Cypress Studio turns interactions in a real browser session into editable Cypress end-to-end test commands. In the Cypress App’s Open Mode, start a new test or extend an existing one, use the application as a visitor would, then review the generated code and add assertions that check the behavior you actually care about. Basic recording and manual assertions do not require Cypress Cloud; Studio AI’s optional assertion suggestions do.
What Cypress Studio records—and what it does not
Studio is a test-authoring workflow, not a test-quality guarantee. It captures supported browser interactions and writes corresponding Cypress commands into a spec. You remain responsible for choosing meaningful test cases, checking the selectors and assertions, and running the test to confirm it passes.
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Cypress describes it this way: “Cypress Studio lets you generate and extend E2E tests by recording real interactions in your app.” Cypress Studio documentation
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Studio records interactions such as clicks, typing, checking or unchecking a checkbox, and selecting an option. It can also help add assertions. It does not infer whether a checkout, permission rule, or backend outcome is correct merely because the interface changed.
Requirements before you start
- Use the Cypress App in Open Mode. Cypress says Studio became default behavior in Cypress 15.4.0; older instructions to enable the
experimentalStudioflag are obsolete. See Cypress experimental features and Open Mode. - Studio requires internet access and sourcemaps so it can load test code accurately. Sourcemaps are enabled by default in most Cypress configurations; Studio reports an error if it cannot load the code.
- Studio supports E2E tests only. It does not support Cucumber-style tests, recording interactions across multiple origins, or iframe and Shadow DOM elements.
- If the test is failing, Studio recording and AI recommendations are disabled until the failure is addressed.
Record a new test in Cypress Studio
- Open your project in the Cypress App and choose Open Mode.
- On a spec file or suite, choose New Test.
- Enter a descriptive test name and the application URL. Studio creates a
cy.visit()command and loads the app for recording. - Interact with the page as a user: click controls, type into fields, check or uncheck boxes, and select options. Studio adds commands as you go.
- Inspect the generated commands and selectors in the Studio panel. Edit the code where needed, then save it to the spec file.
- Run the test and verify both that it passes and that it checks the intended behavior.
The documented interaction commands include .click(), .type(), .check(), .uncheck(), and .select(). Recording can be paused while you inspect elements in DevTools.
Extend an existing test
- Run the spec in the Cypress App.
- In the Command Log, hover over the test you want to extend and choose Edit in Studio.
- Studio replays the existing commands, then enters recording mode after the last command.
- Perform the additional interactions and add any needed assertions. Studio appends them after the existing commands.
- Review and save the edited spec, then rerun the test.
This workflow extends a test from its current end; it is not a way to insert recorded steps into the middle of an existing sequence.
Review selectors and generated code
Studio chooses a selector intended to identify a unique element, using this documented priority:
data-cydata-testdata-testiddata-qanameidclass- tag
- other attributes
nth-child
A selector can be unique in the current page and still be fragile if the app’s markup changes. Prefer stable, intentional test attributes when your project has them. Cypress documents Cypress.ElementSelector for configuring selector priorities to suit project conventions. Treat Studio’s output as editable source code: check that the selected element is the one you meant, especially where repeated labels, dynamic classes, or similar controls appear.
The Studio panel supports inline editing, undo, redo, and reset. Saving writes the changes into the spec file, where you can continue editing the test as ordinary Cypress code.
Add assertions: manual checks and Studio AI
Write a manual assertion
Right-click an element in the app to choose an assertion matching its current state, such as visibility, text, value, or class. Studio appends the assertion to the test. Choose assertions that express an outcome a user or system depends on, rather than simply asserting every visible change. Then run the test and confirm the assertion fails when the expected behavior is absent, if you are validating an important failure path.
Use optional AI recommendations
Studio AI observes visible DOM changes after recorded interactions and suggests assertions based on those changes. It does not inspect application source code or understand business logic and backend rules. Review each recommendation for relevance and correctness before saving it, and run the resulting test. Transitional UI and animation can produce intermediate DOM changes, and large pages may exceed the AI context window; Studio AI does not crawl the app automatically.
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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 matchStudio AI requires Cypress 15.11.0 or later, a Cypress Cloud account, and a project linked to Cloud. The current guide describes an anonymous trial of up to six accepted recommendations before sign-in is requested. It also lists 60 recommendations per hour for a free Cloud account, 300 per hour for a paid account or free trial, and a shared limit of 10 parallel requests. These are operational limits, not guaranteed permanent allowances; check the current Studio guide for changes. During beta, AI is included at no additional charge, but pricing and limits may change.
Does Cypress Studio require Cypress Cloud?
No Cloud account is required for Studio’s basic interaction recording, inline editing, or manual assertions. Cloud is required for Studio AI recommendations. Cypress Cloud also has a separate purpose: it records test-run results, commonly from CI, and provides run history and analytics. That run-result recording is distinct from Studio’s capture of browser actions while authoring a test. See Cypress’s CI and Cloud overview.
Limitations to plan around
- Supported test type: E2E only; Cucumber-style tests are not supported.
- Origins: Studio cannot record interactions across multiple origins.
- Embedded contexts: iframe and Shadow DOM interactions are unsupported.
- AI context: large pages can prevent suggestions, and animations or transitional states can make DOM changes ambiguous.
- Failure state: a failing test must be fixed before Studio recording or AI suggestions can continue.
- Assertions: recorded actions show what happened in the browser, not whether the application’s business rules or backend behavior are correct.
Troubleshooting common problems
Studio does not appear
Open the project in the Cypress App’s Open Mode and check the Cypress version. Studio became default behavior in version 15.4.0, so do not rely on old setup advice that tells you to enable experimentalStudio. Consult the current Studio guide if the option remains unavailable.
Studio reports it cannot load the test code
Check that the project has sourcemaps enabled and that the Cypress App can access the internet. Sourcemaps are enabled in most configurations by default, but a customized build setup may differ.
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Recording or suggestions are disabled
First resolve the failing test; Studio disables recording and AI recommendations while it is failing. For AI specifically, confirm Cypress is version 15.11.0 or later and the project is linked to a Cypress Cloud account.
An element cannot be recorded or selected
Check whether it is inside an iframe or Shadow DOM, or whether the workflow crosses to another origin; these contexts are outside Studio’s documented support. For supported elements, pause recording and inspect the page in DevTools, then adjust the generated selector or test code if needed.
Studio AI gives no useful assertion
AI suggestions are based on visible DOM changes, not the application’s rules. Try a stable, fully rendered state rather than an animation or transition, and write the assertion manually when the expected behavior depends on business logic or backend state.
When recording is a good fit
Studio is useful when you want to quickly scaffold a test from a real user journey, or append a few interactions to a test without writing every command from scratch. Code-first authoring may be a better fit when you want direct control over setup, branching, reusable helpers, or exact assertions from the outset. Either way, the resulting spec is editable Cypress code and should be reviewed and run as part of the project’s normal test workflow. For introductory Cypress concepts, see Cypress’s first end-to-end test guide.
Or skip the browser setup
For a website screenshot rather than an end-to-end test, ScreenshotNeo offers a one-request screenshot API. It is not a replacement for Cypress Studio: it captures a page image or PDF, while Studio authors tests from browser interactions. ScreenshotNeo removes cookie and consent banners, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; bot checks, blank pages, failed loads, timeouts, and cache hits are not billed. Its MCP server lets AI agents use screenshot tools. The free plan includes 1,000 screenshots a month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000. See ScreenshotNeo and the API documentation.
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