# Turn any URL into an image

> Convert any URL into an image file. Paste a web address and download a PNG, JPEG or WebP screenshot of the page. Free to try, and one request by API.

To turn a URL into an image, paste the address into CurlShot and press the button. CurlShot loads the page in a real browser and returns a screenshot of it as an image file. On this page you download a JPEG; with the API you choose PNG, JPEG or WebP.

Do it in the browser, free and without an account: https://curlshot.com/tools/url-to-image

## Steps

1. Paste the URL into the box.
2. Choose the whole page or just the top, and the screen size.
3. Press "Take the screenshot", then download the image.

## What people use it for

- Put a screenshot of a website into a document or a slide
- Show a page in a chat or a ticket without sending a link
- Make an image of a page for a blog post or a newsletter
- Generate images of pages automatically from your own code

## The same thing with the API

```bash
curl "https://curlshot.com/api/v1/screenshot?access_key=YOUR_ACCESS_KEY&url=https://example.com&format=webp&image_quality=80" \
  --output page.webp
```

An access key is free: https://curlshot.com/register. Read more:

- [The screenshot URL](https://curlshot.com/docs/screenshot-url.md)
- [Options reference](https://curlshot.com/docs/options.md)

## Questions

### How do I convert a URL to a PNG or JPG?

Paste the URL into CurlShot and download the screenshot. With the API, add format=png, format=jpeg or format=webp to the request.

### Which image format should I pick?

PNG is exact and best for pages with text and flat colour. JPEG and WebP make much smaller files and are the better choice for long pages and photos.

### Can I get a smaller image, such as a thumbnail?

Yes. With the API, image_width and image_height resize the result, so you can ask for a 400 pixel wide thumbnail directly.

### Is it free?

You can try it on this page without an account. A free account adds a monthly allowance of screenshots and keeps them in one place.

## Related

- [Full-page screenshot](https://curlshot.com/tools/full-page-screenshot.md): Take a screenshot of a whole web page, from the top to the very bottom, as one image. Paste the address, nothing to install. Also available as an API.
- [Website thumbnail](https://curlshot.com/tools/website-thumbnail.md): Make a thumbnail or preview image of any website from its address. For directories, link lists, portfolios and newsletters. Free to try, one request by API.
- [HTML to image](https://curlshot.com/tools/html-to-image.md): Render your own HTML, CSS or Markdown into an image or a PDF with one API request. For social cards, certificates, receipts and reports.