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If npx playwright install-deps fails, first identify whether the problem is an unsupported Linux distribution, insufficient privileges, a proxy or TLS issue, or a package-manager error. Those causes need different fixes. The command installs operating-system libraries; it does not download the Playwright browser binaries. For both tasks together, use npx playwright install --with-deps chromium on a supported Linux system.
What install-deps does—and what it does not do
Playwright browsers need system libraries in addition to the browser binaries managed by Playwright. The install-deps command installs those operating-system dependencies. You can install dependencies for all supported browsers with npx playwright install-deps, or target one browser, such as Chromium, with npx playwright install-deps chromium. The combined command npx playwright install --with-deps chromium installs Chromium and its dependencies.
That distinction is useful when diagnosing a failure. A Linux package manager error during install-deps points to the operating-system dependency step. A browser archive download error points to downloading the browser itself, even if the command you ran combines both steps.
Start with the operating system, architecture, and Playwright version
Playwright’s supported operating systems vary by release. Do not assume that an older statement about Linux support still applies to the version you are using. Current release notes list Debian 12 Bookworm as supported for Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit on both x86_64 and arm64. That does not establish support for every Debian release, Linux distribution, or architecture.
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Before changing package lists or retrying with elevated privileges, record the exact environment. On Linux, check the distribution and version with cat /etc/os-release, and check the architecture with uname -m. Check the Playwright version used by your project with npx playwright --version. In a Node.js project, also confirm which Playwright package is installed; the command run through npx should match the version your tests use.
- If the distribution and architecture are listed as supported for your Playwright release, continue to privilege, proxy, and package-manager checks.
- If they are not listed, do not assume a package list from Ubuntu or Debian will work. Use a supported environment, such as a compatible Playwright Docker image, or investigate the package requirements for your distribution.
- If the environment was recently upgraded, check that the Playwright package and the system image are a supported combination rather than relying on an old CI image.
Run dependency installation with the required privileges
Installing operating-system packages usually requires root privileges. Run the command with the privilege model used by your system. On a Linux machine where sudo is configured, a basic Chromium dependency install is:
sudo npx playwright install-deps chromium
In a container or CI job already running as root, run the command directly rather than adding sudo. If the process is neither root nor able to elevate privileges, the package manager may fail to write to its system directories. The fix is to run the dependency-install step with the required privileges, not to repeatedly retry as an unprivileged user.
There is an important exception when a proxy is involved: passing a proxy variable before sudo does not necessarily preserve it for the command that runs as root. Use the documented environment-variable placement:
sudo HTTPS_PROXY=https://192.0.2.1 npx playwright install-deps
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Replace the example proxy address with the proxy URL used in your environment. Playwright warns that without root, it may attempt to become root and fail to pass HTTPS_PROXY to the Linux package manager. Explicitly setting the variable on the elevated command helps keep the proxy configuration available during package installation.
Fix proxy and certificate failures during browser downloads
Dependency installation and browser download are separate stages, and an enterprise proxy can affect either. First identify which stage produced the error. Package-manager output about repositories or packages is not the same failure as a browser archive download error.
Self-signed certificate in the chain
If the browser download reports Error: self signed certificate in certificate chain, a proxy may be intercepting TLS with a custom certificate authority that Node.js does not trust. Set NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS to the trusted PEM-encoded root certificate supplied by your organization, then run the install command. For example:
export NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS=/path/to/company-root-ca.pem
npx playwright install chromium
Use the actual certificate path provided by your administrator. Do not disable certificate verification as a workaround: that removes a security check instead of configuring trust correctly.
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Proxy variables are missing after elevation
If package downloads fail only when the install runs through sudo, check whether the root process receives the proxy settings. Put the variable on the elevated command, as in sudo HTTPS_PROXY=https://192.0.2.1 npx playwright install-deps. If your environment also requires an HTTP proxy or other proxy configuration, follow your organization’s proxy setup and verify which variables the package manager and the browser downloader need.
Increase the timeout for slow browser archives
A slow or intermittently stalled browser archive can exceed Playwright’s default download connection timeout. The Python browser documentation describes the default as 30 seconds and the setting as an idle timeout: it concerns how long the connection can remain without progress, not a guaranteed total limit for the entire download.
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Set PLAYWRIGHT_DOWNLOAD_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT to a larger value in milliseconds before installing the browser. For example, 120,000 milliseconds is two minutes:
PLAYWRIGHT_DOWNLOAD_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT=120000 npx playwright install chromium
This setting addresses a slow browser download. It does not fix unsupported distributions, missing root privileges, package-manager repository errors, or an untrusted TLS certificate. If the command still stalls, check network access, proxy configuration, and whether the browser archive host is reachable from the machine running the install.
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Diagnose package-manager errors without guessing package names
If apt or another package manager reports that a package cannot be found, record the complete error along with the operating-system release and architecture. Package names and availability depend on the distribution and its configured repositories. A dependency list that works on one supported release may not be valid on another.
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cat /etc/os-releaseanduname -m. - Check whether that combination is supported by the Playwright version in the project.
- Inspect the package-manager output to identify the specific missing package and repository error.
- Verify that the distribution’s package repositories are configured and reachable, then use the package name and repository appropriate to that distribution.
- If the environment is outside Playwright’s supported matrix, move the job to a supported image or use a compatible Playwright Docker image instead of layering an unverified package list onto the host.
A message that a package is unavailable can mean the repository is missing or unreachable; it does not by itself prove that Playwright requested an invalid package. Preserve the full output so you can distinguish those cases.
Make the install repeatable in CI
For Linux CI agents, Playwright’s CI guidance recommends using its Docker image or installing dependencies through the CLI. The GitHub Actions example uses npx playwright install --with-deps. The combined command is convenient when a job needs the browser and its operating-system libraries on the same run.
Install in a CI job
For a Chromium-only job on Linux, a typical dependency-and-browser step is:
npx playwright install --with-deps chromium
Choose the browser your tests actually use. Installing only Chromium avoids installing dependencies and browser binaries for browsers the job does not run. If the project tests Firefox or WebKit as well, install those browsers explicitly or use the all-browser command appropriate to the project.
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Use a Playwright Docker image
A Playwright Docker image can make the operating-system and browser environment more consistent across CI runs than installing system packages on a changing host agent. Confirm that the image version matches the Playwright version in the project; a version mismatch can undermine the reproducibility the image is intended to provide. The right choice depends on the CI system and how much control you have over its runner.
Keep logs useful
- Log the Playwright version, operating-system release, and architecture.
- Keep the complete package-manager or browser-download error rather than only the final failure line.
- Make proxy and CA configuration available to the same process that performs the installation.
- Separate dependency installation from browser installation when investigating failures, then combine them with
--with-depsonce the environment works.
Choose the command that matches the task
| Goal | Command | What it installs |
|---|---|---|
| Install dependencies for Playwright browsers | npx playwright install-deps |
Operating-system dependencies |
| Install dependencies for Chromium only | npx playwright install-deps chromium |
Operating-system dependencies for Chromium |
| Install Chromium and its dependencies | npx playwright install --with-deps chromium |
Chromium browser and its operating-system dependencies |
| Install a browser with a longer download idle timeout | PLAYWRIGHT_DOWNLOAD_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT=120000 npx playwright install chromium |
Chromium browser, with a 120,000 ms download connection timeout |
Common failure symptoms and fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| Permission denied or package manager cannot write system files | The command is not running with the privileges needed to install system packages. | Run it with the required root privileges, or use a CI/container environment already running as root. |
| Proxy works for the user but not for the elevated install | The proxy variable was not passed to the root process or package manager. | Set it on the elevated command, for example sudo HTTPS_PROXY=https://192.0.2.1 npx playwright install-deps. |
| Package manager cannot locate a dependency | Unsupported OS/version, missing repository, or distribution-specific package availability. | Record OS and architecture, check support for the installed Playwright release, and resolve the repository or use a supported image. |
self signed certificate in certificate chain |
A custom proxy CA is not trusted by Node.js during browser download. | Set NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS to the organization’s root certificate before the browser install. |
| Browser download times out while making slow progress | The download exceeds the default idle timeout. | Set PLAYWRIGHT_DOWNLOAD_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT=120000 and check network or proxy access. |
| Dependency command succeeds but tests say the browser is missing | install-deps installed system libraries, not browser binaries. |
Run npx playwright install chromium or use npx playwright install --with-deps chromium. |
Or skip the browser setup
If the task is to capture website screenshots rather than run browser automation tests, a screenshot API can avoid installing and maintaining a local Playwright browser environment. ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API and MCP server for developers. One GET request returns a PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF; see the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for options and response details.
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With Python, the equivalent request is:
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Or use Node.js:
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const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);
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