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Run npx playwright show-report in your project directory. Playwright starts a local web server and opens the latest HTML report, normally from playwright-report. To open another folder, pass its path, for example npx playwright show-report my-report.

Open a Playwright HTML report

After npx playwright test finishes, the HTML reporter usually writes a self-contained report to playwright-report. If the browser did not open automatically, serve it yourself:

npx playwright show-report

To serve a particular report directory:

npx playwright show-report my-report

You can control the listening interface and port:

npx playwright show-report my-report --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8080

Use a host and port that are appropriate for your environment. Binding to all interfaces can expose the report to other machines, so prefer the default local host unless remote access is intentional.

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Open a downloaded report archive

If you received a ZIP archive with index.html at its top level, pass the archive path to show-report. Playwright extracts it to a temporary directory and serves the report:

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npx playwright show-report ./artifacts/playwright-report.zip

The command serves the report; it does not permanently publish it on the internet. For a lasting copy, retain the folder or archive as a CI artifact.

What the viewer contains

The HTML report is the run-level index. It lists tests, projects and browsers, durations, and outcomes. Use the status filters for passed, failed, flaky, or skipped tests, and search for a test by name. Select a test to open its details, including the error, steps and attachments.

Report versus trace

A report tells you which test failed and organizes the available evidence. A trace is the deeper, step-by-step execution record. When a trace is attached, the report links to it beside the test or exposes it in the test detail view’s Traces tab.

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In Trace Viewer you can move through actions and inspect before-and-after page state, source, logs, network activity, console output and errors. Start with the report to identify the failing test, then open its trace to reconstruct the failure.

Generate and configure HTML output

Select the reporter for one run

Force HTML output from the command line:

npx playwright test --reporter=html

Configure the reporter

In playwright.config.ts:

import { defineConfig } from '@playwright/test';

export default defineConfig({
  reporter: [['html', { open: 'never' }]],
});

The HTML reporter’s documented output folder is playwright-report. Set outputFolder in the reporter options, or use the PLAYWRIGHT_HTML_OUTPUT_DIR environment variable, when a different location is required.

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The open option accepts always, never, or on-failure. The documented default is on-failure. You can also configure the report host and port. Reporter option names and defaults can change, so check the current reporter guide against the Playwright version installed in your project.

Prevent or permit automatic opening

Use open: 'never' for CI, where launching a browser is unnecessary. Use open: 'always' when every local run should open a report, or retain on-failure when you only want a browser after a failed run.

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See a trace from a failed test

Open a trace from the report

  1. Run npx playwright show-report.
  2. Filter the report to failed or flaky tests.
  3. Open the test and select its trace link or the Traces tab.
  4. Use the timeline to inspect the action that failed, then compare the DOM snapshot, network requests, console messages and source around that step.

Open a saved trace directly

For a trace ZIP outside the report:

npx playwright show-trace path/to/trace.zip

You can also use the browser-based viewer at trace.playwright.dev. Playwright’s documentation says the trace data is loaded in the browser and is not transmitted externally when using that viewer.

Capture traces for retries and local debugging

For CI, configure tracing on the first retry and set a retry count. A typical configuration is:

import { defineConfig } from '@playwright/test';

export default defineConfig({
  retries: 1,
  use: {
    trace: 'on-first-retry',
  },
});

For a local diagnostic run, Playwright also supports:

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npx playwright test --trace on

Tracing adds artifacts and storage, so enable it where the extra execution detail is worth the cost. A trace does not replace the report: the report gives you the run summary and the trace explains an individual execution.

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Merge reports from CI shards

Parallel CI shards produce separate reports. To create one HTML report, use Playwright’s blob reporter in each shard, collect the resulting blob files in one directory, and merge them:

npx playwright merge-reports --reporter html ./all-blob-reports

The command writes the consolidated report to playwright-report. Blob reports include test results and attachments such as traces and screenshot diffs.

A practical CI sequence

  1. Configure each shard to use the blob reporter and write its blob output to the CI workspace.
  2. Upload each shard’s blob directory as a CI artifact.
  3. Download all blob artifacts into one directory on a merge job.
  4. Run npx playwright merge-reports --reporter html ./all-blob-reports.
  5. Upload the resulting playwright-report directory as the final artifact.

This keeps the report available after the job ends without implying that Playwright hosts it for you.

How to read a failure efficiently

Start with outcome and scope

  • Confirm whether the test is failed, flaky or skipped.
  • Check the browser/project and duration; a browser-specific failure needs a different investigation from an assertion that fails everywhere.
  • Read the first actionable error rather than starting with the final stack-trace wrapper.

Move from the failing step to evidence

  • Open the step that failed and inspect the associated locator or assertion.
  • Use the trace snapshot to see what was actually rendered at that moment.
  • Check network and console panels for blocked requests, JavaScript errors or redirects.
  • Compare the trace’s source and timing with the test’s expected wait conditions.

A screenshot can show appearance, but the trace supplies the temporal context needed to distinguish a locator problem, navigation race, server error or environment issue.

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Troubleshooting common problems

“Report not found” or an empty folder

Run the command from the project that generated the report, or pass the exact report directory. Verify that it contains index.html and that the test used the HTML reporter. If your configuration changed the output folder, use that path or set PLAYWRIGHT_HTML_OUTPUT_DIR consistently.

The report does not open automatically

Automatic opening is controlled by the reporter’s open option and may be unsuitable in a headless CI job. Start it explicitly with npx playwright show-report, or configure open: 'always' or open: 'on-failure' for local runs.

The page is blank or assets are missing

Serve the report with Playwright instead of opening index.html directly from the file system. For an archive, ensure index.html is at the ZIP’s top level and pass the ZIP to show-report.

No trace link appears

The test must have produced a trace attachment. Enable tracing, for example with trace: 'on-first-retry' and a retry, or run locally with --trace on. Existing tests cannot be retroactively traced.

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Shard results are missing after merging

Make sure every shard’s blob artifact was downloaded into the same input directory and that the merge job runs after all shards finish. Use the blob reporter for the shard jobs; ordinary HTML folders are not the documented input to merge-reports.

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Save or share a report screenshot

For a quick visual record, open the served report in a browser and use the browser’s screenshot or print-to-PDF function. Keep the original report folder as the diagnostic artifact: a single image cannot preserve filters, test details or trace attachments.

Or skip the browser setup

ScreenshotNeo can capture a served report with one API request. It accepts consent banners before capture and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups and chat widgets; those cleanup steps can be disabled. Bot checks or CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads and cache hits are not billed, and response headers identify the page verdict and billing status. Its MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info and capture_pdf tools for Claude, Cursor and other MCP clients. Every plan includes the features; 1,000 screenshots per month are free without a card, and paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots.

After making the report reachable to the API (for example, through an authenticated staging URL), use the documented request format:

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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.webp

Replace the example URL with your report URL. See the ScreenshotNeo documentation for authentication, waiting, access controls and output options. Sign up for 1,000 free screenshots a month with no card.

Performance, reliability and retention

  • Use the local report server for interactive investigation; it avoids uploading potentially sensitive test data.
  • In CI, upload the report and traces as artifacts with an explicit retention period. Reports can contain URLs, response data, screenshots and application details.
  • Use blob reports when sharding so the merge job receives one consistent set of results.
  • Keep tracing focused on retries or known diagnostic runs to limit artifact size.
  • Record the Playwright version with the artifact. Reporter behavior and configuration names should be checked against the installed version’s documentation.

Quick command reference

Goal Command or setting
Open latest report npx playwright show-report
Open a specific folder npx playwright show-report my-report
Serve on a chosen port npx playwright show-report --port 8080
Generate HTML for one run npx playwright test --reporter=html
Open a trace ZIP npx playwright show-trace path/to/trace.zip
Merge sharded blobs npx playwright merge-reports --reporter html ./all-blob-reports
Capture a trace on retry trace: 'on-first-retry'

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I open a Playwright report without rerunning tests?

Yes. If the report folder or ZIP still exists, run npx playwright show-report with its path; no test execution is required.

Is the HTML report the same as a trace?

No. The HTML report summarizes a run and links to evidence. A trace is a separate, detailed execution recording with action, page, network, console and source views.

Where should a CI team publish the final report?

Retain the generated playwright-report as a CI artifact after optionally merging shard blobs. The Playwright command serves it locally; permanent hosting is a separate artifact or web-hosting decision.

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