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Playwright has no single screenshot-folder switch because different APIs write different kinds of images. Set path on page.screenshot() or a locator for an individual file, configure snapshotPathTemplate (or expect.toHaveScreenshot.pathTemplate) for visual-regression baselines, and use testInfo.outputPath() for per-test run artifacts.
The important detail is that relative paths use different bases: direct screenshot paths are relative to the process working directory, while snapshot templates are relative to the Playwright configuration directory. The sections below show the exact settings and when to use each one.
Choose the path control that matches the screenshot
| Need | Setting or API | Relative-path base | Lifecycle |
|---|---|---|---|
| One explicitly named image | page.screenshot({ path }) or locator.screenshot({ path }) |
Current working directory | Custom image, debugging or report artifact |
| Every Playwright Test snapshot | snapshotPathTemplate |
Configuration directory | Version-controlled visual baseline |
| Only screenshot assertions | expect.toHaveScreenshot.pathTemplate |
Configuration directory | Screenshot-assertion baseline |
| Diagnostic output for one test | testInfo.outputPath(name) |
Test runner output directory | Run-specific artifact |
| Resolve a configured baseline path | testInfo.snapshotPath(name, { kind: 'screenshot' }) |
Configured snapshot template | Logging or custom tooling around a baseline |
There is therefore no universal “default screenshot path” to change. First identify whether the image is a direct capture, a snapshot assertion, or a test artifact; then apply the matching control.
Set a path for a direct screenshot
Use the call-site path option when your code explicitly captures an image. The same option works for a page and for a locator.
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import { test } from '@playwright/test';
test('save the landing page', async ({ page }) => {
await page.goto('https://example.com');
await page.screenshot({ path: 'artifacts/home.png' });
await page.locator('.header').screenshot({ path: 'artifacts/header.png' });
});For a relative path, Playwright resolves the value from the current working directory of the process. That is the directory from which the test command is launched, not necessarily the directory containing the test file or configuration file. An absolute path removes that ambiguity when your environment supplies one.
What happens when path is omitted?
Without path, Playwright returns the image data instead of saving a file. This is useful when you want to attach the bytes to a report, transform them in memory, or send them elsewhere.
const image = await page.screenshot();
// image is the screenshot data returned by Playwright.Playwright infers the file type from the filename extension when you do provide a path. Use an extension that matches the format you want, such as .png, .jpeg or .webp.
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Use a consistent prefix at each call site:
await page.screenshot({ path: 'artifacts/screens/pages/pricing.png' });
await page.screenshot({ path: 'artifacts/screens/pages/contact.png' });
await page.locator('[data-testid="chart"]').screenshot({
path: 'artifacts/screens/components/chart.png'
});This is a naming convention, not a Playwright-wide default. Every direct capture still needs its own path unless you wrap the API in your own helper.
Set the default location for visual-regression snapshots
expect(page).toHaveScreenshot() uses Playwright Test’s snapshot system. Configure its project-level template in playwright.config.ts:
import { defineConfig } from '@playwright/test';
export default defineConfig({
testDir: './tests',
snapshotPathTemplate:
'{testDir}/__screenshots__/{testFilePath}/{arg}{ext}',
});This template controls screenshot snapshots and also the locations used by other snapshot assertions, including expect(locator).toMatchAriaSnapshot() and expect(value).toMatchSnapshot(). Relative templates resolve from the configuration directory, which is different from the current-working-directory rule for page.screenshot().
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Use the template in a test
import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
test('homepage visual baseline', async ({ page }) => {
await page.goto('https://example.com');
await expect(page).toHaveScreenshot('landing.png');
});With the template above, Playwright places the baseline beneath __screenshots__, using the test-file path and assertion argument to keep names separated. Run npx playwright test --update-snapshots when you intentionally want to create or update baselines.
Separate projects without collisions
If you test multiple named projects, include {projectName} in the template:
import { defineConfig } from '@playwright/test';
export default defineConfig({
snapshotPathTemplate:
'__screenshots__{/projectName}/{testFilePath}/{arg}{ext}',
projects: [
{ name: 'chromium', use: { browserName: 'chromium' } },
{ name: 'firefox', use: { browserName: 'firefox' } },
],
});The optional slash before {projectName} is included only when a project name exists. A named Chromium project can therefore produce a path such as <configDir>/__screenshots__/chromium/example.spec.ts/landing.png; with no project name, that segment is omitted.
Available snapshot-template tokens
Choose tokens according to the directory structure you need:
{snapshotDir}— the snapshot directory.{testDir}— the configured test directory.{testFileDir}— the directory containing the test file.{testFileBaseName}— the test file name without its extension.{testFileName}— the test file name.{testFilePath}— the test file path relative to the test directory.{testName}— the test title.{projectName}— the Playwright project name.{arg}— the argument passed to the snapshot assertion.{ext}— the generated snapshot extension.{platform}— the platform token.
For example, this compact layout keeps project directories optional while retaining the test-file path:
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snapshotPathTemplate:
'__screenshots__{/projectName}/{testFilePath}/{arg}{ext}'Scope a path to screenshot assertions only
If text and ARIA snapshots should remain in their normal locations while screenshot baselines go elsewhere, configure the assertion-specific template instead of the global template:
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import { defineConfig } from '@playwright/test';
export default defineConfig({
expect: {
toHaveScreenshot: {
pathTemplate:
'{testDir}/__screenshots__/{projectName}/{testFilePath}/{arg}{ext}',
},
},
});This setting applies to expect(page).toHaveScreenshot() and locator screenshot assertions. It is the narrower choice when you only want to reorganize image baselines.
Put run artifacts in the test output directory
A diagnostic capture belongs to a test run, not to the committed baseline tree. Use the testInfo fixture:
import { test } from '@playwright/test';
test('capture diagnostic image', async ({ page }, testInfo) => {
await page.goto('https://example.com');
await page.screenshot({
path: testInfo.outputPath('diagnostic.png'),
});
});testInfo.outputPath() resolves a file inside that test’s output directory. This keeps evidence from separate runs associated with the test that produced it instead of mixing it with stable visual baselines.
Resolve the configured baseline programmatically
When custom tooling needs to know where a screenshot baseline belongs, use snapshotPath() and identify the kind explicitly:
import { test } from '@playwright/test';
test('log the baseline location', async ({}, testInfo) => {
const baseline = testInfo.snapshotPath('landing.png', {
kind: 'screenshot',
});
console.log(baseline);
});This follows the configured screenshot template rather than the test output directory.
A practical path decision
- Capturing an image on demand? Put an explicit relative or absolute
pathonpage.screenshot()orlocator.screenshot(). - Comparing a page or locator against a visual baseline? Set
snapshotPathTemplate, or useexpect.toHaveScreenshot.pathTemplatewhen only screenshot assertions need a custom location. - Saving failure evidence or a temporary diagnostic? Use
testInfo.outputPath(). - Writing tooling around an existing baseline? Resolve it with
testInfo.snapshotPath(name, { kind: 'screenshot' }).
Do not mix these bases accidentally. A path that looks identical in source can land in different directories depending on which API resolves it.
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Troubleshooting path problems
The file appears in an unexpected directory
Check whether the call uses a direct screenshot or a snapshot assertion. Direct relative paths follow the current working directory; template paths follow the configuration directory. Log the process working directory in your runner and inspect the location of playwright.config.ts.
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Confirm that the configuration key is at the top level for snapshotPathTemplate, or nested under expect.toHaveScreenshot.pathTemplate for the scoped form. Then run the test with --update-snapshots only if changing the baseline is intentional.
Different projects overwrite one another
Add {projectName} to the template and give each project a name. Without a project segment, identical test-file and argument names can resolve to the same target.
A diagnostic image is mixed with committed snapshots
Replace a hard-coded baseline-style path with testInfo.outputPath('name.png'). Use snapshotPath() only when you specifically need the configured baseline location.
The generated filename has the wrong format
For direct screenshots, check the extension in path; Playwright infers the image type from it. For snapshot assertions, keep {ext} in the template so Playwright supplies the appropriate extension.
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No file is created
Inspect the call for an omitted path. In that case, page.screenshot() returns image data instead of writing to disk. Also verify that you are looking in the correct base directory for the API you used.
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Reliability and repository practices
- Keep visual baselines in a deterministic template that includes the test-file path; this prevents similarly named assertions from colliding.
- Include the project name when the same tests run in multiple browser projects.
- Keep run-specific diagnostics under
testInfo.outputPath()so they do not become accidental baselines. - Use explicit extensions for direct captures and retain
{ext}in snapshot templates. - When changing a template, review the files generated by an update run before committing them; a path change can make an otherwise identical image appear as a new baseline.
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FAQ
Can one configuration control both direct screenshots and snapshots?
No. Direct calls read their path at the call site, while snapshot assertions read the configured template. Use a shared helper if you want your own convention across both APIs.
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Use testInfo.outputPath() so the image remains tied to that test run. Reserve the snapshot template for files that represent an intentional visual baseline.
How can I keep browser projects in separate baseline trees?
Add {projectName} to snapshotPathTemplate or the assertion-specific pathTemplate; the token is replaced with each named project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can one configuration control both direct screenshots and snapshots?
No. Direct calls read their path at the call site, while snapshot assertions read the configured template. Use a shared helper if you want your own convention across both APIs.
Which path should contain a failure screenshot?
Use testInfo.outputPath() so the image remains tied to that test run. Reserve the snapshot template for files that represent an intentional visual baseline.
How can I keep browser projects in separate baseline trees?
Add {projectName} to snapshotPathTemplate or the assertion-specific pathTemplate; the token is replaced with each named project.
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