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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Use Puppeteer’s experimental page.record() API to save browser activity as an MP4. Navigate to the page, start the recording, perform the interactions you want to show, then call recorder.stop() before closing the browser. The current Page API marks page.screencast() deprecated and directs users to record().
Record a browser screencast with page.record()
The documented workflow is to start recording with a file path, run the browser actions that should appear in the video, and stop the returned recorder. This example uses Puppeteer’s bundled browser and closes resources even if navigation or an interaction fails:
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import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
const browser = await puppeteer.launch();
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com');
const recorder = await page.record({path: 'recording.mp4'});
try {
// Perform the interactions to capture here.
await page.click('button');
} finally {
await recorder.stop();
}
} finally {
await browser.close();
}Save the code in a JavaScript file in a project with Puppeteer installed, then run it with Node.js. Replace the example URL and selector with the page and action you need to demonstrate. The browser should remain open while recording; stopping the recorder finalizes the capture before browser shutdown. Puppeteer’s API reference describes the result as an MP4 video stream: Page.record().
What to know about the recording API
record() is experimental
The current Page API labels record() experimental, so its status or behavior may change. Check the API reference for the Puppeteer version installed in your project before relying on it in a long-lived workflow: Puppeteer Page API.
#1 Best Overall
Use Puppeteer’s bundled browser for reproducibility
Puppeteer guarantees operation with its bundled browser. You can point launch() at a separately installed browser with a custom executablePath, but Puppeteer documents that choice as being at your own risk. The reviewed record() documentation does not establish a minimum Chrome version, so do not infer one from the older screencast API.
Stop the recorder explicitly
Call await recorder.stop() before closing the browser. Placing it in a finally block helps ensure cleanup when an action throws; the outer finally likewise closes the browser. This ordering follows Puppeteer’s documented example: Recording API.
Why not use page.screencast()?
Puppeteer marks page.screencast() deprecated and directs readers to page.record(). Do not carry over legacy details as if they were requirements for the current API. The legacy reference says screencast() works in Chrome 153+, defaults to WebM with VP9 at 30 FPS, and requires ffmpeg; those notes apply to that deprecated method, not to the documented record() flow. Its option list—including format, FPS, crop, scale, speed, quality, and path—belongs to the legacy ScreencastOptions reference.
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A screencast is appropriate when the deliverable must show movement, navigation, or interaction over time. Use page.screenshot() when you need a still image instead; screenshot options include full-page and clipped captures, but screenshots do not create video. See the Page.screenshot() API reference.
Rank #3
Or skip the browser setup
If you need a still website capture rather than a video of browser activity, ScreenshotNeo can return a PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF from one GET request. It is a screenshot API, not a replacement for recording moving interactions.
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://example.com -o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for request details. It removes known cookie-consent banners, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; bot checks, blank pages, failed loads, timeouts, and cache hits are not billed. Its MCP server lets AI agents take screenshots. The free plan includes 1,000 shots per month without a card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots. Sign up for 1,000 free screenshots a month, with no card required.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshooting
The recording file is missing or incomplete
- Confirm that the path in
page.record({path: 'recording.mp4'})is the intended destination and that the process can write there. - Ensure the recorder is stopped with
await recorder.stop()beforebrowser.close(); closing the browser first interrupts the documented sequence.
An interaction fails while the recording is running
Check that the selector exists on the loaded page and that the control is ready to receive input. Keep the recorder stop and browser close calls in finally blocks so an action error does not skip cleanup.
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The installed browser behaves differently
Start with Puppeteer’s bundled browser, the configuration for which Puppeteer guarantees operation. A custom executablePath is not covered by that guarantee. The reviewed record() reference does not specify a Chrome minimum; verify compatibility against the reference for your installed Puppeteer release rather than relying on requirements documented for deprecated screencast().
You need a particular codec or capture setting
The reviewed record() reference establishes an MP4 stream and a path-based example, but it does not establish that the legacy screencast tuning controls apply. Consult the API reference for your installed version; do not assume format, fps, crop, scale, speed, or quality options are supported by record().
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