diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index a0e52239fa..4cbdd7af92 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -32,3 +32,4 @@ cgmath = "0.17"
 env_logger = "0.6"
 glsl-to-spirv = "0.1"
 log = "0.4"
+png = "0.15"
diff --git a/examples/capture/main.rs b/examples/capture/main.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..55b4eaa1d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/capture/main.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+/// This example shows how to capture an image by rendering it to a texture, copying the texture to
+/// a buffer, and retrieving it from the buffer. This could be used for "taking a screenshot," with
+/// the added benefit that this method doesn't require a window to be created.
+use std::fs::File;
+use std::mem::size_of;
+
+fn main() {
+    env_logger::init();
+
+    let instance = wgpu::Instance::new();
+
+    let adapter = instance.get_adapter(&wgpu::AdapterDescriptor {
+        power_preference: wgpu::PowerPreference::LowPower,
+    });
+
+    let mut device = adapter.request_device(&wgpu::DeviceDescriptor {
+        extensions: wgpu::Extensions {
+            anisotropic_filtering: false,
+        },
+        limits: wgpu::Limits::default(),
+    });
+
+    // Rendered image is 256×256 with 32-bit RGBA color
+    let size = 256u32;
+
+    // The output buffer lets us retrieve the data as an array
+    let output_buffer = device.create_buffer(&wgpu::BufferDescriptor {
+        size: (size * size) as u64 * size_of::<u32>() as u64,
+        usage: wgpu::BufferUsage::MAP_READ | wgpu::BufferUsage::TRANSFER_DST,
+    });
+
+    let texture_extent = wgpu::Extent3d {
+        width: size,
+        height: size,
+        depth: 1,
+    };
+
+    // The render pipeline renders data into this texture
+    let texture = device.create_texture(&wgpu::TextureDescriptor {
+        size: texture_extent,
+        array_layer_count: 1,
+        mip_level_count: 1,
+        sample_count: 1,
+        dimension: wgpu::TextureDimension::D2,
+        format: wgpu::TextureFormat::Rgba8Unorm,
+        usage: wgpu::TextureUsage::STORAGE
+            | wgpu::TextureUsage::OUTPUT_ATTACHMENT
+            | wgpu::TextureUsage::TRANSFER_SRC,
+    });
+
+    // Set the background to be red
+    let command_buffer = {
+        let mut encoder =
+            device.create_command_encoder(&wgpu::CommandEncoderDescriptor { todo: 0 });
+        encoder.begin_render_pass(&wgpu::RenderPassDescriptor {
+            color_attachments: &[wgpu::RenderPassColorAttachmentDescriptor {
+                attachment: &texture.create_default_view(),
+                resolve_target: None,
+                load_op: wgpu::LoadOp::Clear,
+                store_op: wgpu::StoreOp::Store,
+                clear_color: wgpu::Color::RED,
+            }],
+            depth_stencil_attachment: None,
+        });
+
+        // Copy the data from the texture to the buffer
+        encoder.copy_texture_to_buffer(
+            wgpu::TextureCopyView {
+                texture: &texture,
+                mip_level: 0,
+                array_layer: 0,
+                origin: wgpu::Origin3d::ZERO,
+            },
+            wgpu::BufferCopyView {
+                buffer: &output_buffer,
+                offset: 0,
+                row_pitch: size_of::<u32>() as u32 * size,
+                image_height: size,
+            },
+            texture_extent,
+        );
+
+        encoder.finish()
+    };
+
+    device.get_queue().submit(&[command_buffer]);
+
+    // Write the buffer as a PNG
+    output_buffer.map_read_async(
+        0,
+        (size * size) as u64 * size_of::<u32>() as u64,
+        move |result: wgpu::BufferMapAsyncResult<&[u8]>| {
+            let mut png_encoder = png::Encoder::new(File::create("red.png").unwrap(), size, size);
+            png_encoder.set_depth(png::BitDepth::Eight);
+            png_encoder.set_color(png::ColorType::RGBA);
+            png_encoder
+                .write_header()
+                .unwrap()
+                .write_image_data(result.unwrap().data)
+                .unwrap();
+        },
+    );
+
+    // The device will be polled when it is dropped but we can also poll it explicitly
+    device.poll(true);
+}