Glossary
Screenshot terms, explained
Plain-language definitions of the terms used across our guides.
- Above the fold
- The part of a web page visible without scrolling. Anything further down is “below the fold”, which ordinary screenshots miss.
- Annotation
- Marks added on top of a screenshot to explain it: arrows, boxes, text notes, highlights and numbered markers. Annotating for feedback →
- Blur
- A redaction style that smears the covered area. Strong blur hides content; light blur on large text can sometimes still be read. Safe redaction →
- Device pixel ratio
- How many screen pixels a display uses for each CSS pixel. High-density (“retina”) screens have a ratio of 2 or more, so their screenshots contain more pixels and look sharper.
- Element capture
- Capturing exactly one part of a page, such as a table, card or section, using the page’s own structure to find its edges. Screenshot a single element →
- Flattening
- Turning a PDF page into a single image so that separate layers, such as text under a redaction box, no longer exist and can’t be selected or copied.
- Full-page screenshot
- A single image of an entire web page from top to bottom, not just the part that fits on the screen. Usually made by scrolling and stitching. Full-page screenshots in Chrome →
- Infinite scroll
- A page design that loads more content as you reach the bottom, so the page has no fixed end. Capture a defined region instead of the “full” page.
- Inner scrolling panel
- A part of a page that scrolls on its own, such as a chat thread or inbox, while the rest stays still. Needs scroll capture inside the panel. Capture a scrolling panel →
- Lazy loading
- Loading images only when they scroll into view. It can leave blank areas in captures unless the page is given time to load. Fix blank areas →
- Lossless and lossy compression
- Lossless formats (PNG) keep every pixel exactly. Lossy formats (JPEG, and WebP in its usual mode) discard detail to make smaller files. Choosing a format →
- Pixelation
- A redaction style that replaces an area with large blocks of averaged colour, hiding detail while keeping the layout recognisable.
- Redaction
- Removing sensitive information from an image or document. Real redaction changes the exported pixels rather than covering them with a removable shape. How to redact safely →
- Region capture
- Capturing a rectangle you drag over the page. With scroll capture it can extend through content that scrolls inside the area.
- Stitching
- Joining several screen-sized captures into one image to make a full-page screenshot.
- Sticky header
- A header that stays fixed at the top while the page scrolls. Without special handling it repeats on every screen of a full-page capture. Fix repeated headers →
- Viewport
- The visible area of a web page inside the browser window. Its width decides which responsive layout a site shows. Capture at mobile width →
- Watermark
- Semi-transparent text or a logo placed over an image to mark its status or owner, such as DRAFT or CONFIDENTIAL. Watermark screenshots →
- WebP
- An image format that usually makes smaller files than PNG or JPEG at similar quality, widely supported by modern browsers.