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CurlShot

Screenshot a website in dark mode

To screenshot a website in dark mode, add dark_mode=true to a CurlShot request. The browser then tells the page that the visitor prefers a dark theme, exactly as a phone or computer set to dark does, and the screenshot shows the dark version. It works on every site that has a dark theme; a site without one looks the same as before.

Request
curl "https://curlshot.com/api/v1/screenshot?access_key=YOUR_ACCESS_KEY&url=https://example.com&dark_mode=true" \
  --output dark.png
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How to do it, in three steps

  1. 1

    Create a free account and copy your access key.

  2. 2

    Add dark_mode=true to the request, next to the address of the page.

  3. 3

    Fetch it and save the image. Leave the option out to get the light version.

What people use it for

  • Light and dark screenshots of your product, side by side
  • Store listings, docs and landing pages that show both themes
  • Check that a change did not break the dark theme
  • Previews that match the theme of the app they appear in

For developers: one request

The same thing from your own code. It is a plain HTTP request, so it works from any language. Create a free account to get an access key.

Questions people ask

How do I take a screenshot of a website in dark mode?

Send a CurlShot request with dark_mode=true. The page is asked for its dark theme before the screenshot is taken.

Does it work on every website?

It works on every site that follows the visitor's system setting, which is how most dark themes work. A site with no dark theme, or one that only changes with its own switch, stays light.

Can I also turn animations off?

Yes. reduced_motion=true asks the page to stop its animations, which gives the same screenshot every time.

Can I combine it with a phone view or a full page?

Yes. dark_mode works together with every other option: device presets, full_page, element captures and PDF.

Related tools

Take as many screenshots as you need

A free account gives you 100 screenshots every month and keeps them in one place. No card needed.

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