toISOString()}.${fileType}`); const options: playwright.PageScreenshotOptions = { type: fileType, quality: fileType === 'png' ? undefined : 50, scale: 'css', path: fileName }; const isElementScreenshot = params.element && params.ref; const code = [ `// Screenshot ${isElementScreenshot ? params.element : 'viewport'} and save it as ${fileName}`, ]; const locator = params.ref ? snapshot.refLocator({ element: params.element || '', ref: params.ref }) : null; if (locator) code.push(`await page.${await generateLocator(locator)}.screenshot(${javascript.formatObject(options)});`); else code.push(`await page.screenshot(${javascript.formatObject(options)});`); const includeBase64 = context.clientSupportsImages(); const action = async () => { const screenshot = locator ? await locator.screenshot(options) : await tab.page.screenshot(options); return { content: includeBase64 ? [{ type: 'image' as 'image', data: screenshot.toString('base64'), mimeType: fileType === 'png' ? 'image/png' : 'image/jpeg', }] : [] }; }; return { code, action, captureSnapshot: true, waitForNetwork: false, }; } }); export default [ screenshot, ];

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