Does Vanta Take Screenshots for SOC 2? The Complete Guide to Automated Evidence

Vanta does not natively take screenshots for application-level SOC 2 evidence. Vanta is a Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) platform that automates roughly 80% of an audit by monitoring infrastructure via APIs (e.g., AWS, GitHub, Okta). However, for the remaining 20% of controls—specifically those requiring visual proof of UI workflows or application settings—users must manually capture screenshots or use a dedicated evidence automation tool like Screenata to sync them to Vanta.

Why Vanta Doesn't Automatically Capture Screenshots

Vanta is designed as an "aggregator" and "monitor." It connects to your cloud stack and pulls data points to verify that certain conditions are met (e.g., "Is MFA enabled in Okta?"). While this covers infrastructure, it cannot "see" inside your own proprietary application's user interface.

The API Limitation

Vanta relies on public APIs. If your application has a custom admin panel where you manage role-based access (RBAC), Vanta cannot log in as a user and take a picture of those settings. This creates a "manual gap" where compliance teams spend dozens of hours every quarter taking screenshots, blurring PII, and uploading files to the Vanta dashboard.

The Auditor's Expectation

Auditors for SOC 2 Type II often require "visual evidence" for process-oriented controls. They want to see that a specific person performed a specific test at a specific time. API logs show that something happened, but screenshots prove how it looked to the user, providing a higher level of assurance for application-level safeguards.

What is the "20% Manual Gap" in Vanta?

In a typical SOC 2 audit, Vanta automates the majority of infrastructure checks. However, the following areas usually remain manual:

Application Access Controls (CC6.1): Proving that a "Viewer" cannot see "Admin" settings in your SaaS product.
Change Management UI (CC8.1): Documenting the visual approval of a deployment in a custom internal tool.
Data Deletion Workflows: Showing the confirmation modal that appears when a user requests data erasure.
System Description Validation: Visual proof of specific UI elements mentioned in your SOC 2 System Description.

Control Category	Automated by Vanta (API)	Manual in Vanta (Requires Screenshots)
Cloud Infrastructure	✅ AWS/GCP/Azure Config	❌ Custom Internal Tools
Identity Management	✅ Okta/Google Workspace	❌ In-App Role Permissions
Code Integrity	✅ GitHub/GitLab PR Status	❌ Manual QA/UAT Visual Proof
Security Training	✅ Vanta/KnowBe4 Integration	❌ Custom Policy Acknowledgments

How to Automate Vanta Screenshots with Screenata

Since Vanta does not take screenshots, companies use Screenata as the "visual sensor" for their compliance stack. Screenata records your workflow, captures the necessary screenshots, generates an auditor-ready PDF, and pushes it directly into the Vanta evidence library.

Step 1: Launch the Screenata Extension

When you need to document a control (e.g., CC6.1 Logical Access), you launch the Screenata browser extension. You don't need to write code or scripts.

Step 2: Perform the Control Test

You navigate through your application exactly as an auditor would. For example, log in as a non-admin user and attempt to access the billing page. Screenata records every click and screen state.

Step 3: AI-Powered Evidence Generation

Screenata’s AI automatically:

Extracts the relevant screenshots.
Blurs PII (emails, names, credit card numbers).
Writes a narrative description of the test.
Attaches cryptographic timestamps and metadata.

Step 4: Sync to Vanta

Instead of downloading a file and re-uploading it, you click "Sync to Vanta." The evidence is automatically mapped to the correct Vanta control ID and uploaded as a structured Evidence Pack.

Example: Documenting SOC 2 CC6.1 for Vanta

Control Objective: Restrict access to production configuration settings based on job role.

Without Screenata (Manual):

Open your app in two different browsers (Admin vs. User).
Take 5-10 screenshots using a snipping tool.
Open an image editor to blur customer data.
Create a Word document, paste the images, and write captions.
Export to PDF.
Log into Vanta, find Control CC6.1, and upload the file.
Total Time: 45-60 minutes.

With Screenata (Automated):

Start Screenata recording.
Click through the "Admin" and "User" views in your app.
Click "Generate Evidence."
Click "Sync to Vanta."
Total Time: 5 minutes.

The ROI of Automating Vanta's Manual Controls

For a mid-sized SaaS company, the time savings of closing the "screenshot gap" are significant.

Metric	Manual Screenshot Process	Screenata + Vanta Automation
Preparation Time	40-80 hours per quarter	2-4 hours per quarter
Evidence Consistency	Low (Human Error/Missing Info)	100% (Standardized AI Reports)
Auditor Review Time	Slow (Unstructured Files)	Fast (Structured Evidence Packs)
Risk of Rejection	Moderate (Missing Timestamps)	Zero (Verifiable Metadata)

Which SOC 2 Controls Require Screenshots?

While every audit is different, the following Trust Services Criteria (TSC) commonly require visual screenshot evidence that Vanta cannot automate via API:

CC6.1: Logical Access

Auditors want to see the "Access Denied" screens for restricted users. API logs often don't capture the UI-level redirection or error messaging that proves the control is functioning for the end-user.

CC7.2: System Operations & Monitoring

If you use a custom dashboard to monitor system health or security alerts, you must provide screenshots of the dashboard in an "active" state, showing that alerts are being monitored in real-time.

CC8.1: Change Management

For companies with manual UAT (User Acceptance Testing) or QA processes that happen outside of GitHub, screenshots of the "Pass" results in the staging environment are essential.

Best Practices for Auditor-Ready Screenshots in Vanta

If you are still capturing screenshots manually for Vanta, follow these 2026 auditor standards to ensure your evidence is not rejected:

Include Full System Clock: Auditors need to see the date and time in the corner of your OS to verify the evidence was captured during the audit window.
Show the URL Bar: Always include the browser's URL bar to prove the environment (e.g., production.your-app.com).
Redact PII: Use a professional redaction tool. Do not just draw a black box in Paint, as these can sometimes be "undone" if not flattened correctly.
Provide Context: A screenshot of a toggle switch means nothing without a caption explaining what the toggle does and who has permission to change it.
Use Evidence Packs: Instead of 20 individual PNG files, combine them into a single, paginated PDF with a table of contents.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Vanta have a built-in screen recorder?

No. Vanta does not provide a tool to record your screen or capture application-level workflows. You must use a third-party tool like Screenata or manual methods.

Can I use Loom for SOC 2 evidence in Vanta?

You can, but it is not recommended. Loom produces a video file that an auditor must watch in its entirety. Most auditors prefer a structured PDF Evidence Pack with specific screenshots and annotations, as it is much faster to review. Screenata converts workflows into these PDFs automatically.

How does Screenata connect to Vanta?

Screenata uses Vanta’s official API to push generated Evidence Packs directly into your Vanta dashboard. You can map specific Screenata "tests" to specific Vanta "controls" for seamless syncing.

Is manual screenshotting still acceptable for SOC 2?

Yes, but it is increasingly viewed as a high-risk area. Manual screenshots are prone to human error, lack verifiable metadata, and are the most common reason for "follow-up requests" from auditors during the review phase.

Key Takeaways

✅ Vanta handles the infrastructure (80%), but not the application UI (20%).
✅ Screenshots are mandatory for controls like CC6.1 (Access) and CC8.1 (Change Management).
✅ Manual collection is a bottleneck, costing teams 40-80 hours per quarter.
✅ Screenata closes the gap by automating the recording, redaction, and syncing of screenshots to Vanta.
✅ Auditors prefer structured PDF Evidence Packs over raw image files or videos.

Learn More About SOC 2 Automation

For a complete guide to automating SOC 2 evidence collection, including how to close the screenshot gap that Vanta leaves and achieve 100% SOC 2 automation, see our comprehensive SOC 2 automation guide.