Set a timeout on the locator before calling its action: await page.locator('button').setTimeout(3000).click(); The value is in milliseconds. setTimeout() returns a new locator configured with that timeout; use 0 to disable the locator timeout. Locators otherwise inherit the page’s default timeout.
Set a timeout for one locator
Call .setTimeout(milliseconds) before the locator action. For example, give a submit button up to 10 seconds to become ready and click:
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await page.locator('button.submit').setTimeout(10_000).click();The timeout applies to the action on that configured locator. The value is measured in milliseconds. Puppeteer documents 3000 as an example; it is not a universal recommendation. Choose a limit that fits the page’s expected behavior, and investigate a timeout rather than simply making every wait longer.
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With Puppeteer installed in a Node.js project, this example opens a page, configures a locator timeout, and attempts a click. Replace the URL and selector with ones for the page you control.
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const puppeteer = require('puppeteer');
(async () => {
const browser = await puppeteer.launch();
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com');
await page.locator('button.submit').setTimeout(10_000).click();
} finally {
await browser.close();
}
})();The example assumes that the target page has a matching button.submit and that it can be clicked. A locator timeout cannot make a missing element or an incorrect selector succeed.
Choose between a locator timeout and a page default
Use a locator override when one action needs a different limit. Use page.setDefaultTimeout(milliseconds) when locators on that page should share a default. Locators without their own timeout inherit the page setting.
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| Setting | Scope | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Locator override | That configured locator’s action | page.locator('button.submit').setTimeout(10_000).click() |
| Page default | Default timeout inherited by locators on the page | page.setDefaultTimeout(5000) |
| Disable locator timeout | That configured locator | page.locator('button').setTimeout(0).click() |
page.setDefaultTimeout(5000);
// This locator has its own 10-second timeout.
await page.locator('button.submit').setTimeout(10_000).click();
// This locator inherits the page's 5-second default.
await page.locator('button.cancel').click();Locator.setTimeout() returns a new locator instance, so keep and use the returned locator in the action chain. Setting a locator timeout is not the same as configuring navigation timeouts; this setting does not change how long navigation is allowed to take.
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A locator action waits for the element and for the action’s readiness conditions. For a click, those conditions include being in the viewport, visible and enabled, with a stable bounding box. If the element is not found or the required state is not reached before the timeout, Puppeteer throws a TimeoutError. Locator actions retry when readiness checks fail.
Increasing the timeout helps only when the page is expected to reach the required state but needs more time. It does not correct a selector that matches nothing or a readiness assumption that does not fit the page.
Troubleshoot a locator timeout
- The selector does not match: Check the selector against the page’s actual DOM and confirm the element exists in the context where the locator is used.
- The element appears but the action still times out: Check the action’s readiness requirements. For a click, confirm the element becomes visible, enabled, in the viewport and stable.
- Only one control is slow: Set a longer timeout on that locator rather than changing the page default for every locator.
- Many locators need a different shared limit: Set
page.setDefaultTimeout(milliseconds)and use locator-specific overrides only for exceptions. - You are considering
setTimeout(0): This disables the locator timeout rather than fixing the cause of a wait. Prefer a finite limit unless an unbounded wait is intentional. - The wait concerns navigation: A locator timeout configures locator actions, not navigation. Use the separate navigation-timeout API for navigation behavior.
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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 documentation for request options. Cookie banners, popups and chat widgets are removed before the shot; bot checks, blank pages and failed loads are never billed. Its MCP server lets AI agents take screenshots. The free plan includes 1,000 screenshots a month with no card, and paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots.
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