For a new Puppeteer recording, use page.record(): it captures a page through Chrome’s screen-recording protocol and produces an MP4. Start recording after navigation and page setup, perform the actions you want in the video, then call recording.stop() before closing the browser. FFmpeg is optional for this current workflow; use it afterward when you need to convert, remux, or filter a recording. The older page.screencast() method is marked obsolete in Puppeteer’s documentation.
Record a Puppeteer page to MP4
The basic sequence is navigation, recording, page interactions, stop, and browser cleanup. Puppeteer’s Page.record() API documentation describes the method as recording the page using the Chrome DevTools Protocol Page.startScreenRecording API. The example below follows that lifecycle and uses a finally block so the browser is closed even if navigation or an interaction fails.
import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
const browser = await puppeteer.launch();
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://www.example.com', {
waitUntil: 'networkidle2',
});
const recording = await page.record({ path: 'recording.mp4' });
// Put the actions you want in the video here.
await page.click('a');
await page.waitForTimeout(1000);
await recording.stop();
} finally {
await browser.close();
}This is an ES module example. Use a Node.js project configured for ES modules (for example, with "type": "module" in package.json) and install Puppeteer in that project. The API reference inspected for this article identifies Puppeteer 25.12.0. Pin the version you intend to use rather than relying on an unpinned install, and check that version’s documentation and browser compatibility before depending on the method in a production job. The Page.record() method reference does not state a minimum Chrome version or a full support matrix.
Make the recording show the intended state
Anything that happens before page.record() is not part of the recording. Navigate, wait for the relevant content, set the viewport or cookies if needed, and establish the initial state first. Then record the actions in order: clicks, typing, scrolling, or other page interactions. Stop explicitly when the final state has been reached. If the script throws before stop(), browser cleanup still runs, but the example does not promise a finalized recording; handle errors around the recording lifecycle if preserving partial output is important.
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networkidle2 is an example navigation wait, not a guarantee that every site has finished rendering. Applications with long-lived network connections, delayed content, or client-side transitions may need a wait for a specific selector or a deliberate delay before recording. Prefer a meaningful condition over an arbitrary long sleep when the page exposes one.
Choose recording options for the result you need
The documented page.record() options include an output path, audio, frame-rate controls, maximum output dimensions, and overwrite behavior. Set only the options your task requires; changing dimensions or frame rate can affect output characteristics and should be validated with the site and browser build you will run.
| Option | What it controls | Documented default or caution |
|---|---|---|
path |
Where the recording is written. | Use a writable path in the process’s working environment. |
audio |
Whether audio is captured. | Defaults to false; do not assume a recording contains sound unless you enable and verify it. |
fps / frameRate |
Frame-rate control. | Consult the installed Puppeteer version’s option reference for the accepted option name and supported values. |
maxWidth, maxHeight |
Maximum output dimensions. | Use them when you need to constrain output size; inspect the resulting file dimensions. |
overwrite |
Whether an existing output can be replaced. | Defaults to true; set deliberately if retaining earlier files matters. |
The recording object is documented as a readable stream and exposes pipe(destination) as well as stop(). A file path is the simplest approach for a straightforward recording. Stream piping is an option when your workflow needs to direct the output to a destination stream instead; ensure that destination is writable and that your application handles completion and errors.
Where FFmpeg fits—and when it is unnecessary
page.record() is documented as producing MP4. If that MP4 already meets your delivery requirements, FFmpeg is not needed just to make the capture. Use FFmpeg when you need a different container or codec, need to select or remap streams, or need a filter such as scaling. The older Puppeteer page.screencast() documentation explicitly lists an FFmpeg installation requirement; that statement applies to the obsolete method, not as a requirement established for page.record().
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Remux with stream copy where supported
Stream copy copies encoded packets without decoding and re-encoding. It can be a fast way to put compatible streams in a different container, but it cannot make incompatible codecs or stream information fit a target container. Example, adapting input, output container, and stream selection to the actual file:
ffmpeg -i recording.webm -map 0:v -map 0:a -c:v copy -c:a copy recording.mp4This command is for a source with the mapped video and audio streams and a target container that supports them. If the source has no audio, -map 0:a can fail; omit that mapping or use optional mapping such as -map 0:a?. Inspect the file’s streams and the locally installed FFmpeg build before treating any example as universal.
Transcode or filter when the output needs to change
Transcoding decodes and encodes again. FFmpeg’s documentation notes that this is computationally more expensive and typically lossy; it is appropriate when you need a different codec or a filter. For example, scaling requires a video filter, so stream copy cannot accomplish it:
ffmpeg -i recording.mp4 -vf scale=1280:-2 -c:v libx264 -c:a copy output.mp4The command assumes the local FFmpeg build includes the libx264 encoder and that copying the source audio into the output container is suitable. The -2 height asks FFmpeg to keep the aspect ratio while producing a dimension compatible with common encoder requirements. If an encoder is unavailable, use one present in your build or install a build that includes the encoder you need.
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What about the older Page.screencast() method?
Puppeteer marks page.screencast() obsolete and directs users to page.record(). The obsolete API documentation describes Chrome 153+ support, WebM with VP9 at 30 FPS by default, and a requirement for FFmpeg installed on the system. Those details concern that legacy API and should not be carried over to the current recording method.
A separate Puppeteer Next options reference lists FFmpeg-oriented controls for the older method, including format, quality, crop, scale, speed, and executable path. Because that reference is labeled Next and the method is obsolete, treat those controls as version-sensitive: verify them against the exact Puppeteer version in use before adapting an existing script. For a new capture, prefer the documented page.record() lifecycle.
Troubleshooting recordings
page.record is not a function: The installed Puppeteer version or browser setup may not expose the documented method. Check the installed version, its API reference, and the browser build it controls; do not assume a universal Chrome compatibility range.- The output file is missing or incomplete: Confirm that the process can write to the requested path, that the script reaches
recording.stop(), and that the browser is not closed first. Keep the stop call before browser cleanup. - The video starts too early or misses content: Move
page.record()until after navigation and setup. Wait for the specific content or state you need before starting. - The recording has no sound: The documented
audiodefault isfalse. Enable the option if appropriate for your version and verify audio in the resulting file. - FFmpeg reports an unknown encoder: The installed build may not include the encoder named in the command. Check available encoders and substitute one present in that build.
- FFmpeg reports a missing stream: The file may not contain the audio or video stream selected by
-map. Inspect its streams and adjust the mapping; use optional mapping for streams that may be absent. - Stream copy fails or the output is not playable: The target container may not support the source stream or its required information. Transcode to a compatible codec, accepting the extra processing and possible quality loss.
- The video is larger or slower to produce than expected: Re-encoding and filters add work. If the source streams and target container are compatible and no filter is needed, try stream copy instead.
Or skip the browser setup
If you need a website screenshot rather than a time-based video, ScreenshotNeo is a separate option: it captures a page as PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF, not as a browser video recording. One GET request returns the capture. The request example below uses the service’s documented API endpoint; see the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for its parameters and response details.
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpScreenshotNeo accepts cookie or consent banners and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; each of those steps can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, and responses report the page verdict and billing status in headers. It also offers an MCP server for AI agents, with take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools. The Free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month without a card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000. Learn about ScreenshotNeo, or sign up for 1,000 free screenshots a month with no card.
Performance, reliability, and cost decisions
Recording cost and run time depend on the work your automation and post-processing perform; the cited API and FFmpeg references do not establish a general capture-time or file-size benchmark. Keep browser cleanup in a finally path, write to a known writable location, and make the output naming and overwrite policy explicit for repeated runs. For a workflow that must survive page-specific failures, catch and log navigation, interaction, stop, and FFmpeg errors separately so a failed site action is not mistaken for a successful finished video.
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When evaluating output, check that the MP4 exists, opens, has the expected duration and dimensions, and contains the streams you intend to deliver. When FFmpeg is involved, record the command and encoder used alongside the job so the result can be reproduced in the same environment. These are operational checks rather than guarantees made by Puppeteer’s method reference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Puppeteer’s current recording API create an MP4?
Yes. The Page.record() method reference describes its output as MP4.
Can I capture just a static image instead of a video?
Yes. ScreenshotNeo is for still-image or PDF website captures; it does not replace Puppeteer page video recording.
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