If VS Code’s Playwright Test Explorer is empty, first verify that the Microsoft Playwright Test extension and the project’s Playwright package are installed, then open the workspace that contains the tests and select the correct configuration. Next compare testDir and testMatch with the files on disk. Run the same project from the CLI: a CLI failure usually points to setup or matching rules, while CLI success with an empty Explorer points toward the VS Code integration. Finally inspect Playwright output and version compatibility.
What the message means
“No Playwright tests found,” “No tests have been found in this workspace yet,” and “No tests are shown” mean the VS Code extension did not discover a test in the configuration it is currently using. The extension integrates Playwright Test with VS Code’s Test Explorer, but discovery still follows your project’s Playwright configuration. A test file that is outside the configured directory or does not match the configured pattern is invisible even when its contents look correct.
The checks below separate three possibilities: Playwright is not installed or the wrong workspace is open; the selected configuration excludes the files; or the editor integration is failing while the CLI can still discover tests.
1. Verify the extension and project package
Install Microsoft’s extension
Install the official Playwright Test for VS Code extension published by Microsoft. After installation, reload VS Code if it asks you to. The extension repository lists Playwright version 1.38 or newer as a requirement, so record the version in your project before treating compatibility as a possible cause.
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Install Playwright Test in the project
Open a terminal at the project root and check the package:
npm ls @playwright/testIf the project is new, use the official setup command from the Command Palette:
- Press
Ctrl+Shift+P(Windows/Linux) orCmd+Shift+P(macOS). - Run
Test: Install Playwright. - Allow the command to create or update the Playwright project files.
For an existing project, install the package with your normal package manager rather than creating a second, unrelated project. The extension detects Playwright installed in the workspace project; installing it globally does not make a missing local dependency discoverable.
2. Open the workspace that owns the tests
Use File → Open Folder… and select the directory containing package.json, the local @playwright/test dependency, the Playwright configuration, and the test files. Opening a parent folder, a sibling package, or only a test file can leave the extension without the project context it needs.
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Select the intended configuration
Playwright supports multiple configurations. Open the Playwright sidebar, select its gear control, and choose the playwright.config.ts (or other config) that owns the tests you want to run. If a monorepo has several packages, repeat the check in each package’s workspace or select its configuration explicitly. A correct test in an unselected configuration will not appear in the Explorer.
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The setup process and configuration selection are described in Playwright’s VS Code guide.
3. Check discovery rules against the files on disk
Inspect testDir
In the selected configuration, find testDir. It defines the directory Playwright searches. Compare it with the actual path of a test file. For example, if tests are in tests/e2e/login.spec.ts but testDir is tests/unit, the Explorer correctly finds nothing in that configuration.
Inspect testMatch and related patterns
Check testMatch (and any exclusion such as testIgnore) against the filename. A common convention is *.spec.ts or *.test.ts, but a custom pattern may require a different suffix or directory. The complete matching behavior is documented in the TestConfig reference.
import { defineConfig } from '@playwright/test';
export default defineConfig({
testDir: './tests',
testMatch: /.*.spec.ts/,
});Use your real layout and naming convention; do not change a pattern merely because it appears in an example. If you change the configuration, save it and allow the extension to refresh discovery.
Check that the file is a Playwright test
The file must import Playwright’s test API and declare at least one test. A file containing only helper functions, or tests written for another framework, will not be reported as a Playwright test.
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import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
test('home page has a title', async ({ page }) => {
await page.goto('https://example.com');
await expect(page).toHaveTitle(/Example/);
});4. Compare VS Code discovery with the CLI
Run the Playwright CLI from the same directory and with the same configuration:
npx playwright test --list
npx playwright test --config=playwright.config.ts --listUse the second form when the project has more than one config. The --list command reports tests without executing them.
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- Confirm that the terminal’s current directory is the project root.
- Confirm that
testDirexists and contains the files you expect. - Confirm that the filename matches
testMatchand is not excluded. - Confirm that the selected config is the one used by the command.
- Confirm that
@playwright/testis installed in that package.
This branch indicates a project setup or matching problem before it indicates an editor problem.
If the CLI lists tests but VS Code does not
Focus on workspace and extension integration: re-check the selected config, look at the Playwright output channel, and compare the project Playwright version with the extension’s requirement. CLI success narrows the investigation toward VS Code, but it is a diagnostic inference rather than a guaranteed root-cause rule.
5. Read extension diagnostics and versions
Open Playwright output
- Open View → Output.
- Use the output-channel selector and choose Playwright (or the similarly named Playwright channel).
- Refresh the Test Explorer and read the newest messages.
Look for a configuration-load error, a path that does not exist, or a failure to connect to the project. Fix the specific path or configuration named in the message, then refresh discovery.
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Record the versions
npx playwright --version
code --versionThe extension repository lists Playwright 1.38+ as a requirement. Treat that as a compatibility check, not proof that upgrading will fix your particular workspace. A GitHub issue opened April 15, 2026 reported a configuration-connection failure while CLI tests worked in an environment using Playwright 1.58.0, VS Code 1.114.0–1.116.0, and extension 1.1.17. Those are the reporter’s versions, not a universal compatibility matrix or a confirmed explanation for every empty Explorer.
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| CLI result | Selected config and patterns | Most useful next check |
|---|---|---|
| No tests | Incorrect or unverified | Fix workspace, package, testDir, testMatch, or config selection. |
| No tests | Verified | Run npx playwright test --list with the explicit config and inspect CLI errors. |
| Tests listed | Verified | Read the Playwright output channel and inspect extension/config connection errors. |
| Tests listed | Different config in VS Code | Use the sidebar gear to select the config used by the CLI. |
Common symptoms and fixes
“No tests have been found in this workspace yet” immediately after opening a folder
Check that the opened folder contains the local package and config, then select the correct config in the Playwright sidebar. Wait for dependency installation and configuration loading to finish before judging the Explorer.
The test file is visible in Explorer but not in Playwright
Visibility in the file tree does not imply Playwright discovery. Compare its path and suffix with testDir, testMatch, and exclusions. A helper file with no test() declaration is also expected to be absent.
CLI works, but the extension reports a config connection error
Capture the exact output message, verify the selected configuration and project root, and compare versions. The 2026 issue mentioned above demonstrates that this symptom can occur, but it does not establish one fix. Avoid changing unrelated settings or upgrading blindly; make one documented change at a time and refresh the Explorer.
Several projects or configs appear mixed together
Use the sidebar gear to select the intended configuration. Playwright’s project feature can define separate browser or environment projects inside one config; read the project names and ensure you are not filtering to an empty project. See Playwright’s test-project documentation for the model used by multi-project configs.
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After tests appear: run and debug safely
- Use the play button beside a test, file, or project in the Playwright Test Explorer.
- Use the debug action to launch the test under VS Code’s debugger.
- When a change removes tests, run
npx playwright test --listbefore debugging to distinguish discovery from runtime failures. - Keep the config selected in VS Code aligned with the config used in continuous integration.
Or skip the browser setup
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When to escalate
Escalate with a minimal reproduction when the CLI lists tests, the workspace and configuration are verified, and the Playwright output still shows an extension-side connection or loading failure. Include the operating system, VS Code version, extension version, Playwright version, selected config path, the exact output error, and the result of npx playwright test --list. This evidence lets maintainers distinguish a project pattern issue from an editor integration defect without assuming that one reported issue applies universally.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does renaming every test file to .spec.ts always fix discovery?
No. The filename must match the selected configuration’s testMatch; a project may intentionally use another convention, and testDir or exclusions can still prevent discovery.
Why does installing Playwright globally not help the VS Code extension?
The extension detects Playwright installed in the workspace project. A global installation does not replace the project’s local dependency or configuration.
What should I include in a bug report?
Include the exact Explorer and Playwright-output messages, project and config paths, Playwright/VS Code/extension versions, and the output of npx playwright test --list using the same configuration.
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