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Short answer: agent-browser documents a custom browser executable, so you can try launching Microsoft Edge with --executable-path or AGENT_BROWSER_EXECUTABLE_PATH. Its standard installer downloads Chrome for Testing, however, and the official material does not provide a complete, Edge-specific setup recipe or compatibility matrix. Use the instructions below to configure your Edge binary, then verify the exact Edge channel, operating system and agent-browser version in your own environment.
What agent-browser does with Edge
agent-browser is a command-line browser automation tool. The documented default installation installs the package globally and then downloads Chrome for Testing:
npm install -g agent-browser
agent-browser installThat browser download is not Microsoft Edge. To attempt an Edge launch, point agent-browser at the executable installed on your machine. The project documents both a command-line option and an environment variable:
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agent-browser --executable-path "/path/to/your/edge" open https://example.com
# Or set it for the shell session
export AGENT_BROWSER_EXECUTABLE_PATH="/path/to/your/edge"
agent-browser open https://example.comThe option name is documented for custom Chromium/Chrome executables; the reviewed documentation does not explicitly certify every Edge release or platform. Treat the first launch as a compatibility check rather than assuming all Edge channels work identically.
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Install agent-browser
Global npm installation
Install the command globally, then install the browser runtime:
npm install -g agent-browser
agent-browser installOn Linux, the project also documents an option to install required system dependencies:
agent-browser install --with-depsThis command still targets the default Chrome for Testing download. It does not replace an existing Edge installation.
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Other documented installation routes
The project also documents npx, a project-local npm dependency, Homebrew, Cargo and installation from source. Choose one route for your project and keep the resulting agent-browser version consistent between development, CI and production. Regardless of the route, the custom executable setting is configured in the same way.
Find the Edge executable
You need the full path to the Edge binary, not the path to a desktop shortcut or the browser’s user-data directory. The exact location depends on your operating system and channel (Stable, Beta or Dev), installation scope and CPU architecture.
Microsoft’s Edge DevTools MCP documentation lists default executable locations for Edge Stable on Windows, macOS and Linux, and for Beta and Dev on Windows and macOS. Those paths are useful references when locating a binary, but the command shown there is for chrome-devtools-mcp, a separate tool. A path that works for that MCP server is not proof that your agent-browser version will launch Edge successfully.
Verify the file before configuring it
- Confirm that the file exists and is executable by the account running agent-browser.
- Check the Edge channel and version in
edge://settings/help. - Use the same machine and user account that will run automation; service accounts often have different permissions and profiles.
- Prefer an absolute path. If the path contains spaces, quote it in the shell.
Do not confuse this setting with making Edge the operating system’s default browser. Default-browser settings control URL and file associations; they do not determine which executable an automation tool launches.
Configure the executable
One-time command-line launch
Use this form when testing a path or when different jobs need different browsers:
agent-browser --executable-path "/absolute/path/to/msedge" open https://example.comReplace the placeholder with the real path on your system. If the command opens a visible Edge window, continue with the snapshot workflow below. If it exits immediately, work through the troubleshooting section rather than silently falling back to Chrome.
Environment variable
Set the documented variable before launching commands. In POSIX shells:
export AGENT_BROWSER_EXECUTABLE_PATH="/absolute/path/to/msedge"
agent-browser open https://example.comIn PowerShell:
$env:AGENT_BROWSER_EXECUTABLE_PATH = "C:PathTomsedge.exe"
agent-browser open https://example.comAn environment variable is convenient for CI or a team-wide shell profile, but make sure it is actually present in the process that starts agent-browser (for example, a service definition or CI step).
Persistent project configuration
agent-browser’s configuration documentation describes an executablePath setting. It also defines precedence: user configuration, project configuration, environment variables, then CLI flags, with the higher-priority value overriding lower-priority values. Put a shared path in project configuration only when every machine uses the same layout; otherwise use an environment variable or a per-machine configuration.
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When a command-line flag and an environment variable disagree, the flag wins. This is useful for a one-off test, but it can also make debugging confusing. Print or otherwise inspect the effective environment and remove stale overrides before changing files.
Run the standard agent-browser workflow
The documented interaction model is: open a page, take an accessibility snapshot, act on an element reference, then take a fresh snapshot after the page changes. The following example assumes your Edge executable setting is already active:
- Open a URL.
agent-browser open https://example.com - Inspect the accessibility tree.
agent-browser snapshotThe output contains element references generated for that page state.
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Use the reference shown by your snapshot with the appropriate agent-browser action (for example, a click or text entry command documented by the project).
- Refresh the snapshot.
agent-browser snapshotReferences can change after navigation, dialog dismissal or DOM updates, so do not reuse an old reference after the page changes.
Start with a simple page before testing authentication, downloads, pop-ups or complex applications. Confirm visually that the launched window is Edge and inspect the reported browser version if your environment exposes it.
Choosing between bundled Chrome and Edge
| Choice | What is established | Operational consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Bundled Chrome for Testing | agent-browser install downloads it by default. |
Usually the least configuration; the browser lifecycle is managed by the documented installer. |
| Custom Edge executable | agent-browser documents --executable-path, AGENT_BROWSER_EXECUTABLE_PATH and executablePath. |
You must supply and maintain the path, Edge channel and permissions, then verify compatibility locally. |
| Existing browser via CDP | The project documents connecting to an existing browser using Chrome examples. | That workflow is documented generically; Edge-specific CDP success is not independently established here, so test it with your exact Edge build. |
Use the bundled browser when reproducibility and minimal setup matter more than Edge-specific behavior. Use a custom Edge executable when your tests must match an Edge deployment, policy or rendering environment.
Troubleshoot Edge launch failures
“Executable not found” or an immediate exit
- Check that the path is absolute and points to the binary, not a shortcut.
- Quote paths containing spaces.
- Verify execute/read permission for the current user or CI account.
- Confirm that the Edge channel has not been removed or upgraded to a different installation location.
Agent-browser still launches Chrome
- Look for a typo in
AGENT_BROWSER_EXECUTABLE_PATH. - Check configuration precedence: a CLI flag overrides an environment variable, which overrides project and user configuration.
- Remove an old environment variable from the shell, service definition or CI secret store.
- Run one explicit command with
--executable-pathto isolate configuration from browser compatibility.
Edge opens, but automation fails
- Test a new, simple page and the open/snapshot sequence first.
- Update or pin the agent-browser version consistently across environments.
- Check whether enterprise policy, an existing profile lock or security software prevents automation.
- Try a clean profile and a supported Edge channel; do not assume a path documented for another tool guarantees agent-browser support.
Snapshots or references are stale
Take a new snapshot after every navigation, click that changes the page, modal dismissal or significant asynchronous update. References describe a particular page state and are not permanent selectors.
Linux dependency errors
Run the documented agent-browser install --with-deps command, then verify that the account running the tool can access the Edge binary and required shared libraries. A successful Chrome dependency install does not prove that every Edge package dependency is present.
Reliability and deployment checklist
- Record the agent-browser version, Edge channel and Edge version used by the job.
- Use an absolute executable path supplied through deployment configuration.
- Run a smoke test that opens a known URL and captures a snapshot before longer workflows.
- Keep browser profiles isolated between parallel jobs to avoid locks and cross-test state.
- Test headless and headed modes separately if your production environment differs from development.
- Revalidate after Edge updates, agent-browser upgrades or operating-system image changes.
No official source reviewed here establishes a complete compatibility matrix for all Edge channels, operating systems and agent-browser releases. If Edge is a hard requirement, make the smoke test part of your build or deployment process.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I make Edge the default browser and have agent-browser use it?
No. The operating system’s default-browser association is separate from the executable agent-browser launches. Configure the executable path explicitly.
Does agent-browser officially support every Edge channel?
The reviewed documentation exposes a custom executable mechanism but does not publish a complete Edge channel and operating-system compatibility matrix. Validate your exact combination.
Should I commit an Edge path to source control?
Only when all machines use the same immutable path. In most teams, an environment variable or deployment setting is safer and portable.
Can ScreenshotNeo replace an interactive Edge test?
No. It is suited to obtaining screenshots, page information and PDFs through an API or MCP tools. It does not replace workflows that require clicking through an application in a real browser session.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the safest first test after setting the Edge path?
Run one explicit command with –executable-path against a simple public URL, confirm the visible browser is Edge, and then run snapshot before adding interactions.
Why might a path from Microsoft’s Edge DevTools MCP documentation not work here?
Those paths are references for a different tool. Installation layout, permissions and executable compatibility still need to be checked for your agent-browser version.
The Bottom Line
agent-browser documents the mechanism needed to try Microsoft Edge, but not a universal Edge recipe. Configure the real executable path, respect configuration precedence, and keep a smoke test for your exact operating system, Edge channel and agent-browser version.
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