PyScreeze
A simple, cross-platform screenshot module for Python 2 and 3.
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you need cross-platform screenshot capture and image-location for automation or testing. Install friction is moderate (platform-specific setup on Linux) and maintenance is dormant but not abandoned. No known vulnerabilities. Be aware that Pillow's security requirements mean Python 3.5 users face outdated dependencies; modern Python versions are safer. Suitable for automation scripts, GUI testing, and visual verification workflows.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- On Ubuntu with X11, manually run `sudo apt install python3-xlib` before use.
- Pillow 8.3.2+ required for security; older versions have known vulnerabilities.
- High install friction due to platform-specific fallback dependencies.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license is permissive; you may use, modify, and distribute PyScreeze freely in commercial and open-source projects with minimal restrictions.
last release 2024-08-20 (724 days) · last repo commit 2024-08-20 · 221 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 2,964,642 downloads/mo, #2,806 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install pyscreeze
import pyscreeze
im = pyscreeze.screenshot()
pos = pyscreeze.locateCenterOnScreen('button.png')- Whether the package works reliably with modern Python 3.10+ given dormant maintenance status
- Current state of fallback screenshot methods (screencapture, gnome-screenshot) on recent OS versions
- Performance characteristics of image location on high-DPI or multi-monitor setups
What it is and what it does
PyScreeze is a cross-platform screenshot and image-location library for Python. It captures the screen as an Image object (via Pillow) and can save screenshots to disk. More importantly, it finds where a given image appears on screen by comparing pixel data, returning coordinates that can be used to automate clicks or other interactions—useful for GUI testing, automation scripts, and visual verification tasks.
The library provides locate functions that search for template images on screen or within other images, returning bounding-box tuples (left, top, width, height) or center coordinates. It also supports pixel-level operations: reading RGB values at specific coordinates and checking whether a pixel matches an expected color within a tolerance. On a typical 1920×1080 screen, screenshot capture takes roughly 100 milliseconds and locate operations take 1–2 seconds; optional OpenCV integration can reduce locate time to under 1 millisecond.
Use it for
- Automate GUI testing by locating UI elements (buttons, fields) on screen and verifying their presence
- Build screen-monitoring scripts that detect when specific images or conditions appear on display
- Create robot process automation (RPA) workflows that click or interact with application windows by visual coordinates
- Verify pixel colors at known screen positions to detect state changes or alerts in applications
- Capture and archive screenshots programmatically for logging, debugging, or compliance documentation
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you need cross-platform screenshot capture and image-location for automation or testing.
Install friction is moderate (platform-specific setup on Linux) and maintenance is dormant but not abandoned. No known vulnerabilities. Be aware that Pillow's security requirements mean Python 3.5 users face outdated dependencies; modern Python versions are safer. Suitable for automation scripts, GUI testing, and visual verification workflows.
Install
pyscreeze on PyPI
Before you install
High install friction due to platform-specific fallback dependencies. On Ubuntu with X11, requires manual `sudo apt install python3-xlib`. Dormant maintenance (last release 724 days ago), though repository is not archived and has recent commits.
On Ubuntu with X11, manually run `sudo apt install python3-xlib` before use. Pillow 8.3.2+ required for security; older versions have known vulnerabilities.
License in practice
MIT license is permissive; you may use, modify, and distribute PyScreeze freely in commercial and open-source projects with minimal restrictions.
Quickstart
pip install pyscreeze
import pyscreeze
im = pyscreeze.screenshot()
pos = pyscreeze.locateCenterOnScreen('button.png')Verify before relying
- Whether the package works reliably with modern Python 3.10+ given dormant maintenance status
- Current state of fallback screenshot methods (screencapture, gnome-screenshot) on recent OS versions
- Performance characteristics of image location on high-DPI or multi-monitor setups
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Not specified |
| Install friction | High. Source build required |
| Runtime dependencies | 1 packagePillow |
| Maintenance | Dormant 724 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 2,964,642 / month, #2,806 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 4 - BetaEnvironment :: MacOS XEnvironment :: Win32 (MS Windows)Environment :: X11 ApplicationsIntended Audience :: DevelopersLicense :: OSI Approved :: MIT LicenseOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: PythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3 :: OnlyProgramming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.4Programming Language :: Python :: 3.5Programming Language :: Python :: 3.6Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9 |
Evidence: pyscreeze-1.0.1.tar.gz
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See also mss · pyscreenshot · dxcam · percy-selenium · percy-appium-app · streamlit-image-coordinates · PyAutoGUI · pixelhog · pixelmatch · screeninfo