BrowserSkill lets a shell-capable AI agent operate a supported browser through a command-line tool, a background daemon, and a browser extension. The agent’s tasks normally run in a separate, visible Agent Window—not in your existing tab. It can borrow an open user tab only through an explicit flow, then returns that tab when the task ends.
BrowserSkill is the browser connection, not an AI model: you choose the agent and model. Its documented browsers are Chrome and Microsoft Edge; other Chromium browsers may work, but compatibility is not guaranteed. The steps and capabilities below reflect the project documentation reviewed on October 7, 2026.
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What BrowserSkill does—and what it does not do
BrowserSkill connects an agent that can run shell commands to browser automation. The agent calls the bsk command-line interface (CLI); the CLI communicates with the BrowserSkill daemon, which communicates with the browser extension. The extension carries out tasks in the browser’s visible Agent Window.
That makes BrowserSkill a bridge between an agent and a browser, not an autonomous agent by itself. You need an agent harness that can use shell commands and the BrowserSkill skill or a relevant integration. The project describes the connection as: “You choose the agent and model; BrowserSkill provides the browser connection.” BrowserSkill project documentation
Can an AI agent use your existing Chrome session?
Yes, but not by silently taking over any tab that happens to be open. BrowserSkill’s normal workflow creates a separate, visible Agent Window. To work in an existing user tab, the agent must use the documented borrow flow, and the browser’s settings govern whether that tab can be borrowed. The borrowed tab is returned when the task ends.
This distinction matters if a page is signed in to email, shopping, work, or another account. The Agent Window is separate from the existing tab, but a borrowed tab can expose the page and account state available in that tab to the agent. Treat tab borrowing as an intentional permission, not as a general-purpose isolation boundary. BrowserSkill project documentation
What you need before installing
- A supported computer platform for the CLI and daemon: macOS, Linux, or Windows x64, according to the project README.
- Chrome or Microsoft Edge based on Chromium 125 or later for the extension, according to the README. These are the documented support targets, not independent compatibility-test results. Other Chromium browsers may work, but the project does not guarantee compatibility.
- An agent or harness able to invoke shell commands, plus BrowserSkill’s agent skill or the integration appropriate to that harness.
- For local mode, access to the computer and browser profile that will run the agent’s browser tasks.
Set up BrowserSkill on the same computer as the browser
Local mode is the straightforward option when the agent and browser run on one computer. Install the CLI and daemon, add the extension to the browser profile you intend to use, and make the skill or integration available to the agent.
Recommended Free Tools
- Install the BrowserSkill CLI and daemon. Follow the project’s current installation instructions for your operating system rather than using a command from an unrelated guide. The project README covers the CLI, daemon, supported platforms, and browser requirements: BrowserSkill project documentation.
- Add the extension to the intended browser profile. Use the project’s extension installation instructions and grant only the browser permissions you understand and need. If you have multiple profiles, make sure the extension is installed in the one whose tabs or signed-in sessions the agent should be able to use.
- Install the BrowserSkill skill or relevant integration for your agent harness. The agent needs to know how to use BrowserSkill; installing the browser extension alone does not supply that knowledge. Follow the harness-specific instructions in the agent installation guide.
- Run
bsk doctor. Use the diagnostic to check the BrowserSkill connection and confirm that the extension is connected. A successful diagnostic does not prove that your agent harness has discovered or loaded the skill. - Check skill discovery and try a small task. Confirm in the harness that the BrowserSkill skill or integration is available, then run a low-risk task in the Agent Window. Verify that the action occurs in the expected browser profile before attempting any work involving a signed-in account.
Local versus remote deployment
Local and remote mode differ mainly in where the agent runs and what trust you grant to the machine running it. In remote mode, the agent, CLI, and daemon are on a server, while the extension—and the browser profile with its signed-in sessions—remain on your computer.
| Consideration | Local mode | Remote mode |
|---|---|---|
| Where the agent runs | On the same computer as the browser. | On a server, alongside the CLI and daemon. |
| Where the browser and login state remain | In the local browser and profile. | In the browser on your computer; the server-side agent can use that browser through the extension. |
| Connection setup | Local CLI/daemon-to-extension connection. | Authenticated WebSocket Secure (WSS) connection and device pairing. The extension initiates the outbound connection, so the browser computer does not need an inbound port. |
| Trust granted | The local agent and software receive access according to the browser permissions and tab-borrowing settings you configure. | The paired server receives broad browser authorization. It can create Agent Windows and navigate using signed-in sessions in the paired browser profile; pairing is not restricted to a particular website account or sandbox. |
| File transfer | The project documents file upload and download. | Remote upload and download are unsupported in the documented version. |
Remote mode can be useful when the agent needs to run on a server but must interact with a browser that stays on your computer. It does not move your browser profile to the server; it connects the server-side agent to the extension through the paired connection. The remote guide also describes access rules for borrowed and newly opened tabs, so do not assume that a tab becomes authorized merely because it is related to another page. Read the pairing and tab-access details before enabling the connection. BrowserSkill remote connection guide
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Permissions and security: what to consider before pairing
A paired remote server can navigate the browser using sessions already signed in to the paired profile. Pair only with a server you control or otherwise trust, and consider what accounts are open in that profile. The connection uses authenticated WSS and device pairing; the guide says grants can be renewed or revoked. Review the guide’s current pairing, access, and revocation instructions before connecting a server. BrowserSkill remote connection guide
Quick Recap
- Use a browser profile appropriate for the task instead of assuming a signed-in profile is isolated from the agent.
- Borrow a user tab only when the task requires that specific tab and you accept the access it provides.
- For remote use, verify the server identity before pairing, and know how to revoke its grant.
- Remember that a visible Agent Window helps you see activity; visibility alone does not reduce the access authorized by a paired browser profile.
Known capability limits
- Browser support is bounded. Chrome and Microsoft Edge based on Chromium 125 or later are the documented targets. Other Chromium browsers are not guaranteed to work.
- Remote file transfer is unavailable in the documented version. The project documents file upload and download for local mode, but not for remote mode.
- A connection check is not a full agent setup check.
bsk doctorcan confirm the extension connection, but the harness must separately discover or load the BrowserSkill skill or integration.
Troubleshooting a connection that does not work
- The extension appears disconnected: Check that the CLI and daemon are installed and running as instructed, and that the extension is installed and enabled in the browser profile you intend to use. Run
bsk doctorto diagnose the connection. - The connection check succeeds, but the agent cannot use BrowserSkill: Check the agent harness’s skill or integration setup and discovery. A successful
bsk doctorresult does not confirm that the harness loaded the instructions. - The agent opens the wrong browser context: Confirm which profile has the extension and whether the task should use a separate Agent Window or the explicit borrow flow for an existing tab.
- Remote pairing fails or access is unexpected: Recheck the remote guide’s pairing and connection requirements, the server identity, and the current grant. Revoke an unwanted grant using the guide’s instructions rather than leaving an untrusted pairing active.
- You need to transfer a file in remote mode: The documented remote workflow does not support upload or download; use local mode if the task depends on the file-transfer capability the project documents.
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