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Choose the snapshot assertion that matches what you need to protect: toHaveScreenshot() for rendered pixels, toMatchAriaSnapshot() for accessible structure, or toMatchSnapshot() for text and other values. Add the assertion, run the test to create the initial expected artifact, inspect it, and commit it. Playwright compares later runs with that saved expectation.
Choose the right kind of snapshot
“Snapshot template” can mean different things in Playwright. Pick the assertion based on the output you want the test to protect; a screenshot baseline is not interchangeable with an accessibility-tree or text snapshot.
| What you want to check | Use | What is compared |
|---|---|---|
| Visual rendering | await expect(page).toHaveScreenshot('landing.png') |
A captured image against a reference screenshot. |
| Accessible structure | await expect(page).toMatchAriaSnapshot(`...`) |
The page or locator’s accessibility tree against a textual template. |
| Text or another value | expect(value).toMatchSnapshot('name.txt') |
A serialized value against a saved snapshot. |
Use a screenshot assertion to catch layout, color, or other pixel-level changes; an ARIA snapshot to express expected accessible roles, names, and relationships; and a generic value snapshot for text or other data. For a visual assertion, Playwright’s screenshot comparison API is part of Playwright Test. See the visual comparisons guide and the ARIA snapshot guide.
Create a visual screenshot baseline
Add a named screenshot assertion to a Playwright Test test. If no expected image exists, the first run writes a reference screenshot. Treat that run as baseline creation: inspect the image and commit it with the test so later runs have a meaningful expectation.
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import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
test('landing page visual baseline', async ({ page }) => {
await page.goto('/');
await expect(page).toHaveScreenshot('landing.png');
});Run the test using your project’s normal Playwright Test command, for example npx playwright test. On the first run, check the output to confirm that Playwright wrote the expected screenshot. On subsequent runs, the assertion compares the current rendering with the baseline and reports differences.
Limit the assertion to a component
If a whole-page image would include unrelated or frequently changing content, scope the screenshot to a locator. This makes the expected image correspond to the component you care about.
await expect(page.getByRole('navigation')).toHaveScreenshot('navigation.png');Choose a stable locator that identifies the intended region. If the locator is missing or resolves ambiguously, fix the test’s targeting before accepting a baseline; otherwise, the screenshot may not represent the component you meant to cover. Locator screenshot assertions are documented in the LocatorAssertions reference.
Write an accessible-structure template
Use toMatchAriaSnapshot() when the contract is the accessible structure rather than the exact pixels. The template describes the expected accessibility tree; you can assert on the page or scope the assertion to a locator.
import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
test('welcome heading is exposed', async ({ page }) => {
await page.goto('/');
await expect(page).toMatchAriaSnapshot(`
- heading "Welcome"
`);
});Replace the illustrative heading with the roles, names, and structure appropriate to your page. Matching is order-sensitive. Leaving out a name or attribute allows a partial match, so include only the detail that forms part of the intended expectation. An overly broad template can miss a change you meant to catch; an unnecessarily detailed one can make unrelated structure changes harder to maintain.
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await expect(page.getByRole('main')).toMatchAriaSnapshot(`
- heading "Account settings"
- link "Manage profile"
`);The official guide also describes using Code Generator or an empty template to generate a snapshot on the fly. Generated output is a starting point, not an accessibility specification: review it against the structure your test should require. Consult the ARIA snapshots guide for template syntax and update workflows.
Snapshot text or another value
For a value that is not an image or an accessibility tree, use a generic snapshot assertion. For example:
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import { expect, test } from '@playwright/test';
test('formats a receipt consistently', async () => {
const receipt = 'Subtotal: $20.00nTax: $1.60nTotal: $21.60';
expect(receipt).toMatchSnapshot('receipt.txt');
});Use a descriptive filename and keep the value narrow enough that a diff points to an intelligible change. For visual comparison, prefer toHaveScreenshot() rather than treating image data as a generic value snapshot. See the visual comparisons documentation and snapshot testing documentation for the distinct assertion workflows.
Choose where expected snapshots are stored
Playwright provides snapshotPathTemplate for project-level organization, and screenshot and ARIA assertions have assertion-specific path template settings. A shared template can make a repository’s expected artifacts easier to browse, but the right layout depends on your test-file structure and how you review changes.
import { defineConfig } from '@playwright/test';
export default defineConfig({
snapshotPathTemplate: '{testDir}/__snapshots__/{testFilePath}/{arg}{ext}',
});This is an illustrative configuration, not a universally correct path for every repository. The documented template tokens include {testDir}, {testFilePath}, {arg}, {ext}, {platform}, {projectName}, and {snapshotDir}. Confirm the option and token behavior against the API documentation for the Playwright version installed in your project and adapt the path to your repository layout. The TestProject API reference documents snapshotPathTemplate.
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Decide between test-adjacent and shared paths
- Test-adjacent defaults: keep expected artifacts close to the test that owns them when that is how your project already organizes snapshots.
- Configured shared convention: use a stable, readable path template when you want snapshots collected in a deliberate directory structure.
- Assertion-specific paths: use screenshot- or ARIA-specific template settings when those artifact types need organization distinct from other snapshots.
Whichever convention you choose, avoid names that obscure which test owns an artifact. If a configured path behaves differently than expected, check the active Playwright version and the resolved test directory, test-file path, and project settings.
Keep screenshot baselines stable
Visual comparisons are sensitive to their rendering environment. Playwright documents that output can vary with operating system, browser version, settings, hardware, power source, and headless mode. Generate and compare baselines in the same environment where possible, and treat a browser or operating-system change as a possible source of image differences.
Screenshot assertions wait for two consecutive captures to match before comparison, and animations are disabled by default for screenshot assertions. These measures help reduce unstable captures, but they do not make changing page content deterministic. For dynamic content, use a screenshot stylesheet to hide elements that should not be part of the comparison. To avoid capturing an unwanted hover state, move the pointer away before taking the screenshot. The visual comparisons guide explains these screenshot behaviors.
- Use stable test data and a consistent test environment for baseline generation and comparison.
- Exclude timestamps, rotating content, or other intentionally variable regions with an appropriate screenshot stylesheet rather than repeatedly accepting noise.
- Keep viewport, browser, and project configuration consistent with the environment where the expected result is meant to be checked.
- Review image diffs for real regressions before updating the expected artifact.
Update snapshots deliberately
When a product change intentionally changes the expected output, run:
npx playwright test --update-snapshotsDo not use an update run as a way to make a failing test green without checking what changed. Review the resulting screenshot, text, or template diff and confirm that the new expectation reflects the intended product behavior. The ARIA snapshot guide describes patch files that can be reviewed and applied, including patch, three-way, and overwrite source-update methods. Use the update workflow supported by your installed version and project setup; the official guide covers ARIA snapshot updates.
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- Make the product change and run the affected test without updating expectations first.
- Inspect the failure and decide whether the observed output is intended.
- If the change is intentional, run the update command or the relevant documented patch workflow.
- Review the complete artifact diff and commit the new expectation with the code change.
Troubleshoot common failures
The first run says it is writing a screenshot
This is expected when a visual reference is absent. Open the generated image, verify that it shows the intended page or locator, and commit it as the baseline. Do not assume that file creation itself proves the rendering is correct.
A screenshot assertion fails on another machine
Different operating systems, browser versions, settings, hardware, power sources, and headless modes can render differently. Reproduce in the baseline environment first; where practical, keep comparison and baseline generation on the same environment. Inspect the diff for environment variation versus a real UI change.
The image diff changes between runs
Look for dynamic page content, animations, or pointer-induced hover states. Playwright’s screenshot assertion already disables animations and waits for two consecutive captures to match; for remaining intentional variability, hide the relevant region with a screenshot stylesheet or move the pointer away before capture.
An ARIA snapshot fails after a seemingly small change
Check both the accessibility tree and the template’s order. ARIA matching is order-sensitive, and names or attributes omitted from the template are partial-match omissions, not assertions that those details have a particular value. Adjust the template only if the changed structure is acceptable for the test’s purpose.
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Review the configured snapshotPathTemplate, assertion-specific path settings, and project/test directory values. Compare the template tokens with the TestProject API reference for your installed Playwright version, then verify the repository-specific path you intended.
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A test cannot find its expected snapshot
Confirm that the expected artifact is present in version control and that the test is running with the same project and path configuration used to create it. If it is genuinely a new expectation, generate it intentionally, inspect it, and commit it rather than silently accepting an unknown artifact.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use a screenshot snapshot or an ARIA snapshot for accessibility testing?
Use an ARIA snapshot when the expected accessible roles, names, and structure are the contract; use a screenshot when you need to compare rendered pixels. They check different things.
Does Playwright create the visual baseline automatically?
If the named expected screenshot is missing, the first run writes it. Inspect the generated image and commit it before relying on later comparisons.
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