To check whether Puppeteer can download a browser, verify its install settings and cache, install the browser if it is missing, and then test a launch. Installing the puppeteer package normally downloads a compatible Chrome for Testing browser; installing puppeteer-core does not. A browser file on disk is not proof that it will launch in your environment.
Check which Puppeteer package you installed
The standard puppeteer package downloads a compatible browser during installation. If your project uses puppeteer-core, no browser download is expected: that package is for workflows where you manage a browser separately or connect to a remote browser.
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Check your project’s dependencies and use the matching setup. If you want Puppeteer to manage its compatible browser, install puppeteer; if you intentionally use puppeteer-core, provide a separately managed browser or remote connection instead.
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Puppeteer’s browser download runs as part of the package installation. A package manager that blocks dependency install scripts can prevent that step, producing errors such as Could not find Chrome (ver. ...) or Could not find expected browser locally. Puppeteer’s installation guide documents this behavior.
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Check whether PUPPETEER_SKIP_DOWNLOAD is set, or whether Puppeteer’s skipDownload option or a browser-specific skip setting disables downloads. Its configuration documentation describes configuration and environment-variable overrides. Also check your package manager’s install-script policy; a skip setting and blocked scripts can each leave the browser absent.
Check Puppeteer’s browser cache
Since Puppeteer v19.0.0, its default browser cache directory is ~/.cache/puppeteer. The path can differ if PUPPETEER_CACHE_DIR or the cacheDirectory option is set. Check the effective configuration rather than assuming the default path.
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The install process and the process that runs Puppeteer need to use the same effective cache location. A browser downloaded in one environment or cache directory may not be available to a runtime process using another. The configuration guide explains the cache setting.
Install the browser manually if it is missing
- From your project directory, run
npx puppeteer browsers install. This is Puppeteer’s documented command for installing its browsers. - Review the output for download or installation errors, and check the configured cache directory afterward.
- If the command completes but the runtime still reports a missing browser, confirm that installation and runtime use the same cache path and that no skip-download setting is active.
Puppeteer’s current installation documentation, version 25.12.0, gives approximate Chrome for Testing download sizes of 170 MB on macOS, 282 MB on Linux, and 280 MB on Windows. These are rough expectations, not pass/fail thresholds; browser versions and packaging can change.
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Test whether the downloaded browser can launch
After confirming that a browser is present, test launching it separately. A download can succeed even if the current environment cannot start the browser. Puppeteer guarantees compatibility with the browser it bundles; for a separately managed browser, it supports executablePath, but does not extend that same compatibility guarantee to arbitrary executables. See the launch options.
For example, with the standard puppeteer package:
const puppeteer = require('puppeteer');
(async () => {
const browser = await puppeteer.launch();
console.log('Browser launched');
await browser.close();
})().catch(error => {
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});Run it with node in the project environment. A successful launch confirms more than the presence of a downloaded file: Puppeteer found a browser and started it in that environment.
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Troubleshoot common missing-browser errors
Could not find Chrome (ver. ...): The expected browser version is unavailable to Puppeteer. Check whether install scripts were blocked, whether a skip-download setting is enabled, and whether the runtime is looking in the same cache used during installation. Then runnpx puppeteer browsers install.Could not find expected browser locally: Check the effective cache directory and install the browser if it is absent. If you usepuppeteer-core, remember that it does not download a browser.- Manual install runs, but Puppeteer still cannot find the browser: Compare the install-time and runtime values for
PUPPETEER_CACHE_DIRand anycacheDirectoryconfiguration. Check that the runtime is not using a different configuration or environment. - The browser exists but launch fails: Treat this as a launch or environment problem, not a download check. Test with Puppeteer’s bundled browser first; a custom executable is not covered by the bundled-browser compatibility guarantee.
Or skip the browser setup
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Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently Asked Questions
Does installing puppeteer-core download Chrome?
No. You need to manage a browser separately or use a remote browser with puppeteer-core.
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How large is the Puppeteer browser download?
Puppeteer’s v25.12.0 installation guide gives approximate Chrome for Testing sizes of 170 MB on macOS, 282 MB on Linux, and 280 MB on Windows; actual sizes can change.
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