The right way to record a browser automation session depends on the artifact you need. Use Playwright video for visual playback, a Playwright trace for step-by-step debugging, or Selenium IDE when you want recorded interactions that can be edited and replayed as test commands. These outputs are related, but they are not interchangeable.
Choose the recording artifact first
| Artifact | Best for | How you inspect it | Capture considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Playwright video | Showing what the browser visibly did | Any video player | Video is off by default; files are finalized when the browser context closes |
| Playwright trace | Diagnosing failed or flaky tests | Playwright Trace Viewer | Includes actions, locators, timings, DOM snapshots and logs; tracing every test is performance-heavy |
| Selenium IDE recording | Creating and editing replayable browser commands | Selenium IDE playback and editor | Records user interactions in a browser extension |
If a manager needs a visual walkthrough, record video. If a test failed and you need to know which locator, network state or DOM snapshot caused it, record a trace. If you are starting from manual browser actions and want a test you can edit, use Selenium IDE.
Record a Playwright video with Playwright Test
Playwright Test exposes a video option in its test configuration. Its documented modes are off, on, retain-on-failure and on-first-retry; the default is off. A practical CI configuration keeps artifacts for failures without storing a video for every successful run.
Install and configure
- Install Playwright and its browsers in your project.
- Create or edit
playwright.config.ts. - Set the video policy under
use. - Run the test; the video is written into the test-results directory after the context closes.
import { defineConfig } from '@playwright/test';
export default defineConfig({
use: {
video: 'retain-on-failure'
}
});Use video: 'on' when every run must have visual evidence. Use 'on-first-retry' when you want a recording only when Playwright retries a failed test. Keep 'off' for the lowest capture overhead.
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Complete example test
import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
test('checkout confirmation is visible', async ({ page }) => {
await page.goto('https://example.com/checkout');
await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Place order' }).click();
await expect(page.getByText('Order confirmed')).toBeVisible();
});After the run, open the generated test-results folder and play the attached video. The exact folder name includes the test and retry information, so retain that directory when uploading CI artifacts.
Recording a manually created browser context
If you do not use the Playwright Test runner, the Browser API supports recordVideo on a browser context. Supply an output directory and, optionally, a video size. The important detail is finalization: video is saved when the context closes, so await context.close() before your process exits.
import { chromium } from 'playwright';
const browser = await chromium.launch();
const context = await browser.newContext({
recordVideo: {
dir: 'videos/',
size: { width: 1280, height: 720 }
}
});
const page = await context.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com');
await page.screenshot({ path: 'checkpoint.png' });
await context.close(); // finalizes the video
await browser.close();See the Playwright videos documentation and Browser API reference for the current option details.
Record a Playwright trace for diagnosis
A trace is more informative than a video when a test fails. Trace Viewer can show the action sequence, locator used, duration, before-and-after state, action log, source location and DOM snapshots. When screenshots are enabled, the timeline also includes screencast frames.
Capture traces with the test runner
For a one-off diagnostic run, start tracing from the command line:
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npx playwright test --trace onPlaywright also supports on-first-retry, on-all-retries, retain-on-failure and off. A useful default for CI is retain-on-failure; it avoids keeping successful-run archives while preserving evidence for failures. The documentation labels tracing every test with on as performance-heavy, so choose an always-on policy only when the diagnostic value justifies the storage and runtime cost.
Open the trace
Once a test produces a trace ZIP, open it locally with:
npx playwright show-trace path/to/trace.zipThe Playwright documentation says the browser-hosted viewer processes the trace in your browser and does not transmit the trace data externally. That statement applies to the documented viewer; it does not automatically describe third-party trace storage or hosting.
Capture a trace without Playwright Test
For custom runners, use the BrowserContext tracing API:
import { chromium } from 'playwright';
const browser = await chromium.launch();
const context = await browser.newContext();
await context.tracing.start({ screenshots: true, snapshots: true });
const page = await context.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com');
await page.getByRole('link', { name: 'More information' }).click();
await context.tracing.stop({ path: 'trace.zip' });
await context.close();
await browser.close();Enable screenshots when visual frames will help correlate an action with the page state. DOM snapshots and action logs are especially useful for locator failures that a final screenshot cannot explain. Read the Playwright Trace Viewer guide for the supported capture modes and viewer workflow.
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Record browser actions as tests with Selenium IDE
Selenium IDE is a browser extension for Chrome, Firefox and Edge that records and plays back user actions. It is the closest match to “record my clicks and turn them into a test,” rather than “save a video of this run.”
Getting-started workflow
- Open Selenium IDE and create a new project.
- Enter the project’s base URL.
- Start the recording flow, which opens a browser window.
- Interact with the site as a user: navigate, click, type and submit.
- Return to Selenium IDE and stop recording.
- Review the generated commands, edit locators or values, and play the test back.
Because the result is a command sequence, inspect and maintain it like source code. Recorded selectors can be fragile when a site changes its markup; replace them with stable attributes or clearer locator strategies where appropriate. The official documentation describes the extension and its getting-started process at Selenium IDE and Getting Started · Selenium IDE.
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For visual review
Choose Playwright video. It answers “what did the user see?” and is easy to attach to a build or share with a non-technical reviewer. Select on-first-retry or retain-on-failure when routine recordings would create unnecessary artifacts.
For flaky-test investigation
Choose a Playwright trace. Its locator, timing, source and DOM information lets you distinguish a timeout, an unexpected page transition, a changed element and a race condition. Start with failure- or retry-oriented capture, then use --trace on for a reproduction run that needs complete coverage.
For quickly creating a replayable test
Choose Selenium IDE. It gives you an editable command list from a manual interaction session. It does not replace a video or a Playwright trace when you need visual or DOM-level diagnostics.
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Operational details that prevent lost recordings
- Close contexts deliberately. A manually created Playwright video may not exist until
await context.close()completes. - Persist CI artifacts. Configure your CI system to upload the test-results directory and trace ZIP files before the job workspace is discarded.
- Use selective policies. Always-on video and tracing increase files and capture work; retry- and failure-oriented modes usually provide better signal per artifact.
- Protect sensitive data. Videos, traces and recorded commands can contain account names, page content, URLs, cookies or typed values. Restrict access and avoid recording production credentials.
- Keep a reproducible command. Save the exact test command and browser version alongside an artifact so another engineer can replay the same run.
Troubleshooting recording failures
No video file appears
With a manually created context, the usual cause is process exit before the context closes. Await context.close() before closing the browser or ending the script. In Playwright Test, verify that the selected mode is not off and that your CI job uploads the test-results directory.
The video is present but the test result is missing
Check artifact collection rules and path filters. Playwright creates per-test result directories, so uploading only a top-level screenshots folder can omit videos.
The trace command cannot find the archive
Use the path printed by the test runner or locate the generated trace.zip under the test-results directory. Pass the complete path to npx playwright show-trace.
Tracing slows the suite
Switch from on to retain-on-failure or on-first-retry. Reserve always-on tracing for short reproductions or investigations where the extra context is essential.
Selenium IDE recorded unstable steps
Open the generated command list and replace selectors that depend on changing CSS classes or layout position. Add explicit waits or assertions where the application loads asynchronously, then replay the edited test rather than relying on the raw recording.
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Or skip the browser setup
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One GET request returns PNG, JPEG, WebP or PDF. The API supports full-page and element captures, dark mode, device presets, custom viewport and retina scale, PDF paper settings, custom CSS and JavaScript, clicks, selector waits, network-idle waits, request blocking, headers, cookies, user agents, authorization, timezone, geolocation, transparent backgrounds, resizing, configurable caching, signed image links, asynchronous jobs with signed webhooks, bulk capture of up to 100 URLs per call, usage reporting and an OpenAPI specification. Parameter names used by other screenshot APIs also work.
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FAQ
Can one recording include both a video and a trace?
Yes. Configure Playwright video and trace capture independently for the same test run, then retain the artifacts together. They answer different questions: visual playback versus internal diagnostic context.
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No. Selenium IDE records browser commands for playback and editing. Use Playwright video when you need a video file.
When should I use a final screenshot instead?
Use a final screenshot for a single-state check or visual documentation. It cannot show the sequence, timing, locator details or intermediate DOM states available in a trace.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can one recording include both a video and a trace?
Yes. Configure Playwright video and trace capture independently for the same test run, then retain the artifacts together. They answer different questions: visual playback versus internal diagnostic context.
Does Selenium IDE export a video?
No. Selenium IDE records browser commands for playback and editing. Use Playwright video when you need a video file.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWhen should I use a final screenshot instead?
Use a final screenshot for a single-state check or visual documentation. It cannot show the sequence, timing, locator details or intermediate DOM states available in a trace.
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