Enhance the accuracy of your screenshots by adding a customizable wait delay. This feature ensures that all elements of a web page are fully loaded before capturing the screenshot, which is crucial for capturing dynamic content and complete page renders.
For capturing full-page screenshots, incorporating a scroll wait functionality helps simulate user interaction by scrolling and waiting for content to load dynamically.
By default, a screenshot is taken when the network connection is idle for 500 milliseconds, suggesting that all major images and dynamic content have finished loading. This setting helps in capturing a static snapshot of the page.
The default wait duration is set to 0 milliseconds, allowing for immediate screenshot captures right after the page loads. You can adjust this delay to better suit your needs, with maximum durations depending on your subscription plan:
Some websites load additional content dynamically after the initial page load, such as high-resolution images or interactive elements. For example, a page may initially display low-resolution images and then load high-quality versions after a short delay.
By adding a wait delay, you ensure that such content is fully rendered before capturing the screenshot. This method avoids issues with missing or incomplete elements in your captures.
The screenshot example below illustrates a page where additional content loads after an initial idle period of 500 milliseconds:
To capture a screenshot with an added wait duration of 5000 milliseconds (5 seconds) to ensure complete page load, use the following API request example:
https://api.addscreenshots.com/screenshots
?apikey=YOUR_API_KEY
&wait=5000
&url=https://www.trademe.co.nz
Your API key can be found on the API Keys page. Need an API Key? Sign up to get started.
For internal applications, replace YOUR_API_KEY with your own unique API Key.
For public facing websites or hotlinks, generate a signed URL.
For complex websites with multiple loading phases, you can combine wait delays with other features:
Start with 2-3 seconds for most websites. For JavaScript-heavy sites or those with lazy-loaded images, try 5-10 seconds. Monitor your results and adjust based on the content you need to capture.
Yes! Wait delays work perfectly with full-page screenshots. The delay ensures the entire page is loaded before capturing the complete scrollable area.
If you exceed your plan's wait delay limit, the API will use the maximum allowed duration for your plan. Consider upgrading to a higher plan for longer delays.
No, wait delays only affect timing, not quality. They ensure you capture the fully rendered page, which often results in better quality screenshots with complete content.
Absolutely! Wait delays work with all other features including viewport settings, quality settings, and element hiding.
Wait delays are applied to each scheduled screenshot, ensuring consistent quality across all automated captures. This is especially useful for monitoring websites that load content dynamically.
Start optimizing your screenshots with wait delays using our free plan - 100 screenshots monthly with up to 5-second delays at no cost.