Configuration: Screenshot Storage

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Configuration: Screenshot Storage

Overview

Use this page to configure screenshot capture, format, and retention settings. An agent attaches a screenshot to a test run whenever a step fails, a workload script can also take one on purpose through a Send screenshot action, and End-to-End Monitoring checks capture their own images. Storing every one of these at full size can consume a large amount of disk space, so this page lets you choose which sources are kept, how the stored copy is compressed, and how long the original is retained before only the smaller display copy remains. A test's pass or fail result and its row never depend on whether its screenshot was kept.

Screenshots originate from running load tests, End-to-End Monitoring sessions, and explicit Send screenshot actions inside a workload; Functional Testing screenshots follow their own retention and are not controlled here. Once captured, stored load-test screenshots surface in Testing: Test Runs, and live ones appear on the Active Test page while a test runs. Who may view them is granted separately through Operations: Permissions.

On this page you turn each capture source on or off, choose one display format applied to new screenshots, set how many days to keep the original image, and check current disk use broken down by test type.

Key concepts

  • Send screenshot action - An explicit screenshot a workload script takes on purpose at a chosen point in its run, as opposed to one an agent captures automatically on a failed step. (related: Configuration: Workloads)
  • original image - The full-size PNG screenshot as the agent sent it, before conversion to the display format. It is kept only for the number of days set in Keep the original image for, after which only the display copy remains.
  • display copy - The converted, usually smaller image (WebP or PNG, depending on the Format selection) that is shown wherever screenshots are viewed in the platform. (related: Testing: Test Runs)
  • monitoring profile - The End-to-End Monitoring configuration that defines what a check captures; it carries its own privacy switch that can still block screenshot storage even when this page allows it. (related: End-to-End Monitoring: Profiles)

When to use it

  • Before a large load test campaign, to control how much disk space its screenshots will use.
  • When the data volume is running low on space, to shorten retention or switch to a smaller display format.
  • When a failure screenshot you expected is missing, to check whether capture was turned off for that source.
  • When you need to know how long a download will still contain the original full-size image.
  • When reviewing how much disk each test type (load tests, E2E monitoring, Functional Testing) is currently using.

Before you begin

  • Your account holds the GlobalAdmin or InfrastructureAdmin role so you can change these settings; the Ops role can view this page but not save changes (check your role in Operations: Permissions).
  • You have run at least one load test or End-to-End Monitoring check if you want the Disk use figures to show non-zero consumption for that category.

Common workflows

Reduce screenshot disk usage

Persona: Platform admin managing storage

  1. Select WebP high quality + thumbnail in the Format panel.
    • Expect: The radio button fills for that option and clears for whichever option was previously selected; a saved confirmation appears.
  2. Lower the number in Keep the original image for (for example from 7 to 3).
    • Expect: The field shows the new day count and a saved confirmation appears.
  3. Click Refresh.
    • Expect: The Disk use bar and its legend reload with the current totals.

Verify: The Format panel shows WebP high quality + thumbnail selected and Keep the original image for shows the new day count; new screenshots captured from this point use the smaller format and their originals age out sooner.

Stop storing screenshots for one source

Persona: Operator isolating a noisy monitoring profile such as svc.lg.eider

  1. Turn off Store screenshots from E2E monitoring in the Capture panel.
    • Expect: The toggle switches from filled green to gray and a saved confirmation appears.
  2. Click Refresh.
    • Expect: The Disk use legend reloads; the E2E monitoring entry stops growing on subsequent sessions.

Verify: The Store screenshots from E2E monitoring toggle shows off, and E2E monitoring sessions that run afterward no longer add to the E2E monitoring figure in Disk use.

Steps

Step 1

Open Screenshot Storage under Configuration.

Expected result: The page loads showing the Capture and Format panels with their current settings, and the Disk use bar split into Load tests, E2E monitoring, and Functional testing.

This is the starting point for reviewing or changing how agent screenshots are stored and for how long.

  • Disk use shows a color-coded bar with totals for Load tests, E2E monitoring, and Functional testing (its own retention).
  • Capture lists four toggles controlling which screenshot sources are stored.
  • Format lists the three display-format options and the Keep the original image for field. Configuration: Screenshot Storage - step 1

Field reference

Field Purpose Format / Validation Required Default
Store screenshots from load tests Controls whether the API keeps screenshots attached to load test steps. Turning it off makes the API drop each incoming image on arrival; the test's step rows and pass/fail results are unaffected either way. toggle No on
Store screenshots from E2E monitoring Controls whether screenshots from End-to-End Monitoring checks are stored. Even with this on, an individual monitoring profile's own privacy switch can still prevent capture for that check. toggle No on
Include explicit Send screenshot actions Controls whether screenshots taken on purpose by a workload's Send screenshot action are stored, in addition to automatic failure screenshots. Turn it off if you only want failure evidence, not every on-purpose capture. toggle No on
Live screenshots on the Active Test page Controls whether each new screenshot is pushed to the Active Test page while the test is still running, so you can watch it in near real time. Turn it off if you only need screenshots after the run finishes. toggle No on
WebP high quality + thumbnail One of three mutually exclusive display formats applied to new screenshots. Produces a smaller file than PNG while keeping on-screen text sharp at full zoom; choose this for the best balance of disk use and readability. radio (one of three Format options) No selected
WebP lossless + thumbnail Keeps the exact original pixels with no quality loss. It is often no smaller than the source PNG, so choose it only when pixel-perfect accuracy matters more than disk space; the PNG is kept instead whenever it is actually smaller. radio (one of three Format options) No not selected
Keep PNG as sent + thumbnail Stores the screenshot exactly as the Director received it, with no conversion. This is the largest option; choose it only if you need the unmodified file the agent sent and disk space is not a concern. radio (one of three Format options) No not selected
Keep the original image for Sets how many days the full-size original is kept after capture. Lower it to free disk space sooner once the display copy exists; set it to 0 to delete the original immediately after conversion. Downloads only return the original while it is still within this window. number (days) No 7

Controls reference

Refresh

Re-reads the current Capture and Format settings and the Disk use figures from the server.

When to use: After another admin may have changed these settings, or to see updated disk consumption once new tests or monitoring sessions have run.

Side effects: Read-only: reloads displayed data, saves nothing.

Permissions

Opens the page where access to view stored screenshots is granted per module.

When to use: When you need to check or change who can view screenshots, separately from who can change these storage settings.

Side effects: Read-only navigation to another page; no settings here are changed.

Test Runs

Opens the page where stored load-test screenshots are viewed within a run's results.

When to use: When you want to confirm that a screenshot for a specific run was actually stored under the current settings.

Side effects: Read-only navigation to another page; no settings here are changed.

Verify the result

The Capture panel shows each toggle in the state you set it to (filled green for on, gray for off), and the Format panel shows exactly one of the three options with its radio button filled, matching the Keep the original image for day count you chose. A confirmation message appears after each change you save. If a setting does not seem to take effect, click Refresh and confirm the toggle or radio button still shows your chosen state. If Disk use has not shrunk after lowering retention or switching format, remember a format change applies only to new screenshots, and the original is only deleted once its own retention window has elapsed.

Troubleshooting

  • Symptom: Disk use hasn't dropped after lowering retention days or switching the display format. Fix: A format or retention change applies only to new screenshots; existing originals are removed as their own retention period elapses, and the converter keeps the PNG as the display copy until it finishes any conversion backlog.
  • Symptom: A load test's screenshots are missing even though the test's rows and results are present. Fix: Check whether Store screenshots from load tests was off when the test ran; a test's results never depend on whether its screenshot was kept.
  • Symptom: E2E monitoring screenshots are still missing even though Store screenshots from E2E monitoring is on. Fix: Check the individual monitoring profile's own privacy switch in End-to-End Monitoring: Profiles, since it can still block capture for that check.
  • Symptom: Downloading an older screenshot returns the WebP or thumbnail version instead of the original. Fix: Confirm the screenshot is still within the Keep the original image for window; once that number of days passes, only the display copy remains.
  • Symptom: Toggles and the Format options are visible but cannot be changed. Fix: Your account likely holds the Ops role, which can view but not save these settings; a GlobalAdmin or InfrastructureAdmin role is required (check Operations: Permissions).
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