What Is a Computer Screenshot Called?
A computer screenshot is usually called a screenshot or screen capture. Learn the related terms, how still images differ from recordings, and how to capture pages reliably.
A computer screenshot is most commonly called a screenshot or screen capture. You may also hear screen grab or screengrab. All usually describe a still image showing what appeared on a display at one moment.
The exact wording depends on context. In everyday help, “screenshot” is the clearest term. In technical documentation, “screen capture” can mean either one still image or the larger process of acquiring screen content.
1. The terms people use
| Term | Usually means | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Screenshot | One still image of a screen | Everyday instructions and general writing |
| Screen capture | A screenshot or the broader act and tooling used to capture screen contents | Consumer help and technical documentation |
| Screen grab / screengrab | An informal name for a screenshot | Conversational writing |
| Screen recording | Video showing screen activity over time | Demonstrations, bug reproduction and tutorials |
| Screencast | Usually a narrated or otherwise shared screen recording | Training and presentations |
Microsoft describes a screenshot as commonly referred to as a “screenshot” or “screen capture.” Android guidance likewise uses screenshot for a still digital image and distinguishes it from recording a video of the screen. In technical APIs, screen capture can also refer to a stream of frames rather than a single saved image.
2. Screenshot versus screen recording
The key difference is time:
- A screenshot is one frame, saved as an image such as PNG, JPEG or WebP.
- A screen recording contains many frames captured over a duration and is saved as a video.
Calling a video a screenshot is confusing because a screenshot has no timeline. If you need to show a sequence of actions, use “screen recording” or “screencast.” If you need evidence of one visible state, use “screenshot.”
3. How to take a screenshot on a computer
Windows
Windows includes Snipping Tool and the Print Screen function. Snipping Tool can capture a selected region, a window or the full screen. The exact keyboard behavior can vary with Windows version, device and configuration, so use the capture mode that matches what you need.
- Open Snipping Tool.
- Choose a region, window or full-screen capture mode.
- Select the content to capture.
- Save or copy the resulting image.
Other computers and phones
macOS, Linux desktop environments, ChromeOS, iOS and Android all provide screenshot features, but the menu names and keyboard or button combinations differ by version and device. Look for a command named “Screenshot,” “Screen Capture” or “Capture.” Android’s official guide separates taking a screenshot from recording the screen as video: Take a screenshot or record your screen on your Android device.
4. What a screenshot contains
A screenshot records the pixels visible in the captured area at the capture time. It can include browser chrome, notifications, cursor state, cookie dialogs, chat widgets, loading placeholders and other overlays unless the capture method removes or hides them.
For a document or bug report, record the URL, viewport or device, capture time and any interaction performed before the shot. Those details make the image easier to reproduce and interpret.
5. Capturing a web page programmatically
If the target is a URL rather than your local desktop, a browser automation tool or screenshot API is usually more repeatable than a manual desktop capture. A reliable workflow needs to decide whether the image should be viewport-sized or full-page, whether the page needs time to render, and how consent banners or overlays should be handled.
Minimal browser-automation checklist
- Set a fixed viewport and device pixel ratio.
- Wait for a meaningful selector, a short delay or network idle.
- Handle cookie consent before capturing.
- Hide transient overlays such as chat launchers.
- Use full-page capture only when the complete document is required.
- Save the response in a lossless format when text sharpness matters.
6. Or skip the browser setup
ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API and MCP server. One GET request returns a PNG, JPEG, WebP or PDF. Its capture flow accepts cookie and consent banners like a visitor, then removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups and chat widgets; each step can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads and cache hits are not billed, and the response reports the result with X-Page-Verdict and X-Billed headers.
See the complete option list and parameter reference in the ScreenshotNeo documentation.
cURL
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" \
-d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY \
--data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com \
-o shot.webpPython
import requests
r = requests.get(
"https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot",
params={"access_key": "YOUR_API_KEY", "url": "https://stripe.com"},
timeout=90,
)
r.raise_for_status()
open("shot.webp", "wb").write(r.content)Node.js
const q = new URLSearchParams({
access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY',
url: 'https://stripe.com'
});
const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`HTTP ${res.status}`);
const buffer = Buffer.from(await res.arrayBuffer());
require('fs').writeFileSync('shot.webp', buffer);Useful capture options
| Need | ScreenshotNeo capability |
|---|---|
| Whole document | Full-page capture with lazy images loaded |
| One component | Capture an element by CSS selector |
| Consistent appearance | Dark mode, 12 device presets, custom viewport and retina scale |
| PDF output | Paper size, margins, landscape mode and page ranges |
| Dynamic pages | Wait for a selector, delay or network idle; click an element before capture |
| Privacy and noise reduction | Custom CSS and JavaScript, hide selectors, block ads, trackers, requests or resource types |
| Authenticated pages | Custom headers, cookies, user agent and Authorization |
| Locale-sensitive pages | Timezone and geolocation |
| Output control | Transparent background and image resizing |
| Repeat requests | Caching with a TTL you choose |
| Public embeds | Signed links for public <img> tags |
| Large jobs | Async jobs with signed webhooks and bulk capture of up to 100 URLs per call |
| Operations | Usage API and OpenAPI specification |
An MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info and capture_pdf tools for Claude, Cursor and other MCP clients.
7. Troubleshooting screenshot terminology and captures
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| People call a video a screenshot | The terms are being used interchangeably | Use “screenshot” for one still image and “screen recording” for video over time. |
| The image includes a cookie banner | The capture happened before consent handling | Accept or remove the banner before capture, or use a capture option that handles consent. |
| The page is blank | JavaScript has not finished, a bot check is active, or the load failed | Wait for a selector or network idle, inspect the page verdict, and retry after resolving the page condition. |
| Lazy images are missing | The page was captured before images entered the viewport | Use full-page capture with lazy images loaded or wait for the image selector. |
| Text looks soft | The bitmap scale is too low | Increase retina scale or choose a larger output size, then resize down if needed. |
| A private page returns an error | Required cookies or authorization headers were not sent | Provide the needed custom headers, cookies, user agent or Authorization value. |
| A repeated request is slow or billed unexpectedly | The cache TTL or URL parameters differ | Choose a cache TTL deliberately and keep all visual-affecting parameters stable. |
8. Performance, reliability and cost notes
- Use a fixed viewport, wait condition and output format to make results comparable.
- Block unnecessary ads, trackers and resource types when they do not belong in the image.
- Cache stable pages with a TTL you choose; use asynchronous jobs and webhooks for larger batches.
- For up to 100 URLs, bulk capture reduces request-management overhead.
- ScreenshotNeo bills only clean shots. Bot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads and cache hits cost nothing, with the outcome exposed in response headers.
- The Free plan includes 1,000 shots per month with no card. Paid plans are Starter $5 for 3,000, Growth $15 for 15,000, Pro $39 for 60,000, Scale $99 for 250,000 and Business $249 for 1,000,000. Yearly billing gives two months free, and every feature is available on every plan.
9. FAQ
Is “screen capture” exactly the same as “screenshot”?
Often, but not always. Consumer guidance may use screen capture for a still image. Technical documentation may use it for the broader capture process or a stream of frames.
Is a screen grab a different file type?
No. “Screen grab” is an informal name; the file can still be PNG, JPEG, WebP or another image format.
Can a screenshot include only part of a display?
Yes. A screenshot may show a selected region, one window, one element or the entire screen or page.
What should I call an image of a web page taken by an API?
“Website screenshot” or “web screenshot” is clear. “Screen capture” is also accurate when describing the capture process.
Start with 1,000 free screenshots a month, with no card: create a ScreenshotNeo account.
