To use the Playwright MCP browser extension, install the Playwright Extension in Chrome, Edge, or Chromium, then configure your MCP client to launch @playwright/mcp with --extension. The server connects through the browser profile that has the extension installed, so it can work with tabs and session state already present there. You need Node.js 20 or newer and an MCP-capable client.
What the Playwright MCP browser extension does
Playwright’s extension mode connects its MCP server to an existing browser rather than asking it to start a separate browser session. The Playwright documentation describes the extension this way: “The Playwright Extension connects to your existing browser tabs, reusing your logged-in sessions, cookies, and installed extensions.” In practice, this is useful when the page you want an AI client to work with is already open, requires your browser’s sign-in state, or depends on an installed browser extension.
The connection is still a configured automation workflow: the extension must be installed, the MCP server must be registered in your client, and the client must start that server. Having a logged-in browser does not guarantee access to every page or action; the selected profile’s state is what the connection can use.
What you need before setup
- A supported browser: Chrome, Edge, or Chromium with the Playwright Extension installed.
- Node.js 20 or newer: Playwright’s getting-started instructions list this as a prerequisite.
- An MCP client: Configure it to launch the Playwright MCP server using
npx. - The correct browser profile: If you use multiple profiles, decide which one contains the tabs, login state, and extension you want to use.
The extension README describes installation from the Chrome Web Store. Store availability can vary, and country-specific availability has not been established here. Install it in the browser profile you intend to connect rather than assuming an extension installed in one profile is available in another.
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Install and connect the extension
- Install the extension. In Chrome, Edge, or Chromium, install the Playwright Extension in the profile you plan to use. Open that profile and confirm the extension is available there.
- Open your target tab. Sign in or navigate to the page using the normal browser workflow. Extension mode is designed to connect to existing tabs and reuse the selected profile’s browser state.
- Register the MCP server. In your MCP client’s server configuration, add the following entry. The JSON is the documented configuration shape; the exact settings screen and file location depend on your MCP client.
{
"mcpServers": {
"playwright": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["@playwright/mcp@latest", "--extension"]
}
}
}- Save the configuration and start the connection. Restart or refresh the MCP client if its configuration workflow requires it, then invoke its Playwright MCP tools and ask it to interact with the open page.
- Check which profile connected. If the extension is installed in several Chrome profiles, the documented default is the profile used last. If the wrong profile is selected, set the profile explicitly as described below.
The npx command starts @playwright/mcp; --extension selects the extension connection path. The command uses @latest, so it requests the latest package version available when it runs. If you need a controlled rollout, use the package/version policy supported by your environment rather than assuming that @latest is fixed.
Choose a browser profile explicitly
When more than one Chrome profile has the extension, the extension README says the connection goes to the profile used last. That default can be surprising on shared machines or when personal and work accounts are open. You can name the intended profile directory with --profile-dir-name.
For example, append the option and a documented sample profile name to the server arguments:
{
"mcpServers": {
"playwright": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"@playwright/mcp@latest",
"--extension",
"--profile-dir-name=Profile 2"
]
}
}
}Profile 2 is an example, not a universal profile name. To find the right value, open chrome://version in the target Chrome profile and look at Profile Path; use its final directory component. The extension README also documents PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_PROFILE_DIR_NAME as an environment-variable alternative when you prefer not to put the profile name in the command arguments.
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The extension README documents PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_EXTENSION_TOKEN, a value shown in the extension UI and unique to the browser profile. Configure the token for the profile you are connecting to, using your MCP client’s server environment-variable settings. Do not copy a token from another profile. Exact extension UI labels may change, so use the current extension interface to locate the value rather than relying on an assumed button or menu name.
Treat the token as configuration secret material: keep it in the client’s environment or secret-management facility where available, and avoid committing it to a shared configuration file. If you change profiles, confirm that the configured token belongs to the newly selected one.
When extension mode is the right connection
Choose --extension when the browser is already open and the task benefits from that profile’s existing tabs, authentication state, cookies, or installed extensions. The documented examples include SSO or two-factor sign-in, pages that rely on browser extensions, and work that should continue in already-open tabs.
Extension mode is not the only way to connect the Playwright MCP server to a browser. The right option depends on where the browser is running and what state it needs:
| Connection option | Connects to | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
Extension (--extension) |
Existing tabs through a Chrome or Edge profile with the extension installed | You need the selected profile’s open tabs, sign-in state, cookies, or installed browser extensions. |
Browser channel (for example, --cdp-endpoint=chrome) |
A running Chrome or Edge channel after remote debugging is enabled | You can configure or enable remote debugging and want to attach to that running browser. |
| CDP endpoint | A Chromium-based browser exposed through a Chrome DevTools Protocol endpoint | You already have a known local or service endpoint, such as a browser launched with a remote-debugging port. |
Playwright server endpoint (--endpoint) |
A browser already running behind a Playwright server | Your deployment already exposes a Playwright server endpoint. |
The main Playwright MCP documentation describes browser choices beyond extension mode, but that does not make those browser choices compatible with the extension connection. The extension path described here is for Chrome, Edge, or Chromium; pick a channel, CDP, or server endpoint when it better matches the browser deployment.
Use the connected browser carefully
Because extension mode reuses an existing profile, the browser’s current account and session matter. Before asking an AI client to act on a sensitive site, make sure the intended profile is selected, the correct account is signed in, and the open tab is the page you mean to use. Avoid using a personal or privileged profile for a task that should be isolated.
- Keep work and personal browser profiles distinct when their accounts or permissions differ.
- Use the least-privileged account that can complete the task.
- Review the page and the requested action before allowing automation to submit, purchase, delete, or otherwise change data.
- Do not assume the MCP connection creates a separate clean session: its purpose is to attach through the existing browser context.
Troubleshooting connection problems
The MCP client does not show or start the Playwright server
Check that the server entry is valid JSON, the client supports MCP servers, and Node.js 20 or newer is installed and available to the client process. Confirm that the command is npx and that the argument list includes @playwright/mcp@latest and --extension. If you edited configuration while the client was open, use its configuration reload or restart flow.
The extension connects to the wrong profile
If the extension is present in multiple profiles, the documented default is the profile used last. Set --profile-dir-name to the final directory component shown in that profile’s chrome://version page, or use PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_PROFILE_DIR_NAME. Then check that the extension and target tab are in that profile.
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The intended tab or logged-in state is missing
Verify that you opened the target page in the profile selected by the MCP server. Signing in or opening a tab in a different profile does not make that state part of the selected profile. If the task depends on a browser extension, confirm that the extension is installed and enabled in the same profile.
The extension token does not match
Use the token shown for the profile being connected and set it as PLAYWRIGHT_MCP_EXTENSION_TOKEN in the MCP server’s environment configuration. Tokens are profile-specific; a token copied from a different profile may prevent the expected connection. Recheck the selected profile and its token if you recently switched profiles.
The site still denies access
Extension mode reuses browser state; it does not grant new permissions or guarantee that a site will allow an action. Confirm the selected account has access and that any required sign-in or verification step is complete. If the site’s policy or a challenge prevents access, do not try to bypass it; use the site’s supported access process.
The option or UI label differs from the instructions
Package options and extension interfaces can change. The configuration above reflects the documented extension-mode shape, but it is not a client-specific walkthrough or a hands-on verification of every current settings screen. Consult the current Playwright MCP and extension documentation if your installed version rejects an option or presents a different interface.
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Extension mode avoids starting a separate browser workflow when you already have the right tab and profile open, but it also couples the task to that browser’s state. A closed tab, expired login, changed profile, or disabled extension can interrupt a task. For repeatable automation that should not depend on a person’s live browser session, a channel, CDP endpoint, or Playwright server may fit better, depending on the deployment.
The example uses @latest, which can change as the package is updated. For teams, decide who manages package updates and test configuration changes before applying them to a shared workflow. Keep profile names and tokens aligned, and avoid embedding profile-specific secrets in a configuration intended for other users.
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Here is the documented cURL call, saving the returned image as WebP:
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does using the extension expose a separate browser session to the MCP client?
No. Extension mode is specifically for connecting through an existing browser profile and its tabs; it is not described as a fresh isolated browser session.
Can extension mode guarantee that a page requiring sign-in will work?
No. It can reuse the selected profile’s login state, but access still depends on the account, the site, and the state of that session.
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