The most reliable way to configure Applitools Eyes with Selenium in IntelliJ is to open Applitools’ official Maven sample, provide your API key to the test process through an environment variable, and run the sample test. You need a JDK 8 or higher, Maven (bundled with IntelliJ IDEA), Chrome, a matching-major-version ChromeDriver, and an Applitools account with an API key. The test uses Selenium to drive the browser and Eyes to capture visual checkpoints for comparison in Applitools Test Manager.
What you need before configuring Eyes
- An Applitools account and API key.
- IntelliJ IDEA and a JDK 8 or higher.
- Maven. IntelliJ IDEA includes Maven, so you do not need to install it separately for this setup.
- Chrome and ChromeDriver with matching major version numbers.
Applitools’ current Java Selenium quickstart lists these prerequisites and uses an official sample project: example-selenium-java-basic. Browser and driver releases change, so check the versions installed on your machine if Selenium cannot initialize Chrome.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Start with the official Maven sample in IntelliJ
- Clone or download the Applitools Java Selenium sample.
- In IntelliJ IDEA, open the project directory containing its
pom.xml. Allow IntelliJ to import the Maven project and resolve dependencies. If you prefer the command line, runmvn installfrom the project directory. - Confirm ChromeDriver is available on your system
PATH. The quickstart gives/usr/local/binas an example location on macOS and Linux. The executable location and setup differ by operating system. - Set the API key in the environment before running the test, as described below.
Use the sample’s pom.xml for the dependency versions rather than copying an unverified SDK coordinate: the quickstart does not specify current Maven coordinates in its visible setup instructions.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallCrashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteSet the API key for IntelliJ’s test process
Eyes reads the key from the APPLITOOLS_API_KEY environment variable. It must be available to the process that runs the test. Do not put a real key in source code or publish it in screenshots.
#1 Best Overall
Set it in IntelliJ
Open the run configuration for the test and add an environment variable named APPLITOOLS_API_KEY with your key as its value. Exact menu labels can vary by IntelliJ version; the important point is that the variable is present in the test process’s environment.
Set it in a terminal
On macOS or Linux, export the variable before starting IntelliJ from that shell or before running Maven there:
export APPLITOOLS_API_KEY=<your-api-key>
On Windows Command Prompt, set it in the terminal used to launch the test:
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →set APPLITOOLS_API_KEY=<your-api-key>
Opening IntelliJ before setting a terminal variable does not necessarily make that variable available to the already-running IDE. For an IDE-launched test, configure the environment variable in the test run configuration.
Run the sample test
The sample test is src/test/java/com/applitools/example/AcmeBankTests.java. Run it from IntelliJ after adding the API key to its run configuration. Alternatively, from the project directory run:
mvn exec:exec@run-the-tests -Dexec.classpathScope=test
If the project does not build, first check that Maven has imported the sample’s dependencies and that the JDK is configured for the project. If Chrome does not start, resolve the browser/driver issue before diagnosing Eyes: Selenium must initialize and navigate the browser before visual checks can occur.
Recommended Free Tools
How Selenium and Eyes work together
Selenium drives the application under test. The Eyes SDK uses that driver to capture screenshots at visual checkpoints, sends them to Eyes Server for comparison with baselines, and reports differences for review in Test Manager. Applitools summarizes one part of the flow this way: “The Eyes SDK also uses the driver to capture screenshots.” (Applitools System Overview.)
Rank #3
The lifecycle is to create and configure an Eyes object, begin a visual test with eyes.open, navigate and interact through Selenium, add a visual check, close the test, then abort any test left open and quit the driver during cleanup. Use the API shown in the current sample and documentation; older examples may use methods such as eyes.checkWindow, while the current quickstart uses eyes.check.
Understand first-run baselines and later comparisons
When there is no baseline for a test, the first run is recorded as a new test and its captured images become the baseline. Later runs compare their checkpoints with that saved baseline and may report visual differences in the dashboard. Review differences before accepting a new baseline: accepting one changes what future runs treat as expected.
Choose a match level for the content
The quickstart describes three match levels. Choose based on what the visual check is intended to catch, especially where page content changes between runs.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems| Match level | What it is suited to |
|---|---|
| Strict | The default matching mode; use when visual details, including color, matter. |
| Ignore Colors | Disregards color changes while checking other visual details. |
| Layout | Focuses on overall structure and relative positioning; useful for dynamic content. |
For a changing area, the quickstart demonstrates applying Layout matching to selected regions. That preserves a check on presence and structure instead of removing the region from visual testing altogether.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot common setup failures
Eyes reports a missing API key
Confirm that the variable is named exactly APPLITOOLS_API_KEY and that the test run configuration contains it. A variable set in a terminal is only inherited by processes launched from that environment; an IDE already open may not see a later terminal change.
ChromeDriver fails to initialize
Check that Chrome and ChromeDriver have the same major version number, and verify that the driver is executable and discoverable on PATH. A mismatch can cause WebDriver initialization errors. Browser and driver versions are volatile, so inspect the versions actually installed rather than relying on an old setup note.
Maven cannot resolve or compile the project
Ensure IntelliJ opened the directory containing the sample’s pom.xml, then allow Maven dependency resolution to finish. Try mvn install from that directory to distinguish project import issues from test-run issues. Check the project JDK and consult the sample’s current pom.xml rather than guessing SDK versions.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
The test runs but reports visual differences
Inspect the checkpoint in Test Manager to determine whether the change is a real regression, an intended update, or dynamic content. Use Strict when visual details matter, Ignore Colors when color is intentionally variable, or Layout for selected dynamic regions. Do not accept a new baseline until the difference is understood.
Best Value
Or skip the browser setup
ScreenshotNeo provides a website screenshot API and MCP server. Its API can return a screenshot or PDF from one GET request; this example saves a WebP screenshot of Stripe. See the ScreenshotNeo documentation for request options.
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webp
ScreenshotNeo accepts cookie and consent banners and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; each of those steps can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, and responses report page verdict and billing status in headers. Its MCP server offers take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf for AI agents and other MCP clients. The free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots.
Learn about ScreenshotNeo, or sign up free for 1,000 screenshots a month with no card.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
