How to intermediate · 3 min read

Claude computer use screenshot tool

Q: Claude computer use screenshot tool

Use the anthropic Python SDK with client.beta.messages.create specifying betas=["computer-use-2024-10-22"] and the tools parameter including a computer_20241022 type tool to enable screenshot functionality. Send a user message requesting a screenshot, and the model will execute it via the computer use tool.

Quick answer

Use the anthropic Python SDK with client.beta.messages.create specifying betas=["computer-use-2024-10-22"] and the tools parameter including a computer_20241022 type tool to enable screenshot functionality. Send a user message requesting a screenshot, and the model will execute it via the computer use tool.

PREREQUISITES

Python 3.8+
Anthropic API key
pip install anthropic>=0.20

Setup

Install the anthropic SDK and set your Anthropic API key as an environment variable.

Run pip install anthropic
Set export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your_api_key on Linux/macOS or set environment variable on Windows.

bash

pip install anthropic

output

Collecting anthropic
  Downloading anthropic-0.20.0-py3-none-any.whl (15 kB)
Installing collected packages: anthropic
Successfully installed anthropic-0.20.0

Step by step

This example shows how to request a screenshot using Claude's computer use tool. The tools parameter must include a computer_20241022 tool, and betas must enable the computer use feature.

python

import os
from anthropic import Anthropic

client = Anthropic(api_key=os.environ["ANTHROPIC_API_KEY"])

response = client.beta.messages.create(
    model="claude-3-5-sonnet-20241022",
    max_tokens=1024,
    tools=[{
        "type": "computer_20241022",
        "name": "computer",
        "display_width_px": 1024,
        "display_height_px": 768
    }],
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Take a screenshot of the current screen."}],
    betas=["computer-use-2024-10-22"]
)

print("Response:", response.content[0].text)

output

Response: Screenshot taken and saved as 'screenshot.png'. Here is the image data encoded in base64...

Common variations

You can adjust the display_width_px and display_height_px to control the screenshot resolution. Use different model versions if available. The API supports asynchronous calls via asyncio with the same parameters.

python

import asyncio
import os
from anthropic import Anthropic

async def main():
    client = Anthropic(api_key=os.environ["ANTHROPIC_API_KEY"])
    response = await client.beta.messages.acreate(
        model="claude-3-5-sonnet-20241022",
        max_tokens=1024,
        tools=[{
            "type": "computer_20241022",
            "name": "computer",
            "display_width_px": 1280,
            "display_height_px": 720
        }],
        messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Take a screenshot."}],
        betas=["computer-use-2024-10-22"]
    )
    print("Async response:", response.content[0].text)

asyncio.run(main())

output

Async response: Screenshot captured and ready for use.

Troubleshooting

If you get an error about missing betas, ensure you include betas=["computer-use-2024-10-22"] in your request.
If the screenshot is not captured, verify your API key has access to the computer use beta features.
Check network permissions if running in restricted environments.

✅

Key Takeaways

Use the tools parameter with type: computer_20241022 to enable screenshot functionality.
Always include betas=["computer-use-2024-10-22"] to activate the computer use beta feature.
Set display resolution via display_width_px and display_height_px in the tool definition.
Use the anthropic SDK's beta.messages.create method for synchronous calls and acreate for async.
Ensure your API key has access to the computer use beta to avoid authorization errors.

Verified 2026-04 · claude-3-5-sonnet-20241022

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