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“No tests found” means Playwright collected zero tests for the command you ran. The usual causes are an unexpected working directory or config file, a testDir that does not contain your specs, filenames that do not match testMatch, ignore rules, or command-line filters that select nothing. First run npx playwright test --list; it shows what Playwright can collect without launching a browser. Then correct the first mismatch you find.
This guide follows the checks in the order that separates an empty project from a discovery or filtering problem. Playwright’s exact defaults can vary with your installed version and project configuration, so treat the active config as authoritative.
What the error actually tells you
The messages Error: No tests found. Make sure that arguments are regular expressions matching test files. and No tests found. describe test selection, not browser execution. Playwright has not reached a page, fixture, assertion, or browser launch because its collection phase produced an empty set.
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An empty result can be perfectly normal in a new project. The WordPress Developer Blog shows this message before its first test file is created. In an existing repository, however, zero tests usually means that the files are outside the selected project, their names miss the configured pattern, an ignore rule hides them, or a filter narrows the run to nothing.
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Run a collection-only check first
- Change to the directory that contains the Playwright project you intend to run.
- Run
npx playwright test --list. - Read the file paths and test titles printed by the command. If the list is empty, keep investigating discovery and selection; do not debug browsers yet.
- Once the expected tests appear, run
npx playwright testwithout the temporary filters you removed.
--list collects tests but does not execute them. That makes it the quickest way to distinguish “Playwright cannot see my files” from a later failure such as a browser crash, navigation timeout, or assertion error.
Make sure the intended configuration is active
Check the working directory
Without an explicit config argument, the CLI looks in the current directory for playwright.config.ts or playwright.config.js. Running the same command from a monorepo root, a package directory, or a temporary shell location can therefore select a different config—or none of the one you edited.
From the directory that owns the intended config, run:
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npx playwright test --listIf you deliberately want another file, select it explicitly:
npx playwright test -c path/to/playwright.config.ts --listUse the path relative to your current directory, or provide an absolute path. Make the same -c choice when you run the real tests so collection and execution use the same settings.
Check project-specific configuration
A config can define one global testDir and override it inside individual projects. The project selected by --project may therefore scan a different directory from the one you inspected. Read the active config and identify both the top-level and project-level values before changing files.
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Verify testDir contains the specs
testDir is scanned recursively. If it is not set, Playwright uses the directory containing the config file. A file in e2e/ will not be collected when the selected project scans tests/, and a sibling package will not be included merely because it is in the same repository.
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import { defineConfig } from '@playwright/test';
export default defineConfig({
testDir: './tests'
});Compare the configured path with the real location of your files. Resolve relative paths from the config file’s directory, not from the directory where you happen to open an editor. In a multi-project config, repeat this check for each project that you invoke.
Check the filename against testMatch
After choosing a directory, Playwright applies testMatch. The documented default pattern is **/*.@(spec|test).?(c|m)[jt]s?(x). Under that default, names such as login.spec.ts, login.test.js, checkout.spec.mts, and supported JSX or TSX variants are eligible.
Names such as login.tests.ts, login.e2e, or login.ts do not match that default. Rename the file to a recognized suffix or deliberately expand the pattern:
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export default defineConfig({
testDir: './e2e',
testMatch: ['**/*.spec.ts', '**/*.e2e.ts']
});Do not add a custom testMatch just to make one command pass without checking its scope. A restrictive pattern can hide every existing spec, while an overly broad one can collect helper files that are not tests. After editing, rerun npx playwright test --list.
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Look for exclusions from testIgnore and .gitignore
Explicit testIgnore
testIgnore excludes matching paths after discovery rules are applied. Typical accidental entries include the entire directory where the specs were moved, a suffix shared by all test files, or a broad expression copied from another package.
import { defineConfig } from '@playwright/test';
export default defineConfig({
testDir: './tests',
testIgnore: ['**/archive/**']
});Temporarily remove or narrow suspicious entries, then use --list to confirm the files return.
Implicit .gitignore behavior
When neither a global testDir nor a project-specific testDir is explicitly set, Playwright ignores files matching .gitignore entries by default. This can surprise projects that keep tests in a normally ignored folder such as a generated or temporary directory. Check every applicable .gitignore, including one in a parent directory, and move the tests or adjust the project configuration rather than relying on an ignored location.
Remove command-line filters while diagnosing
Even with correctly named files, the invocation can select zero tests.
Positional file and directory arguments
Arguments after playwright test are regular expressions matched against full test file paths. A typo, an over-specific path, or shell quoting can eliminate every file. For example, a repository may contain packages/shop/tests/cart.spec.ts while the command searches for tests/cart.spec.ts.
Run the unfiltered command first:
npx playwright test --listThen add a carefully chosen path only after the complete list is visible. Remember that the argument is a regex, not necessarily a literal filesystem path.
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--grep and --grep-invert
--grep selects tests whose titles match a regular expression; --grep-invert removes matching titles. A spelling difference in test.describe or test titles can leave no tests. Remove both options temporarily and add them back one at a time.
--project
A project filter can select a configuration whose testDir, testMatch, or ignore rules do not include your files. Omit --project for the diagnostic run, or list each intended project explicitly after confirming its settings.
Use a minimal recognized test to separate an empty project from a broken setup
If --list remains empty after you remove filters and verify paths, determine whether the project has any test file at all. Create a small file below the active testDir with a recognized suffix, such as tests/smoke.spec.ts:
import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
test('home page has a title', async ({ page }) => {
await page.goto('https://example.com');
await expect(page).toHaveTitle(/Example Domain/);
});Run npx playwright test --list again. If the smoke test appears, collection works and the original files have a path, name, or ignore-rule problem. If it does not appear, recheck the selected config and testDir before investigating dependencies or browsers.
The example uses a public URL only to prove collection and execution wiring. Replace it with a stable URL appropriate for your project when you run the test for real.
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| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix | Verification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zero tests from the repository root | The CLI is not using the package’s config. | Change directory or pass -c with the intended config path. |
npx playwright test -c path/to/playwright.config.ts --list prints the expected files. |
| A spec exists, but no file is listed | It is outside testDir, or its suffix misses testMatch. |
Move or rename it, or update the corresponding setting. | The file path appears in --list output. |
| Only one project reports no tests | That project overrides testDir, testMatch, or testIgnore. |
Inspect the project block and run the project without unrelated filters. | The project-specific list contains its expected titles. |
| Tests disappear after adding a path argument | The positional argument is a regex against the full path. | Remove it, inspect the complete list, then use a matching expression. | The narrowed command lists the intended subset. |
Tests disappear only with --grep |
No title matches the expression, or --grep-invert removes all matches. |
Check the exact describe/test titles and simplify the regex. | The same command without grep lists the tests. |
| A newly created spec is still invisible | The directory is ignored by testIgnore or applicable .gitignore rules. |
Remove the exclusion or place the file in a non-ignored test directory. | --list includes the new file. |
Keep collection reliable in local work and CI
Use the same explicit config path in scripts and continuous integration when a repository contains multiple Playwright projects. A command such as npx playwright test -c packages/shop/playwright.config.ts --list makes the intended package unambiguous. Keep the collection check as a quick diagnostic step after moving tests, renaming files, or changing config.
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Do not infer a discovery problem from a browser failure. Once --list shows the expected tests, run them normally and troubleshoot navigation, fixtures, permissions, or assertions separately. Conversely, changing browser binaries, headed mode, retries, or workers cannot make an undiscovered file appear; those settings are evaluated after collection.
Playwright’s command-line options and discovery behavior are version-sensitive. Check npx playwright --help for the options installed in your project, and compare the active configuration rather than assuming another repository’s defaults apply.
Or skip the browser setup
If your immediate goal is a clean visual capture of a page while diagnosing an end-to-end workflow, ScreenshotNeo can take the screenshot through one HTTP request. It does not repair Playwright test discovery, but it can avoid writing a separate browser-capture script.
See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for the current parameters. This cURL request returns a WebP image:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpThe equivalent Python call is:
import requests
r = requests.get("https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot", params={"access_key": "YOUR_API_KEY", "url": "https://stripe.com"}, timeout=90)
open("shot.webp", "wb").write(r.content)And Node.js:
const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://stripe.com' });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);Before capture, ScreenshotNeo accepts the cookie or consent banner like a visitor and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets; each cleanup step can be turned off. Bot checks or CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, and response headers report the page verdict and whether the request was billed. Its MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools for Claude, Cursor, 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. Create a free ScreenshotNeo account to try it.
When the fix is complete
Your final verification is simple: run the exact config and project command you will use in development or CI, confirm that npx playwright test --list prints the intended files and titles, and only then execute the suite. If the list is empty again, compare the command, working directory, config, directory, filename pattern, ignore rules, and filters in that order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does --list require browser binaries to be installed?
No. It performs collection without running the tests, so an empty list can be investigated before browser installation or launch settings become relevant.
Why does a test run from my editor find tests but the terminal does not?
The editor may set a different working directory, config path, project, or grep filter. Compare its command with the terminal invocation and run the terminal command with an explicit -c path.
Can I keep tests in a nonstandard filename?
Yes. Either rename files to a suffix accepted by the default pattern or define a deliberate testMatch pattern that includes your naming convention.
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