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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →To run Chromatic visual tests in GitHub Actions, connect your Storybook project to Chromatic, save its project token as a GitHub Actions secret, and add a workflow that checks out your code, installs dependencies, and runs chromaui/action. The workflow can publish story snapshots for review on pull requests. You can use Storybook’s official @chromatic-com/storybook addon for local visual-test interaction, but the addon is not required to run Chromatic from CI.
Before you configure the integration
- Check your Storybook version and package manager. The Storybook visual-testing guide documents
@chromatic-com/storybookfor Storybook 7.6 or higher; the Chromatic integration listing separately gives 6.5+ for its CLI and GitHub Action. These are different integration paths, not interchangeable minimums. Use documentation matching your installed version. Storybook visual testing guide and Chromatic integration listing. - Make sure your repository has a working Storybook and a lockfile-supported dependency installation command. The example below uses
npm ci; substitute the equivalent command for your package manager. - Decide whether you want the Storybook addon for local review, CI publishing only, or both. Chromatic’s GitHub Action can be configured directly either way.
Add the Storybook addon (optional)
For the addon workflow, run the documented command from the project root:
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npx storybook@latest add @chromatic-com/storybookFollow the setup prompts to select or create a Chromatic project. First-time setup can create configuration and project identifiers. The optional chromatic.config.json settings documented for this integration include projectId, buildScriptName, debug, and zip; the guide recommends zip for large projects. Check the guide for the Storybook version installed in your repository before applying those settings.
The addon provides local visual-test interaction. You can skip it if your immediate goal is simply to publish visual tests from GitHub Actions.
Save the Chromatic project token as a GitHub secret
- In GitHub, open the repository and go to Settings → Secrets and variables → Actions.
- Select New repository secret.
- Name it
CHROMATIC_PROJECT_TOKENand paste the project token from your Chromatic project. - Save the secret. The workflow will access it as
${{ secrets.CHROMATIC_PROJECT_TOKEN }}.
Treat the project token as a credential: do not commit it in workflow YAML, source code, or configuration files. Chromatic’s publishing example also uses GITHUB_TOKEN for git-provider integration; follow the permissions and inputs required by the action version you use. See Chromatic’s GitHub Actions guide.
Create the GitHub Actions workflow
Add .github/workflows/chromatic.yml to the repository. This example follows the structure in Chromatic’s current guide: it checks out full Git history, sets up Node, installs dependencies, and invokes the action.
name: Chromatic
on: push
jobs:
chromatic:
name: Run Chromatic
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
steps:
- name: Checkout code
uses: actions/checkout@v7
with:
fetch-depth: 0
- uses: actions/setup-node@v7
with:
node-version: 24.20.0
- name: Install dependencies
run: npm ci
- name: Run Chromatic
uses: chromaui/action@latest
with:
projectToken: ${{ secrets.CHROMATIC_PROJECT_TOKEN }}The action tag, Node version, and installation command above reflect the example in the guide accessed on October 3, 2026; they are not a guarantee that those versions will remain current. Confirm supported versions in the official guide and match the install command to your lockfile. For example, do not use npm ci in a project whose dependencies are managed with another package manager.
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Run on pull requests
The example uses on: push, so it runs on pushes. If you want visual checks to run for pull requests, configure the workflow triggers to match your repository’s branch and merge process. Chromatic’s documentation describes a UI Tests check on pull/merge requests once the integration is configured. You can make that check required in your git provider if that fits your merge policy.
Use a Storybook build produced by an earlier step
If another workflow step has already built Storybook, point the Chromatic action at the generated directory using its storybookBuildDir input. Set the value to the actual build output path for your project; do not assume a directory name that differs from your build configuration. If you are not supplying a prior build, follow the action’s documented workflow instead.
Review visual changes and baselines
When the workflow publishes stories, review changed pixels in Chromatic’s Visual Tests panel. Fix unintended changes in the code; accept a changed baseline only when the visual difference is intentional. Storybook’s guide says baselines accepted through its addon are automatically accepted in CI, so the same baseline change does not need a second acceptance in the CI review. Storybook’s visual-testing guide.
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Choose Chromatic, the test runner, or both
Chromatic and Storybook’s test runner overlap in testing stories but address different needs. Chromatic is a hosted service for visual and component checks, with git-provider integration and visual-diff review. Storybook’s test runner is configurable for custom tests and can run locally or in CI. A team can use Chromatic for visual review and the test runner for custom checks. Exact capabilities can vary by version. See Storybook’s test-runner documentation.
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Troubleshoot common setup problems
- The addon command or configuration does not match your project: verify the installed Storybook version and use its corresponding documentation. The 7.6+ addon threshold and the separately stated 6.5+ CLI/action compatibility refer to different paths.
- The action cannot authenticate: confirm the repository secret is spelled
CHROMATIC_PROJECT_TOKEN, that its value is the intended project token, and that the workflow references${{ secrets.CHROMATIC_PROJECT_TOKEN }}. Do not replace the secret reference with a literal token. - Dependency installation fails: ensure the workflow uses the package manager and install command supported by the repository’s lockfile. The sample’s
npm ciassumes an npm lockfile. - The action cannot find a prebuilt Storybook: check that the build step ran successfully and that
storybookBuildDirpoints to its output directory. If no earlier build is supplied, use Chromatic’s documented action flow. - Git-provider context or pull-request checks are missing: check the action inputs and permissions required for the action version in use, including any documented
GITHUB_TOKENconfiguration. Also confirm that workflow triggers include the events you expect. - Action or runtime versions stop working: compare the workflow’s action tags and Node version with Chromatic’s current GitHub Actions guide and update the example values as needed.
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curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for request options. It removes cookie and consent banners, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; bot checks, blank pages, and failed loads are never billed. It also offers an MCP server for AI agents, with tools including take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf. The free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots. Sign up for ScreenshotNeo’s free plan.
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