To choose which browser Puppeteer launches, set the defaultBrowser configuration option or the PUPPETEER_BROWSER environment variable. For a single script, pass browser to puppeteer.launch(). Puppeteer’s documented default is Chrome. Use channel to select a regular Chrome installation, or executablePath to point to a specific browser executable.
Here, “default browser” means the browser Puppeteer launches—not the operating system’s default for opening web links. The examples below cover the bundled browser, installed Chrome, and a specific executable.
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Which browser does Puppeteer launch by default?
The current Puppeteer Configuration and LaunchOptions APIs list Chrome as the default browser. The standard puppeteer package downloads Chrome for Testing and a chrome-headless-shell binary during installation. Puppeteer says it works best with the Chrome for Testing version it downloads, and guarantees compatibility with its bundled browser—not arbitrary browser versions.
The API documentation reviewed for this article identifies Puppeteer version 25.12.0; configuration details can change, so check the documentation for the version installed in your project. Puppeteer’s configuration guide is labeled “Next,” and documents multiple browser downloads as supported starting with v23.0.0.
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Choose the right browser selection method
| What you need | Use | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| The supported default and no special browser requirement | Bundled browser | Uses the browser Puppeteer downloads and is the compatibility-guaranteed choice. |
| A regular Chrome installation | channel |
Looks for Chrome in a known system location. This is for Chrome release channels, not arbitrary browser brands. |
| A browser at a known, exact path | executablePath |
Uses the executable you specify instead of the bundled browser. Pair it with browser so the intended browser type is explicit. |
| A browser choice for one script or launch | browser in launch() |
Sets the browser for that launch; LaunchOptions lists Chrome as its default. |
| A browser managed elsewhere or a remote browser | puppeteer-core |
Does not download Chrome or apply Puppeteer configuration files and environment configuration. Supply the required executable path or channel for launch. |
Set a persistent default for the puppeteer package
For Puppeteer’s regular puppeteer package, set defaultBrowser in its configuration or use the documented PUPPETEER_BROWSER environment override. For example, a configuration file can set the default to Chrome:
// puppeteer.config.cjs
module.exports = {
defaultBrowser: 'chrome',
};To set the environment variable for a single shell command:
# macOS or Linux
PUPPETEER_BROWSER=chrome node capture.js
# PowerShell
$env:PUPPETEER_BROWSER = 'chrome'; node .capture.jsThe examples use Chrome because it is the documented default. The configuration option is a SupportedBrowser; check the API documentation for your installed version for the values it supports. Do not rely on these Puppeteer configuration mechanisms with puppeteer-core: that package ignores configuration files and environment configuration.
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Choose a browser for one launch
Use the launch option when the browser choice should be obvious in the script or differ between scripts. This complete Node.js example launches the bundled browser:
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const puppeteer = require('puppeteer');
(async () => {
const browser = await puppeteer.launch({ browser: 'chrome' });
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com', { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
console.log(await page.title());
} finally {
await browser.close();
}
})();Setting browser explicitly makes the choice clear even when it matches Puppeteer’s current default. It is useful for reproducible scripts that should not depend on an implicit package default.
Use installed Chrome or a specific executable
Use a recognized Chrome installation
If you want a regular Chrome installation rather than Puppeteer’s bundled browser, select a documented Chrome channel. The channel resolves Chrome from a known system location:
const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
browser: 'chrome',
channel: 'chrome',
});Use only a channel supported by the Puppeteer version you have installed. A channel is not a way to select an arbitrary browser brand.
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Use executablePath when your deployment or browser-management system provides a specific executable. The path must exist and be executable in the environment running Node.js:
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const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
browser: 'chrome',
executablePath: '/path/to/chrome',
});Replace the example path with the actual path on the machine or container. Puppeteer recommends specifying browser alongside executablePath; without it, the browser type defaults to Chrome. Using an external executable is not covered by Puppeteer’s compatibility guarantee, so validate the exact browser version and environment you deploy.
Understand the package and configuration differences
puppeteer
The end-user puppeteer package downloads a browser and provides defaults. Puppeteer’s installation guide documents the default browser cache as $HOME/.cache/puppeteer, a location documented as applying from v19.0.0. If a package manager blocks install scripts, the browser download may not have run; the installation guide documents manually running Puppeteer’s browser-install command as the remedy.
puppeteer-core
puppeteer-core is intended for setups where browser management happens elsewhere, including remote-browser workflows. It does not download Chrome and ignores Puppeteer configuration files and environment configuration. Set executablePath or channel on launch as appropriate for the browser you manage.
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Firefox and system browsers
Do not assume the Chrome channel option selects Firefox or that system-installed browsers are interchangeable. The @puppeteer/browsers guide describes system-browser launching as limited to Chrome/Chromium. Treat Firefox as a separately configured or downloaded browser, and check the Firefox settings and browser-management documentation for the Puppeteer version in use.
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Make the choice reproducible
- Use the bundled browser when compatibility with Puppeteer’s supported setup matters most.
- Make the browser explicit in
launch()when a script must behave consistently regardless of package defaults. - For a machine-managed browser, use a known channel or exact executable path and validate it in the target environment.
- Record the Puppeteer version and browser-management method alongside deployment configuration; browser updates can affect behavior outside Puppeteer’s compatibility guarantee.
Do not assume a single precedence rule for every combination of configuration, environment variables, and launch options. The API documents particular overrides, but not one complete conflict matrix. When the exact choice matters, state it explicitly at launch and test the resolved setup.
Troubleshoot browser selection
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check or do |
|---|---|---|
| Puppeteer cannot find or launch the browser | The browser download did not run, the executable path is wrong, or the selected channel is not installed in a recognized location. | For puppeteer, confirm installation scripts completed and install the browser using Puppeteer’s documented browser-install command if needed. For a managed browser, verify the path and permissions or use a supported installed Chrome channel. |
| The environment variable appears to have no effect | The project uses puppeteer-core, or the variable was not set in the process environment. |
Use the regular puppeteer package for configuration-based defaults, or make the desired browser explicit in launch(). Confirm the variable is set in the shell or service that starts Node.js. |
| The wrong browser launches | A default or override is being relied on implicitly, or the external executable is not the one expected. | Specify browser in launch options; if using an external browser, specify and verify executablePath or use the intended Chrome channel. |
| An external browser fails despite a valid path | Its version or environment may not be compatible with the installed Puppeteer release. | Test with Puppeteer’s bundled browser to isolate the issue, then validate the external browser version and runtime environment. Puppeteer does not guarantee compatibility with other versions. |
Firefox is not selected through channel |
channel is documented for Chrome release channels, not browser-brand selection. |
Configure or download Firefox separately using the relevant Puppeteer browser-management documentation for your installed version. |
Or skip the browser setup
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does Puppeteer change my computer’s default browser?
No. Puppeteer’s browser setting controls the browser launched by Puppeteer; it does not change the operating system’s default app for web links.
Can I use Puppeteer with a browser installed in a nonstandard location?
Yes. Set executablePath to that executable and specify browser as well. Compatibility with an external browser is not guaranteed.
Does puppeteer-core download Chrome automatically?
No. It does not download Chrome; provide a browser executable path or a suitable Chrome channel when launching.
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