###### (This is the documentation for SDL3, which is the current stable version. [SDL2](https://wiki.libsdl.org/SDL2/) was the previous version!)
# SDL_RenderReadPixels

Read pixels from the current rendering target.

## Header File

Defined in [<SDL3/SDL_render.h>](https://github.com/libsdl-org/SDL/blob/main/include/SDL3/SDL_render.h)

## Syntax

```c
SDL_Surface * SDL_RenderReadPixels(SDL_Renderer *renderer, const SDL_Rect *rect);
```

## Function Parameters

|                                |              |                                                                                                                                         |
| ------------------------------ | ------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [SDL_Renderer](SDL_Renderer) * | **renderer** | the rendering context.                                                                                                                  |
| const [SDL_Rect](SDL_Rect) *   | **rect**     | an [SDL_Rect](SDL_Rect) structure representing the area in pixels relative to the to current viewport, or NULL for the entire viewport. |

## Return Value

([SDL_Surface](SDL_Surface) *) Returns a new [SDL_Surface](SDL_Surface) on
success or NULL on failure; call [SDL_GetError](SDL_GetError)() for more
information.

## Remarks

The returned surface should be freed with
[SDL_DestroySurface](SDL_DestroySurface)()

**WARNING**: This is a very slow operation, and should not be used
frequently. If you're using this on the main rendering target, it should be
called after rendering and before [SDL_RenderPresent](SDL_RenderPresent)().

## Thread Safety

You may only call this function from the main thread.

## Version

This function is available since SDL 3.1.3.

----
[CategoryAPI](CategoryAPI), [CategoryAPIFunction](CategoryAPIFunction), [CategoryRender](CategoryRender)