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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteThe latest release listed in Puppeteer’s combined changelog is 25.12.0, released September 23, 2026. It rolls supported Chrome and Firefox versions and includes browser-launcher cleanup and drag-and-drop fixes. If you are upgrading across the 25.0.0 major release, check the Node.js minimum and asynchronous API changes before updating.
What changed in Puppeteer 25.12.0?
The official Puppeteer changelog combines updates for the puppeteer and puppeteer-core packages. Its latest listed entry at the time of writing is version 25.12.0, dated September 23, 2026.
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| Change in 25.12.0 | What it means |
|---|---|
| Chrome rolled to 154.0.8037.57; Firefox rolled to 156.0 | Bundled-browser versions move with releases. These are browser rolls, not new Puppeteer API features. |
@puppeteer/browsers updated from 3.2.2 to 3.2.3 |
The browser-management package received a dependency update. |
| Temporary-profile cleanup on process exit | Launcher maintenance improves cleanup of temporary browser data when the process exits. |
| Mouse button released when drag-and-drop fails | A failed drag/drop operation no longer leaves the mouse button pressed. |
| Accessibility shadow-host fix and additional browser rolls | These are targeted fixes and compatibility updates rather than a broad new automation interface. |
Puppeteer releases frequently include browser rolls and dependency maintenance. When scanning the changelog, distinguish those from API changes that may require code edits.
What should you check before upgrading?
Audit changes introduced in 25.0.0
Puppeteer 25.0.0, released May 12, 2026, introduced breaking changes. Before a major-version upgrade, check your runtime and any code that calls the affected APIs, as recorded in the changelog.
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- Node.js: Puppeteer 25 requires Node.js 22 or newer. Confirm the runtime used by your local development environment, CI jobs, containers, and production workers.
Puppeteer.product: The deprecated property was removed. Search your code and dependencies for references and replace or remove them as appropriate.executablePathanddefaultArgs: These now return Promises. Addawaitin asynchronous code, and update callers that assumed a synchronous value.
Run your test suite after updating; in particular, exercise startup paths and code that constructs launch options. Do not assume that a minor browser roll has the same compatibility impact as a major Puppeteer release.
Confirm the browser version for your Puppeteer release
Use the official supported browsers matrix for the exact Puppeteer version you intend to run. Stable Firefox support began with Puppeteer v23.0.0. If an exact browser match is not listed, the support page says to use the browser version supported by the immediately preceding Puppeteer version; verify the matrix rather than inferring compatibility from the newest changelog entry.
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Which automation protocol applies?
Protocol choice depends on the browser and setup. Puppeteer changed Firefox automation to default to WebDriver BiDi in version 23.0.0, but that does not mean BiDi replaces CDP for every browser. The project’s FAQ says Chrome automation with CDP will continue to be supported despite Puppeteer’s WebDriver BiDi support. Check the documentation for your target browser and release when selecting a protocol.
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How should you choose a browser setup?
Launch a browser or connect to one
Puppeteer can launch a browser process it manages or connect to an existing browser. Launching is a straightforward choice when the automation job owns browser startup and shutdown; connecting can fit an environment where the browser is provisioned separately. The deployment determines which model is appropriate. See Browser management for the supported setup patterns.
Isolate tasks with BrowserContexts
When separate automation tasks should not share browser state, use BrowserContexts to isolate them. This helps keep task-specific page state and session data from bleeding into another task; it does not by itself replace careful management of the browser process or other shared resources.
Choose headless Chrome according to fidelity needs
The standard headless mode and chrome-headless-shell are not identical. The shell does not fully match regular Chrome behavior, but the official headless modes guide notes it can be more performant for automation when its reduced feature set is sufficient. Prefer the mode that matches the browser behavior your task needs, and validate pages that depend on full Chrome features.
How do installation and browser downloads affect upgrades?
Puppeteer’s browser installation is configurable. Its browser management guide, @puppeteer/browsers documentation, and configuration interface describe browser management and configuration options. If an install cannot find a browser, check which browser is being downloaded, where it is expected to be installed, and whether the environment configuration matches your deployment.
For cache-related problems, consult the official troubleshooting guide. It documents the browser cache location and the PUPPETEER_CACHE_DIR environment variable. Set the cache path consistently between installation and runtime, especially in containers or CI, so the browser installed in one location is available to the process that launches it.
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Common upgrade and launch problems
- Install fails on an older Node.js runtime: Confirm the runtime version. Puppeteer 25.0.0 raised the minimum to Node.js 22; update the runtime or use a Puppeteer version compatible with the existing environment.
- Code receives a Promise instead of a path or argument list: Update callers of
executablePathanddefaultArgsto await their results and propagate asynchronous handling. - Browser executable is missing: Check browser download/configuration settings and the expected install location against the browser management guide.
- Browser cache is not found in CI or a container: Verify the cache location used during installation and runtime; use
PUPPETEER_CACHE_DIRwhen a custom location is needed, following the troubleshooting documentation. - Firefox behavior differs from expectations: Check the supported-browser matrix for the exact Puppeteer release and verify whether your setup uses BiDi.
- Headless rendering differs from regular Chrome: Confirm whether the task uses
chrome-headless-shell; switch to standard headless Chrome if the shell’s reduced feature set is incompatible with the page. - Drag-and-drop or accessibility behavior changes after updating: Review the release notes for targeted fixes, then reproduce the behavior against the exact browser and Puppeteer versions in use.
Or skip the browser setup
For a website screenshot without managing a Puppeteer browser install, call ScreenshotNeo’s API. Its screenshot API removes cookie banners, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; each cleanup step can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, and response headers identify the page verdict and billing status. ScreenshotNeo also offers an MCP server for AI agents, with tools for screenshots, page information, and PDF capture.
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. ScreenshotNeo offers 1,000 screenshots per month free with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 screenshots. Learn about ScreenshotNeo or sign up for the free plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Puppeteer 25.12.0 require Node.js 22?
The Node.js 22 minimum was introduced in Puppeteer 25.0.0; confirm the runtime requirement for the exact release you install.
Does Puppeteer still support Chrome through CDP?
Yes. Puppeteer’s FAQ says Chrome automation through CDP will continue to be supported alongside WebDriver BiDi.
Where can I check which Firefox version works with Puppeteer?
Use the official supported browsers matrix for your exact Puppeteer version.
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