Screenshot comes out completely black when using clip coordinates in Puppeteer

Other Questions Puppeteer
1

I’m having trouble with taking screenshots in Puppeteer. When I try to capture a specific area of the page using clip coordinates, the resulting image is completely black. But if I take a full page screenshot without specifying any coordinates, it works perfectly fine.

Here’s what I’m trying to do:

await webpage.screenshot({ 
  path: 'capture.png', 
  clip: { 
    x: 50, 
    y: 25, 
    width: 600, 
    height: 300 
  } 
});

Has anyone encountered this issue before? What could be causing the black screenshots when using the clip option? Any suggestions on how to resolve this problem would be really helpful.

2

Check if your element’s actually visible first - CSS transforms or opacity can mess things up. I had the same issue bc my element was hidden behind another div. Try await page.waitForFunction(() => document.querySelector('your-element').offsetHeight > 0) to make sure it’s rendered with actual dimensions before clipping.

3

I’ve encountered this issue before, and it’s often a problem with your coordinates. Remember that Puppeteer’s clip coordinates are based on the viewport dimensions. If your specified area is off-screen or not rendered yet, you’ll end up with a black screenshot. To resolve this, ensure you scroll to the element using await page.evaluate(() => element.scrollIntoView()) before capturing. Also, be aware that running in headless mode can lead to different viewport dimensions compared to the regular browser, so it’s crucial to define your viewport size clearly. Finally, verify that your x and y coordinates are valid and within the visible area.

4

Had this exact problem a few months ago - drove me nuts for hours. Usually happens when the page content isn’t fully loaded when you’re taking the screenshot. Your coordinates might be pointing to an area with no visible content yet, or the page is smaller than what you’re trying to clip. Add a wait condition before screenshotting: await page.waitForSelector('your-content-selector') or just await page.waitForTimeout(2000). Double-check your clip coordinates are within the actual viewport too. What helped me was adding await page.setViewport({width: 1200, height: 800}) before navigating - keeps page dimensions consistent. Black screenshots mean Puppeteer’s trying to capture an area that doesn’t exist or isn’t rendered yet.