The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →To record a website in a standalone Playwright script, enable recordVideo when you create the browser context, then close that context after the browser actions. The video is finalized on context closure. For a Playwright Test suite, configure its video option instead; for exact start and stop points, use the newer page.screencast API available from Playwright v1.59.
Record a website in a standalone Playwright script
Set recordVideo.dir on the context before creating or using the page. The recording applies to pages in that context. This Node.js example navigates to a page; replace the comment with the interactions you want to show.
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import { chromium } from 'playwright';
const browser = await chromium.launch();
const context = await browser.newContext({
recordVideo: { dir: 'videos/' },
});
const page = await context.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com');
// Perform the interactions to show in the screencast.
await context.close(); // Flushes and saves the video.
await browser.close();Keep the context open for the full sequence, then await context.close(). Playwright saves the video when the browser context closes; do not try to read or move the file while the recording is still active. See the Playwright videos guide and BrowserType API.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteChoose the recording dimensions
A video records the page view, not the entire desktop or operating-system interface. With manual video recording, Playwright scales the page view down as needed to fit the configured video size. The default manual video size is 800×800; when no viewport is explicitly set, the BrowserType API documents a default video size of 800×450. Set both viewport and output dimensions deliberately when a fixed composition matters.
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const context = await browser.newContext({
viewport: { width: 1280, height: 720 },
recordVideo: {
dir: 'videos/',
size: { width: 1280, height: 720 },
},
});Use a viewport that matches the website composition you need to demonstrate. If the configured output dimensions differ from the viewport, the page may be scaled to fit; the video is not a full-resolution capture of an arbitrarily large page.
Record videos from Playwright Test
In a Playwright Test project, configure the video option rather than manually creating a context for each test. Videos are off by default. Add this to playwright.config.ts to keep a video for the first retry:
import { defineConfig } from '@playwright/test';
export default defineConfig({
use: {
video: 'on-first-retry',
},
});| Mode | When to use it |
|---|---|
off |
Do not record videos. |
on |
Record every test. |
retain-on-failure |
Record tests, retaining recordings for failures. |
on-first-retry |
Record on a test’s first retry as a diagnostic artifact. |
Test recordings are written to the test output directory, typically test-results, and are available after the context closes at the end of the test. The official Playwright videos guide also documents output-size configuration and video annotations.
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Save a recording to a specific path
When video is enabled, page.video().path() provides the recording path, but the file is guaranteed to be written only after the browser context closes. It throws when connected remotely. To copy a completed video to a destination you choose, use saveAs():
const video = page.video();
await context.close();
await video.saveAs('artifacts/website-demo.webm');video.saveAs(path) waits until the page is closed and its video is fully saved. Consult the Playwright Video API for the current API details.
Set precise recording boundaries with the Screencast API
Playwright v1.59 introduced page.screencast.start() and page.screencast.stop(). Check the Playwright version installed in your project before using this API. Start recording immediately before the sequence you want and stop it afterward:
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await page.screencast.start({
path: 'website-demo.webm',
size: { width: 1280, height: 800 },
});
await page.goto('https://example.com');
// Perform the sequence to include.
await page.screencast.stop();The requested size is a maximum bound: output frames preserve the page aspect ratio and may be smaller. If another screencast is already active, its configuration can take precedence. The API also supports JPEG frames through onFrame, action annotations, and overlay or chapter helpers. See the Playwright Page API and release notes.
Which recording workflow should you use?
- One-off scripted demo: use context-level
recordVideo; recording spans the page’s time in that context. - Automated test suite: use the Playwright Test
videomode that matches whether you need every run, failures, or retries. - Exact start and stop points: use
page.screencastwhen your installed version supports it. - Fixed output composition: set the viewport and recording size intentionally, accounting for scaling and aspect ratio.
Troubleshooting
No video file appears
Check that video recording was enabled before creating the page, and await context.close(). Playwright finalizes context-level recordings on closure; an unfinished context can leave the file unavailable.
The video is not at the expected path
For a script, recordVideo.dir is the recording directory. For Playwright Test, look in the configured test output directory, typically test-results. Use video.saveAs(path) when you need an explicit destination, and allow it to wait for the video to finish saving.
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The recording looks scaled or cropped relative to expectations
Compare the page viewport with recordVideo.size. Playwright scales page content to fit the recording dimensions. Set both values to the intended composition, and remember that a website screencast does not include browser chrome or the rest of the desktop.
page.video().path() throws
The Video API documents that path() throws for remote connections. Use saveAs() to save the artifact instead; it waits for the video to be fully written.
page.screencast is unavailable or the output is unexpected
Verify that the installed Playwright version supports the API introduced in v1.59. Also check whether another screencast is active, since its configuration can take precedence, and treat the requested frame dimensions as maximum bounds rather than guaranteed exact output dimensions.
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Or skip the browser setup:
If you need a still screenshot rather than a video screencast, ScreenshotNeo takes a website screenshot with one GET request. Its API returns a clean PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF; it does not record browser actions as a video.
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 options. Cookie banners are accepted and removed before the shot, along with known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets. Bot checks, blank pages, failed loads, timeouts, and cache hits are not billed; response headers report the page verdict and billing status. ScreenshotNeo also offers an MCP server for AI agents, and its free plan includes 1,000 screenshots a month without a card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 screenshots. Sign up for free screenshots.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Playwright record the browser window and operating-system desktop?
No. These recording APIs capture the page view, not the entire desktop or operating-system interface.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Quick Recap
Does Playwright Test record videos by default?
No. Its video option is off by default.
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