MCPHub LabRegistrymicrosoft/playwright-mcp
microsoft

microsoft/playwright mcp

Built by microsoft 29,840 stars

What is microsoft/playwright mcp?

Playwright MCP server

How to use microsoft/playwright mcp?

1. Install a compatible MCP client (like Claude Desktop). 2. Open your configuration settings. 3. Add microsoft/playwright mcp using the following command: npx @modelcontextprotocol/microsoft-playwright-mcp 4. Restart the client and verify the new tools are active.
🛡️ Scoped (Restricted)
npx @modelcontextprotocol/microsoft-playwright-mcp --scope restricted
🔓 Unrestricted Access
npx @modelcontextprotocol/microsoft-playwright-mcp

Key Features

Native MCP Protocol Support
Real-time Tool Activation & Execution
Verified High-performance Implementation
Secure Resource & Context Handling

Optimized Use Cases

Extending AI models with custom local capabilities
Automating system workflows via natural language
Connecting external data sources to LLM context windows

microsoft/playwright mcp FAQ

Q

Is microsoft/playwright mcp safe?

Yes, microsoft/playwright mcp follows the standardized Model Context Protocol security patterns and only executes tools with explicit user-granted permissions.

Q

Is microsoft/playwright mcp up to date?

microsoft/playwright mcp is currently active in the registry with 29,840 stars on GitHub, indicating its reliability and community support.

Q

Are there any limits for microsoft/playwright mcp?

Usage limits depend on the specific implementation of the MCP server and your system resources. Refer to the official documentation below for technical details.

Official Documentation

View on GitHub

Playwright MCP

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides browser automation capabilities using Playwright. This server enables LLMs to interact with web pages through structured accessibility snapshots, bypassing the need for screenshots or visually-tuned models.

Playwright MCP vs Playwright CLI

This package provides MCP interface into Playwright. If you are using a coding agent, you might benefit from using the CLI+SKILLS instead.

  • CLI: Modern coding agents increasingly favor CLI–based workflows exposed as SKILLs over MCP because CLI invocations are more token-efficient: they avoid loading large tool schemas and verbose accessibility trees into the model context, allowing agents to act through concise, purpose-built commands. This makes CLI + SKILLs better suited for high-throughput coding agents that must balance browser automation with large codebases, tests, and reasoning within limited context windows.<br>Learn more about Playwright CLI with SKILLS.

  • MCP: MCP remains relevant for specialized agentic loops that benefit from persistent state, rich introspection, and iterative reasoning over page structure, such as exploratory automation, self-healing tests, or long-running autonomous workflows where maintaining continuous browser context outweighs token cost concerns.

Key Features

  • Fast and lightweight. Uses Playwright's accessibility tree, not pixel-based input.
  • LLM-friendly. No vision models needed, operates purely on structured data.
  • Deterministic tool application. Avoids ambiguity common with screenshot-based approaches.

Requirements

  • Node.js 18 or newer
  • VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf, Claude Desktop, Goose or any other MCP client
<!-- // Generate using: node utils/generate-links.js -->

Getting started

First, install the Playwright MCP server with your client.

Standard config works in most of the tools:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "playwright": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "@playwright/mcp@latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}

<img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/VS_Code-VS_Code?style=flat-square&label=Install%20Server&color=0098FF" alt="Install in VS Code"> <img alt="Install in VS Code Insiders" src="https://img.shields.io/badge/VS_Code_Insiders-VS_Code_Insiders?style=flat-square&label=Install%20Server&color=24bfa5">

<details> <summary>Amp</summary>

Add via the Amp VS Code extension settings screen or by updating your settings.json file:

"amp.mcpServers": {
  "playwright": {
    "command": "npx",
    "args": [
      "@playwright/mcp@latest"
    ]
  }
}

Amp CLI Setup:

Add via the amp mcp addcommand below

amp mcp add playwright -- npx @playwright/mcp@latest
</details> <details> <summary>Antigravity</summary>

Add via the Antigravity settings or by updating your configuration file:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "playwright": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "@playwright/mcp@latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}
</details> <details> <summary>Claude Code</summary>

Use the Claude Code CLI to add the Playwright MCP server:

claude mcp add playwright npx @playwright/mcp@latest
</details> <details> <summary>Claude Desktop</summary>

Follow the MCP install guide, use the standard config above.

</details> <details> <summary>Cline</summary>

Follow the instruction in the section Configuring MCP Servers

Example: Local Setup

Add the following to your cline_mcp_settings.json file:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "playwright": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "timeout": 30,
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@playwright/mcp@latest"
      ],
      "disabled": false
    }
  }
}
</details> <details> <summary>Codex</summary>

Use the Codex CLI to add the Playwright MCP server:

codex mcp add playwright npx "@playwright/mcp@latest"

Alternatively, create or edit the configuration file ~/.codex/config.toml and add:

[mcp_servers.playwright]
command = "npx"
args = ["@playwright/mcp@latest"]

For more information, see the Codex MCP documentation.

</details> <details> <summary>Copilot</summary>

Use the Copilot CLI to interactively add the Playwright MCP server:

/mcp add

Alternatively, create or edit the configuration file ~/.copilot/mcp-config.json and add:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "playwright": {
      "type": "local",
      "command": "npx",
      "tools": [
        "*"
      ],
      "args": [
        "@playwright/mcp@latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}

For more information, see the Copilot CLI documentation.

</details> <details> <summary>Cursor</summary>

Click the button to install:

<img src="https://cursor.com/deeplink/mcp-install-dark.svg" alt="Install in Cursor">

Or install manually:

Go to Cursor Settings -> MCP -> Add new MCP Server. Name to your liking, use command type with the command npx @playwright/mcp@latest. You can also verify config or add command like arguments via clicking Edit.

</details> <details> <summary>Factory</summary>

Use the Factory CLI to add the Playwright MCP server:

droid mcp add playwright "npx @playwright/mcp@latest"

Alternatively, type /mcp within Factory droid to open an interactive UI for managing MCP servers.

For more information, see the Factory MCP documentation.

</details> <details> <summary>Gemini CLI</summary>

Follow the MCP install guide, use the standard config above.

</details> <details> <summary>Goose</summary>

Click the button to install:

Install in Goose

Or install manually:

Go to Advanced settings -> Extensions -> Add custom extension. Name to your liking, use type STDIO, and set the command to npx @playwright/mcp. Click "Add Extension".

</details> <details> <summary>Kiro</summary>

Add to Kiro

Follow the MCP Servers documentation. For example in .kiro/settings/mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "playwright": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "@playwright/mcp@latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}
</details> <details> <summary>LM Studio</summary>

Click the button to install:

Add MCP Server playwright to LM Studio

Or install manually:

Go to Program in the right sidebar -> Install -> Edit mcp.json. Use the standard config above.

</details> <details> <summary>opencode</summary>

Follow the MCP Servers documentation. For example in ~/.config/opencode/opencode.json:

{
  "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
  "mcp": {
    "playwright": {
      "type": "local",
      "command": [
        "npx",
        "@playwright/mcp@latest"
      ],
      "enabled": true
    }
  }
}

</details> <details> <summary>Qodo Gen</summary>

Open Qodo Gen chat panel in VSCode or IntelliJ → Connect more tools → + Add new MCP → Paste the standard config above.

Click <code>Save</code>.

</details> <details> <summary>VS Code</summary>

Click the button to install:

<img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/VS_Code-VS_Code?style=flat-square&label=Install%20Server&color=0098FF" alt="Install in VS Code"> <img alt="Install in VS Code Insiders" src="https://img.shields.io/badge/VS_Code_Insiders-VS_Code_Insiders?style=flat-square&label=Install%20Server&color=24bfa5">

Or install manually:

Follow the MCP install guide, use the standard config above. You can also install the Playwright MCP server using the VS Code CLI:

# For VS Code
code --add-mcp '{"name":"playwright","command":"npx","args":["@playwright/mcp@latest"]}'

After installation, the Playwright MCP server will be available for use with your GitHub Copilot agent in VS Code.

</details> <details> <summary>Warp</summary>

Go to Settings -> AI -> Manage MCP Servers -> + Add to add an MCP Server. Use the standard config above.

Alternatively, use the slash command /add-mcp in the Warp prompt and paste the standard config from above:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "playwright": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "@playwright/mcp@latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}
</details> <details> <summary>Windsurf</summary>

Follow Windsurf MCP documentation. Use the standard config above.

</details>

Configuration

Playwright MCP server supports following arguments. They can be provided in the JSON configuration above, as a part of the "args" list:

<!--- Options generated by update-readme.js -->
OptionDescription
--allowed-hosts <hosts...>comma-separated list of hosts this server is allowed to serve from. Defaults to the host the server is bound to. Pass '*' to disable the host check.<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_ALLOWED_HOSTS
--allowed-origins <origins>semicolon-separated list of TRUSTED origins to allow the browser to request. Default is to allow all. Important: does not serve as a security boundary and does not affect redirects.<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_ALLOWED_ORIGINS
--allow-unrestricted-file-accessallow access to files outside of the workspace roots. Also allows unrestricted access to file:// URLs. By default access to file system is restricted to workspace root directories (or cwd if no roots are configured) only, and navigation to file:// URLs is blocked.<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_ALLOW_UNRESTRICTED_FILE_ACCESS
--blocked-origins <origins>semicolon-separated list of origins to block the browser from requesting. Blocklist is evaluated before allowlist. If used without the allowlist, requests not matching the blocklist are still allowed. Important: does not serve as a security boundary and does not affect redirects.<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_BLOCKED_ORIGINS
--block-service-workersblock service workers<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_BLOCK_SERVICE_WORKERS
--browser <browser>browser or chrome channel to use, possible values: chrome, firefox, webkit, msedge.<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_BROWSER
--caps <caps>comma-separated list of additional capabilities to enable, possible values: vision, pdf, devtools.<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_CAPS
--cdp-endpoint <endpoint>CDP endpoint to connect to.<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_CDP_ENDPOINT
--cdp-header <headers...>CDP headers to send with the connect request, multiple can be specified.<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_CDP_HEADER
--cdp-timeout <timeout>timeout in milliseconds for connecting to CDP endpoint, defaults to 30000ms<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_CDP_TIMEOUT
--codegen <lang>specify the language to use for code generation, possible values: "typescript", "none". Default is "typescript".<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_CODEGEN
--config <path>path to the configuration file.<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_CONFIG
--console-level <level>level of console messages to return: "error", "warning", "info", "debug". Each level includes the messages of more severe levels.<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_CONSOLE_LEVEL
--device <device>device to emulate, for example: "iPhone 15"<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_DEVICE
--executable-path <path>path to the browser executable.<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_EXECUTABLE_PATH
--extensionConnect to a running browser instance (Edge/Chrome only). Requires the "Playwright MCP Bridge" browser extension to be installed.<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_EXTENSION
--endpoint <endpoint>Bound browser endpoint to connect to.<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_ENDPOINT
--grant-permissions <permissions...>List of permissions to grant to the browser context, for example "geolocation", "clipboard-read", "clipboard-write".<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_GRANT_PERMISSIONS
--headlessrun browser in headless mode, headed by default<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_HEADLESS
--host <host>host to bind server to. Default is localhost. Use 0.0.0.0 to bind to all interfaces.<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_HOST
--ignore-https-errorsignore https errors<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_IGNORE_HTTPS_ERRORS
--init-page <path...>path to TypeScript file to evaluate on Playwright page object<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_INIT_PAGE
--init-script <path...>path to JavaScript file to add as an initialization script. The script will be evaluated in every page before any of the page's scripts. Can be specified multiple times.<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_INIT_SCRIPT
--isolatedkeep the browser profile in memory, do not save it to disk.<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_ISOLATED
--image-responses <mode>whether to send image responses to the client. Can be "allow" or "omit", Defaults to "allow".<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_IMAGE_RESPONSES
--no-sandboxdisable the sandbox for all process types that are normally sandboxed.<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_NO_SANDBOX
--output-dir <path>path to the directory for output files.<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_OUTPUT_DIR
--output-mode <mode>whether to save snapshots, console messages, network logs to a file or to the standard output. Can be "file" or "stdout". Default is "stdout".<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_OUTPUT_MODE
--port <port>port to listen on for SSE transport.<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_PORT
--proxy-bypass <bypass>comma-separated domains to bypass proxy, for example ".com,chromium.org,.domain.com"<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_PROXY_BYPASS
--proxy-server <proxy>specify proxy server, for example "http://myproxy:3128" or "socks5://myproxy:8080"<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_PROXY_SERVER
--sandboxenable the sandbox for all process types that are normally not sandboxed.<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_SANDBOX
--save-sessionWhether to save the Playwright MCP session into the output directory.<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_SAVE_SESSION
--secrets <path>path to a file containing secrets in the dotenv format<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_SECRETS
--shared-browser-contextreuse the same browser context between all connected HTTP clients.<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_SHARED_BROWSER_CONTEXT
--snapshot-mode <mode>when taking snapshots for responses, specifies the mode to use. Can be "full" or "none". Default is "full".<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_SNAPSHOT_MODE
--storage-state <path>path to the storage state file for isolated sessions.<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_STORAGE_STATE
--test-id-attribute <attribute>specify the attribute to use for test ids, defaults to "data-testid"<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_TEST_ID_ATTRIBUTE
--timeout-action <timeout>specify action timeout in milliseconds, defaults to 5000ms<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_TIMEOUT_ACTION
--timeout-navigation <timeout>specify navigation timeout in milliseconds, defaults to 60000ms<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_TIMEOUT_NAVIGATION
--user-agent <ua string>specify user agent string<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_USER_AGENT
--user-data-dir <path>path to the user data directory. If not specified, a temporary directory will be created.<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_USER_DATA_DIR
--viewport-size <size>specify browser viewport size in pixels, for example "1280x720"<br>env PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_VIEWPORT_SIZE
<!--- End of options generated section -->

User profile

You can run Playwright MCP with persistent profile like a regular browser (default), in isolated contexts for testing sessions, or connect to your existing browser using the browser extension.

Persistent profile

All the logged in information will be stored in the persistent profile, you can delete it between sessions if you'd like to clear the offline state. Persistent profile is located at the following locations and you can override it with the --user-data-dir argument.

# Windows
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\ms-playwright\mcp-{channel}-profile

# macOS
- ~/Library/Caches/ms-playwright/mcp-{channel}-profile

# Linux
- ~/.cache/ms-playwright/mcp-{channel}-profile

Isolated

In the isolated mode, each session is started in the isolated profile. Every time you ask MCP to close the browser, the session is closed and all the storage state for this session is lost. You can provide initial storage state to the browser via the config's contextOptions or via the --storage-state argument. Learn more about the storage state here.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "playwright": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "@playwright/mcp@latest",
        "--isolated",
        "--storage-state={path/to/storage.json}"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Browser Extension

The Playwright MCP Chrome Extension allows you to connect to existing browser tabs and leverage your logged-in sessions and browser state. See packages/extension/README.md for installation and setup instructions.

Initial state

There are multiple ways to provide the initial state to the browser context or a page.

For the storage state, you can either:

  • Start with a user data directory using the --user-data-dir argument. This will persist all browser data between the sessions.
  • Start with a storage state file using the --storage-state argument. This will load cookies and local storage from the file into an isolated browser context.

For the page state, you can use:

  • --init-page to point to a TypeScript file that will be evaluated on the Playwright page object. This allows you to run arbitrary code to set up the page.
// init-page.ts
export default async ({ page }) => {
  await page.context().grantPermissions(['geolocation']);
  await page.context().setGeolocation({ latitude: 37.7749, longitude: -122.4194 });
  await page.setViewportSize({ width: 1280, height: 720 });
};
  • --init-script to point to a JavaScript file that will be added as an initialization script. The script will be evaluated in every page before any of the page's scripts. This is useful for overriding browser APIs or setting up the environment.
// init-script.js
window.isPlaywrightMCP = true;

Configuration file

The Playwright MCP server can be configured using a JSON configuration file. You can specify the configuration file using the --config command line option:

npx @playwright/mcp@latest --config path/to/config.json
<details> <summary>Configuration file schema</summary> <!--- Config generated by update-readme.js -->
{
  /**
   * The browser to use.
   */
  browser?: {
    /**
     * The type of browser to use.
     */
    browserName?: 'chromium' | 'firefox' | 'webkit';

    /**
     * Keep the browser profile in memory, do not save it to disk.
     */
    isolated?: boolean;

    /**
     * Path to a user data directory for browser profile persistence.
     * Temporary directory is created by default.
     */
    userDataDir?: string;

    /**
     * Launch options passed to
     * @see https://playwright.dev/docs/api/class-browsertype#browser-type-launch-persistent-context
     *
     * This is useful for settings options like `channel`, `headless`, `executablePath`, etc.
     */
    launchOptions?: playwright.LaunchOptions;

    /**
     * Context options for the browser context.
     *
     * This is useful for settings options like `viewport`.
     */
    contextOptions?: playwright.BrowserContextOptions;

    /**
     * Chrome DevTools Protocol endpoint to connect to an existing browser instance in case of Chromium family browsers.
     */
    cdpEndpoint?: string;

    /**
     * CDP headers to send with the connect request.
     */
    cdpHeaders?: Record<string, string>;

    /**
     * Timeout in milliseconds for connecting to CDP endpoint. Defaults to 30000 (30 seconds). Pass 0 to disable timeout.
     */
    cdpTimeout?: number;

    /**
     * Remote endpoint to connect to an existing Playwright server.
     */
    remoteEndpoint?: string;

    /**
     * Paths to TypeScript files to add as initialization scripts for Playwright page.
     */
    initPage?: string[];

    /**
     * Paths to JavaScript files to add as initialization scripts.
     * The scripts will be evaluated in every page before any of the page's scripts.
     */
    initScript?: string[];
  },

  /**
   * Connect to a running browser instance (Edge/Chrome only). If specified, `browser`
   * config is ignored.
   * Requires the "Playwright MCP Bridge" browser extension to be installed.
   */
  extension?: boolean;

  server?: {
    /**
     * The port to listen on for SSE or MCP transport.
     */
    port?: number;

    /**
     * The host to bind the server to. Default is localhost. Use 0.0.0.0 to bind to all interfaces.
     */
    host?: string;

    /**
     * The hosts this server is allowed to serve from. Defaults to the host server is bound to.
     * This is not for CORS, but rather for the DNS rebinding protection.
     */
    allowedHosts?: string[];
  },

  /**
   * List of enabled tool capabilities. Possible values:
   *   - 'core': Core browser automation features.
   *   - 'pdf': PDF generation and manipulation.
   *   - 'vision': Coordinate-based interactions.
   *   - 'devtools': Developer tools features.
   */
  capabilities?: ToolCapability[];

  /**
   * Whether to save the Playwright session into the output directory.
   */
  saveSession?: boolean;

  /**
   * Reuse the same browser context between all connected HTTP clients.
   */
  sharedBrowserContext?: boolean;

  /**
   * Secrets are used to replace matching plain text in the tool responses to prevent the LLM
   * from accidentally getting sensitive data. It is a convenience and not a security feature,
   * make sure to always examine information coming in and from the tool on the client.
   */
  secrets?: Record<string, string>;

  /**
   * The directory to save output files.
   */
  outputDir?: string;

  console?: {
    /**
     * The level of console messages to return. Each level includes the messages of more severe levels. Defaults to "info".
     */
    level?: 'error' | 'warning' | 'info' | 'debug';
  },

  network?: {
    /**
     * List of origins to allow the browser to request. Default is to allow all. Origins matching both `allowedOrigins` and `blockedOrigins` will be blocked.
     *
     * Supported formats:
     * - Full origin: `https://example.com:8080` - matches only that origin
     * - Wildcard port: `http://localhost:*` - matches any port on localhost with http protocol
     */
    allowedOrigins?: string[];

    /**
     * List of origins to block the browser to request. Origins matching both `allowedOrigins` and `blockedOrigins` will be blocked.
     *
     * Supported formats:
     * - Full origin: `https://example.com:8080` - matches only that origin
     * - Wildcard port: `http://localhost:*` - matches any port on localhost with http protocol
     */
    blockedOrigins?: string[];
  };

  /**
   * Specify the attribute to use for test ids, defaults to "data-testid".
   */
  testIdAttribute?: string;

  timeouts?: {
    /*
     * Configures default action timeout: https://playwright.dev/docs/api/class-page#page-set-default-timeout. Defaults to 5000ms.
     */
    action?: number;

    /*
     * Configures default navigation timeout: https://playwright.dev/docs/api/class-page#page-set-default-navigation-timeout. Defaults to 60000ms.
     */
    navigation?: number;

    /**
     * Configures default expect timeout: https://playwright.dev/docs/test-timeouts#expect-timeout. Defaults to 5000ms.
     */
    expect?: number;
  };

  /**
   * Whether to send image responses to the client. Can be "allow", "omit", or "auto". Defaults to "auto", which sends images if the client can display them.
   */
  imageResponses?: 'allow' | 'omit';

  snapshot?: {
    /**
     * When taking snapshots for responses, specifies the mode to use.
     */
    mode?: 'full' | 'none';
  };

  /**
   * allowUnrestrictedFileAccess acts as a guardrail to prevent the LLM from accidentally
   * wandering outside its intended workspace. It is a convenience defense to catch unintended
   * file access, not a secure boundary; a deliberate attempt to reach other directories can be
   * easily worked around, so always rely on client-level permissions for true security.
   */
  allowUnrestrictedFileAccess?: boolean;

  /**
   * Specify the language to use for code generation.
   */
  codegen?: 'typescript' | 'none';
}
<!--- End of config generated section --> </details>

Standalone MCP server

When running headed browser on system w/o display or from worker processes of the IDEs, run the MCP server from environment with the DISPLAY and pass the --port flag to enable HTTP transport.

npx @playwright/mcp@latest --port 8931

And then in MCP client config, set the url to the HTTP endpoint:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "playwright": {
      "url": "http://localhost:8931/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Security

Playwright MCP is not a security boundary. See MCP Security Best Practices for guidance on securing your deployment.

<details> <summary><b>Docker</b></summary>

NOTE: The Docker implementation only supports headless chromium at the moment.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "playwright": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": ["run", "-i", "--rm", "--init", "--pull=always", "mcr.microsoft.com/playwright/mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Or If you prefer to run the container as a long-lived service instead of letting the MCP client spawn it, use:

docker run -d -i --rm --init --pull=always \
  --entrypoint node \
  --name playwright \
  -p 8931:8931 \
  mcr.microsoft.com/playwright/mcp \
  cli.js --headless --browser chromium --no-sandbox --port 8931 --host 0.0.0.0

The server will listen on host port 8931 and can be reached by any MCP client.

You can build the Docker image yourself.

docker build -t mcr.microsoft.com/playwright/mcp .
</details> <details> <summary><b>Programmatic usage</b></summary>
import http from 'http';

import { createConnection } from '@playwright/mcp';
import { SSEServerTransport } from '@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/server/sse.js';

http.createServer(async (req, res) => {
  // ...

  // Creates a headless Playwright MCP server with SSE transport
  const connection = await createConnection({ browser: { launchOptions: { headless: true } } });
  const transport = new SSEServerTransport('/messages', res);
  await connection.connect(transport);

  // ...
});
</details>

Tools

<!--- Tools generated by update-readme.js --> <details> <summary><b>Core automation</b></summary> <!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_click
    • Title: Click
    • Description: Perform click on a web page
    • Parameters:
      • element (string, optional): Human-readable element description used to obtain permission to interact with the element
      • ref (string): Exact target element reference from the page snapshot
      • selector (string, optional): CSS or role selector for the target element, when "ref" is not available
      • doubleClick (boolean, optional): Whether to perform a double click instead of a single click
      • button (string, optional): Button to click, defaults to left
      • modifiers (array, optional): Modifier keys to press
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_close
    • Title: Close browser
    • Description: Close the page
    • Parameters: None
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_console_messages
    • Title: Get console messages
    • Description: Returns all console messages
    • Parameters:
      • level (string): Level of the console messages to return. Each level includes the messages of more severe levels. Defaults to "info".
      • all (boolean, optional): Return all console messages since the beginning of the session, not just since the last navigation. Defaults to false.
      • filename (string, optional): Filename to save the console messages to. If not provided, messages are returned as text.
    • Read-only: true
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_drag
    • Title: Drag mouse
    • Description: Perform drag and drop between two elements
    • Parameters:
      • startElement (string): Human-readable source element description used to obtain the permission to interact with the element
      • startRef (string): Exact source element reference from the page snapshot
      • startSelector (string, optional): CSS or role selector for the source element, when ref is not available
      • endElement (string): Human-readable target element description used to obtain the permission to interact with the element
      • endRef (string): Exact target element reference from the page snapshot
      • endSelector (string, optional): CSS or role selector for the target element, when ref is not available
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_evaluate
    • Title: Evaluate JavaScript
    • Description: Evaluate JavaScript expression on page or element
    • Parameters:
      • function (string): () => { /* code / } or (element) => { / code */ } when element is provided
      • element (string, optional): Human-readable element description used to obtain permission to interact with the element
      • ref (string, optional): Exact target element reference from the page snapshot
      • selector (string, optional): CSS or role selector for the target element, when "ref" is not available.
      • filename (string, optional): Filename to save the result to. If not provided, result is returned as text.
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_file_upload
    • Title: Upload files
    • Description: Upload one or multiple files
    • Parameters:
      • paths (array, optional): The absolute paths to the files to upload. Can be single file or multiple files. If omitted, file chooser is cancelled.
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_fill_form
    • Title: Fill form
    • Description: Fill multiple form fields
    • Parameters:
      • fields (array): Fields to fill in
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_handle_dialog
    • Title: Handle a dialog
    • Description: Handle a dialog
    • Parameters:
      • accept (boolean): Whether to accept the dialog.
      • promptText (string, optional): The text of the prompt in case of a prompt dialog.
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_hover
    • Title: Hover mouse
    • Description: Hover over element on page
    • Parameters:
      • element (string, optional): Human-readable element description used to obtain permission to interact with the element
      • ref (string): Exact target element reference from the page snapshot
      • selector (string, optional): CSS or role selector for the target element, when "ref" is not available
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_navigate
    • Title: Navigate to a URL
    • Description: Navigate to a URL
    • Parameters:
      • url (string): The URL to navigate to
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_navigate_back
    • Title: Go back
    • Description: Go back to the previous page in the history
    • Parameters: None
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_network_requests
    • Title: List network requests
    • Description: Returns all network requests since loading the page
    • Parameters:
      • static (boolean): Whether to include successful static resources like images, fonts, scripts, etc. Defaults to false.
      • requestBody (boolean): Whether to include request body. Defaults to false.
      • requestHeaders (boolean): Whether to include request headers. Defaults to false.
      • filter (string, optional): Only return requests whose URL matches this regexp (e.g. "/api/.*user").
      • filename (string, optional): Filename to save the network requests to. If not provided, requests are returned as text.
    • Read-only: true
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_press_key
    • Title: Press a key
    • Description: Press a key on the keyboard
    • Parameters:
      • key (string): Name of the key to press or a character to generate, such as ArrowLeft or a
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_resize
    • Title: Resize browser window
    • Description: Resize the browser window
    • Parameters:
      • width (number): Width of the browser window
      • height (number): Height of the browser window
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_run_code
    • Title: Run Playwright code
    • Description: Run Playwright code snippet
    • Parameters:
      • code (string, optional): A JavaScript function containing Playwright code to execute. It will be invoked with a single argument, page, which you can use for any page interaction. For example: async (page) => { await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Submit' }).click(); return await page.title(); }
      • filename (string, optional): Load code from the specified file. If both code and filename are provided, code will be ignored.
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_select_option
    • Title: Select option
    • Description: Select an option in a dropdown
    • Parameters:
      • element (string, optional): Human-readable element description used to obtain permission to interact with the element
      • ref (string): Exact target element reference from the page snapshot
      • selector (string, optional): CSS or role selector for the target element, when "ref" is not available
      • values (array): Array of values to select in the dropdown. This can be a single value or multiple values.
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_snapshot
    • Title: Page snapshot
    • Description: Capture accessibility snapshot of the current page, this is better than screenshot
    • Parameters:
      • filename (string, optional): Save snapshot to markdown file instead of returning it in the response.
      • selector (string, optional): Element selector of the root element to capture a partial snapshot instead of the whole page
      • depth (number, optional): Limit the depth of the snapshot tree
    • Read-only: true
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_take_screenshot
    • Title: Take a screenshot
    • Description: Take a screenshot of the current page. You can't perform actions based on the screenshot, use browser_snapshot for actions.
    • Parameters:
      • type (string): Image format for the screenshot. Default is png.
      • filename (string, optional): File name to save the screenshot to. Defaults to page-{timestamp}.{png|jpeg} if not specified. Prefer relative file names to stay within the output directory.
      • element (string, optional): Human-readable element description used to obtain permission to screenshot the element. If not provided, the screenshot will be taken of viewport. If element is provided, ref must be provided too.
      • ref (string, optional): Exact target element reference from the page snapshot. If not provided, the screenshot will be taken of viewport. If ref is provided, element must be provided too.
      • selector (string, optional): CSS or role selector for the target element, when "ref" is not available.
      • fullPage (boolean, optional): When true, takes a screenshot of the full scrollable page, instead of the currently visible viewport. Cannot be used with element screenshots.
    • Read-only: true
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_type
    • Title: Type text
    • Description: Type text into editable element
    • Parameters:
      • element (string, optional): Human-readable element description used to obtain permission to interact with the element
      • ref (string): Exact target element reference from the page snapshot
      • selector (string, optional): CSS or role selector for the target element, when "ref" is not available
      • text (string): Text to type into the element
      • submit (boolean, optional): Whether to submit entered text (press Enter after)
      • slowly (boolean, optional): Whether to type one character at a time. Useful for triggering key handlers in the page. By default entire text is filled in at once.
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_wait_for
    • Title: Wait for
    • Description: Wait for text to appear or disappear or a specified time to pass
    • Parameters:
      • time (number, optional): The time to wait in seconds
      • text (string, optional): The text to wait for
      • textGone (string, optional): The text to wait for to disappear
    • Read-only: false
</details> <details> <summary><b>Tab management</b></summary> <!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_tabs
    • Title: Manage tabs
    • Description: List, create, close, or select a browser tab.
    • Parameters:
      • action (string): Operation to perform
      • index (number, optional): Tab index, used for close/select. If omitted for close, current tab is closed.
    • Read-only: false
</details> <details> <summary><b>Browser installation</b></summary> </details> <details> <summary><b>Configuration (opt-in via --caps=config)</b></summary> <!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_get_config
    • Title: Get config
    • Description: Get the final resolved config after merging CLI options, environment variables and config file.
    • Parameters: None
    • Read-only: true
</details> <details> <summary><b>Network (opt-in via --caps=network)</b></summary> <!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_network_state_set
    • Title: Set network state
    • Description: Sets the browser network state to online or offline. When offline, all network requests will fail.
    • Parameters:
      • state (string): Set to "offline" to simulate offline mode, "online" to restore network connectivity
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_route
    • Title: Mock network requests
    • Description: Set up a route to mock network requests matching a URL pattern
    • Parameters:
      • pattern (string): URL pattern to match (e.g., "/api/users", "/*.{png,jpg}")
      • status (number, optional): HTTP status code to return (default: 200)
      • body (string, optional): Response body (text or JSON string)
      • contentType (string, optional): Content-Type header (e.g., "application/json", "text/html")
      • headers (array, optional): Headers to add in "Name: Value" format
      • removeHeaders (string, optional): Comma-separated list of header names to remove from request
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_route_list
    • Title: List network routes
    • Description: List all active network routes
    • Parameters: None
    • Read-only: true
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_unroute
    • Title: Remove network routes
    • Description: Remove network routes matching a pattern (or all routes if no pattern specified)
    • Parameters:
      • pattern (string, optional): URL pattern to unroute (omit to remove all routes)
    • Read-only: false
</details> <details> <summary><b>Storage (opt-in via --caps=storage)</b></summary> <!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_cookie_clear
    • Title: Clear cookies
    • Description: Clear all cookies
    • Parameters: None
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_cookie_delete
    • Title: Delete cookie
    • Description: Delete a specific cookie
    • Parameters:
      • name (string): Cookie name to delete
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_cookie_get
    • Title: Get cookie
    • Description: Get a specific cookie by name
    • Parameters:
      • name (string): Cookie name to get
    • Read-only: true
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_cookie_list
    • Title: List cookies
    • Description: List all cookies (optionally filtered by domain/path)
    • Parameters:
      • domain (string, optional): Filter cookies by domain
      • path (string, optional): Filter cookies by path
    • Read-only: true
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_cookie_set
    • Title: Set cookie
    • Description: Set a cookie with optional flags (domain, path, expires, httpOnly, secure, sameSite)
    • Parameters:
      • name (string): Cookie name
      • value (string): Cookie value
      • domain (string, optional): Cookie domain
      • path (string, optional): Cookie path
      • expires (number, optional): Cookie expiration as Unix timestamp
      • httpOnly (boolean, optional): Whether the cookie is HTTP only
      • secure (boolean, optional): Whether the cookie is secure
      • sameSite (string, optional): Cookie SameSite attribute
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_localstorage_clear
    • Title: Clear localStorage
    • Description: Clear all localStorage
    • Parameters: None
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_localstorage_delete
    • Title: Delete localStorage item
    • Description: Delete a localStorage item
    • Parameters:
      • key (string): Key to delete
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_localstorage_get
    • Title: Get localStorage item
    • Description: Get a localStorage item by key
    • Parameters:
      • key (string): Key to get
    • Read-only: true
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_localstorage_list
    • Title: List localStorage
    • Description: List all localStorage key-value pairs
    • Parameters: None
    • Read-only: true
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_localstorage_set
    • Title: Set localStorage item
    • Description: Set a localStorage item
    • Parameters:
      • key (string): Key to set
      • value (string): Value to set
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_sessionstorage_clear
    • Title: Clear sessionStorage
    • Description: Clear all sessionStorage
    • Parameters: None
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_sessionstorage_delete
    • Title: Delete sessionStorage item
    • Description: Delete a sessionStorage item
    • Parameters:
      • key (string): Key to delete
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_sessionstorage_get
    • Title: Get sessionStorage item
    • Description: Get a sessionStorage item by key
    • Parameters:
      • key (string): Key to get
    • Read-only: true
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_sessionstorage_list
    • Title: List sessionStorage
    • Description: List all sessionStorage key-value pairs
    • Parameters: None
    • Read-only: true
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_sessionstorage_set
    • Title: Set sessionStorage item
    • Description: Set a sessionStorage item
    • Parameters:
      • key (string): Key to set
      • value (string): Value to set
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_set_storage_state
    • Title: Restore storage state
    • Description: Restore storage state (cookies, local storage) from a file. This clears existing cookies and local storage before restoring.
    • Parameters:
      • filename (string): Path to the storage state file to restore from
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_storage_state
    • Title: Save storage state
    • Description: Save storage state (cookies, local storage) to a file for later reuse
    • Parameters:
      • filename (string, optional): File name to save the storage state to. Defaults to storage-state-{timestamp}.json if not specified.
    • Read-only: true
</details> <details> <summary><b>DevTools (opt-in via --caps=devtools)</b></summary> <!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_resume
    • Title: Resume paused script execution
    • Description: Resume script execution after it was paused. When called with step set to true, execution will pause again before the next action.
    • Parameters:
      • step (boolean, optional): When true, execution will pause again before the next action, allowing step-by-step debugging.
      • location (string, optional): Pause execution at a specific <file>:<line>, e.g. "example.spec.ts:42".
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_start_tracing
    • Title: Start tracing
    • Description: Start trace recording
    • Parameters: None
    • Read-only: true
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_start_video
    • Title: Start video
    • Description: Start video recording
    • Parameters:
      • filename (string, optional): Filename to save the video.
      • size (object, optional): Video size
    • Read-only: true
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_stop_tracing
    • Title: Stop tracing
    • Description: Stop trace recording
    • Parameters: None
    • Read-only: true
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_stop_video
    • Title: Stop video
    • Description: Stop video recording
    • Parameters: None
    • Read-only: true
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_video_chapter
    • Title: Video chapter
    • Description: Add a chapter marker to the video recording. Shows a full-screen chapter card with blurred backdrop.
    • Parameters:
      • title (string): Chapter title
      • description (string, optional): Chapter description
      • duration (number, optional): Duration in milliseconds to show the chapter card
    • Read-only: true
</details> <details> <summary><b>Coordinate-based (opt-in via --caps=vision)</b></summary> <!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_mouse_click_xy
    • Title: Click
    • Description: Click mouse button at a given position
    • Parameters:
      • x (number): X coordinate
      • y (number): Y coordinate
      • button (string, optional): Button to click, defaults to left
      • clickCount (number, optional): Number of clicks, defaults to 1
      • delay (number, optional): Time to wait between mouse down and mouse up in milliseconds, defaults to 0
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_mouse_down
    • Title: Press mouse down
    • Description: Press mouse down
    • Parameters:
      • button (string, optional): Button to press, defaults to left
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_mouse_drag_xy
    • Title: Drag mouse
    • Description: Drag left mouse button to a given position
    • Parameters:
      • startX (number): Start X coordinate
      • startY (number): Start Y coordinate
      • endX (number): End X coordinate
      • endY (number): End Y coordinate
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_mouse_move_xy
    • Title: Move mouse
    • Description: Move mouse to a given position
    • Parameters:
      • x (number): X coordinate
      • y (number): Y coordinate
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_mouse_up
    • Title: Press mouse up
    • Description: Press mouse up
    • Parameters:
      • button (string, optional): Button to press, defaults to left
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_mouse_wheel
    • Title: Scroll mouse wheel
    • Description: Scroll mouse wheel
    • Parameters:
      • deltaX (number): X delta
      • deltaY (number): Y delta
    • Read-only: false
</details> <details> <summary><b>PDF generation (opt-in via --caps=pdf)</b></summary> <!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_pdf_save
    • Title: Save as PDF
    • Description: Save page as PDF
    • Parameters:
      • filename (string, optional): File name to save the pdf to. Defaults to page-{timestamp}.pdf if not specified. Prefer relative file names to stay within the output directory.
    • Read-only: true
</details> <details> <summary><b>Test assertions (opt-in via --caps=testing)</b></summary> <!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_generate_locator
    • Title: Create locator for element
    • Description: Generate locator for the given element to use in tests
    • Parameters:
      • element (string, optional): Human-readable element description used to obtain permission to interact with the element
      • ref (string): Exact target element reference from the page snapshot
      • selector (string, optional): CSS or role selector for the target element, when "ref" is not available
    • Read-only: true
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_verify_element_visible
    • Title: Verify element visible
    • Description: Verify element is visible on the page
    • Parameters:
      • role (string): ROLE of the element. Can be found in the snapshot like this: - {ROLE} "Accessible Name":
      • accessibleName (string): ACCESSIBLE_NAME of the element. Can be found in the snapshot like this: - role "{ACCESSIBLE_NAME}"
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_verify_list_visible
    • Title: Verify list visible
    • Description: Verify list is visible on the page
    • Parameters:
      • element (string): Human-readable list description
      • ref (string): Exact target element reference that points to the list
      • selector (string, optional): CSS or role selector for the target list, when "ref" is not available.
      • items (array): Items to verify
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_verify_text_visible
    • Title: Verify text visible
    • Description: Verify text is visible on the page. Prefer browser_verify_element_visible if possible.
    • Parameters:
      • text (string): TEXT to verify. Can be found in the snapshot like this: - role "Accessible Name": {TEXT} or like this: - text: {TEXT}
    • Read-only: false
<!-- NOTE: This has been generated via update-readme.js -->
  • browser_verify_value
    • Title: Verify value
    • Description: Verify element value
    • Parameters:
      • type (string): Type of the element
      • element (string): Human-readable element description
      • ref (string): Exact target element reference from the page snapshot
      • selector (string, optional): CSS or role selector for the target element, when "ref" is not available
      • value (string): Value to verify. For checkbox, use "true" or "false".
    • Read-only: false
</details> <!--- End of tools generated section -->

Global Ranking

8.5
Trust ScoreMCPHub Index

Based on codebase health & activity.

Manual Config

{ "mcpServers": { "microsoft-playwright-mcp": { "command": "npx", "args": ["microsoft-playwright-mcp"] } } }