Authentication

To use our API, you’ll need an access_key. This key is unique to your account and is required for all API requests.

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What is the Access Key?

The access_key identifies and authenticates your requests. Think of it as your personal API password. Without it, the API will reject your requests.

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How to use the Access Key

You can authenticate your requests in one of the following ways:

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1. In the Header (Recommended)

Add the access key to the X-Access-Key HTTP header. This method is secure and works with all HTTP methods.

X-Access-Key: YOUR_ACCESS_KEY

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2. In the Query String (GET requests only)

For GET requests, you can include the key as a query parameter:

GET https://api.screenshotmax.com/v1/screenshot?access_key=YOUR_ACCESS_KEY&url=https://example.com

This is useful for quick testing or browser-based usage.

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3. In the JSON Body (POST requests only)

For POST requests, you can also include the key in the request body:

{
  "access_key": "YOUR_ACCESS_KEY",
  "url": "https://example.com"
}

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Example Requests

Example using curl (Header)

curl -X GET https://api.screenshotmax.com/v1/screenshot \
  -H "X-Access-Key: YOUR_ACCESS_KEY" \
  -G --data-urlencode "url=https://example.com"

Example using fetch (POST)

fetch("https://api.screenshotmax.com/v1/pdf", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
    "X-Access-Key": "YOUR_ACCESS_KEY"
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    url: "https://example.com"
  })
});

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Rotating Your Access Key

You can regenerate (rotate) your access key at any time from your dashboard. When you rotate your key:

• A new access key is generated immediately.
• Your old key becomes invalid and cannot be used anymore.

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What happens if the access key is missing or invalid?

If your request doesn’t include a valid access_key, you’ll receive a status 401 and a response like this:

{
  "statusCode": 401,
  "error": "Unauthorized",
  "message": "Invalid access key"
}

This means your request was rejected due to authentication failure. Double-check your access key and try again.

Need help? Contact us at support@screenshotmax.com