What does "add screenshot" in Web Recorder do

Problem Analysis

You’re seeing the message “Screenshot taken!” when you click the Add Screenshot button, but you can’t locate the screenshot file afterward. This is actually expected behavior—the button serves a specific purpose that’s different from saving a standalone screenshot file.

What the “Add Screenshot” Button Actually Does

The Add Screenshot button in Katalon Studio’s Web Recorder and Spy Web utilities is designed for image-based object recognition, not for creating standalone screenshot files. Here’s what happens:

Purpose:

When you click Add Screenshot, Katalon Studio captures an image of the selected web element and associates it with a test object for image-based testing. This screenshot becomes part of your test object’s configuration, not a separate file you can browse to.

Where the Screenshot Goes:

The captured image is automatically stored within your test object in the Object Repository. Specifically:

  • Location: <project_folder>/Screenshots/Targets/ (relative path by default)
  • Purpose: Used for image-based element recognition during test execution
  • Visibility: You won’t find it as a standalone file in your file system—it’s embedded in the test object configuration

How to Find It:

  1. Go to your Object Repository
  2. Select the test object you captured
  3. In the Object view, check the Image selection method
  4. You’ll see the image path displayed (e.g., Screenshots/Targets/Page_YourPage/image_name)
  5. The actual image file is stored at that path in your project folder

Key Distinction: Recording vs. Execution Screenshots

It’s important to understand the difference:

When What Happens Where It’s Stored
During Recording (Add Screenshot button) Captures image for object recognition Embedded in test object / Screenshots/Targets/ folder
During Test Execution Automatically captures on failures <project>/Reports/<execution_date>/ folder
Manual Screenshot Keywords You add [WebUI] Take Screenshot to test steps Specified location or Reports folder

If You Want Standalone Screenshots

If you need to capture and save screenshots as separate files (not for object recognition), use these alternatives:

Option 1: During Test Execution

Add screenshot keywords to your test case:

WebUI.takeScreenshot('C:\\MyScreenshots\\screenshot.png')
WebUI.takeFullPageScreenshot('C:\\MyScreenshots\\fullpage.png')

Option 2: Automatic Failure Screenshots

Katalon automatically captures screenshots when tests fail:

  • Location: <project_folder>/Reports/<execution_date>/
  • View in: Test Suite Results tab or exported HTML report

References