Puppeteer recognizes four Chrome release channel names: stable, beta, dev, and canary. Use launch({ channel }) when you want Puppeteer to launch a regular Chrome installation already available on your system. To install a Puppeteer-managed Chrome for Testing build by channel, use @puppeteer/browsers instead. For the most predictable Puppeteer compatibility, use the Chrome for Testing version managed for your Puppeteer release; other Chrome versions are not guaranteed to work.
Which Chrome channel should you use with Puppeteer?
Choose based on whether you need a locally installed Google Chrome channel or Puppeteer’s managed browser:
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- For the compatibility baseline: use Puppeteer’s downloaded Chrome for Testing. Puppeteer says this is the browser version it works best with.
- For an installed Google Chrome: set
channeltostable,beta,dev, orcanary. Puppeteer looks for that regular Chrome installation in known system locations. - To install Chrome for Testing by channel: use the
@puppeteer/browsersCLI or API; this is distinct from selecting an installed Chrome vialaunch({ channel }).
Puppeteer suggests Canary or Dev if you specifically want Google Chrome rather than Chrome for Testing, but that suggestion is not a compatibility guarantee. See the launch documentation for its caveat: “There is no guarantee it will work with any other version.”
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In Puppeteer’s API, these are the four recognized values of ChromeReleaseChannel: stable, beta, dev, and canary. The Puppeteer channel documentation identifies the names, but does not provide a release-cadence or maturity comparison. Choose among them according to the installed Chrome build you need; do not infer a Puppeteer compatibility ranking from the names alone.
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The names are values for selecting a locally installed Chrome channel when using the launch option. They can also appear in a separate Chrome for Testing installation command, but that installs a managed browser build rather than telling launch() to fetch one. See the ChromeReleaseChannel reference and browser management documentation.
How do you launch an installed Chrome channel?
Install the desired regular Chrome channel for your operating system, then pass its channel name to Puppeteer’s launch method. This example uses Canary:
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import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
channel: 'canary',
headless: true,
});
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com');
console.log(await page.title());
} finally {
await browser.close();
}Replace 'canary' with 'stable', 'beta', or 'dev' to select another recognized channel. The channel option asks Puppeteer to locate a regular Chrome installation in a known system location; it does not install that channel into Puppeteer’s browser cache. Consult LaunchOptions for the current option details.
When to use executablePath instead
If Chrome is installed in a nonstandard location or you need to select a particular executable directly, pass its path with executablePath rather than relying on channel discovery. With puppeteer-core, provide either executablePath or channel when launching; puppeteer-core does not download Chrome during installation. The installation guide describes the package distinction.
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How do you install Chrome for Testing by channel?
Use the separate @puppeteer/browsers tool when you want a managed Chrome for Testing build installed by channel. The official CLI example is:
npx @puppeteer/browsers install chrome@stableThis command requests the Stable Chrome for Testing channel. The browser management documentation also describes installing a specific version or milestone. Puppeteer’s normal installation process can download its preferred Chrome for Testing build automatically; this managed browser is the compatibility baseline Puppeteer documents.
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Compatibility and version selection
Puppeteer documents its downloaded Chrome for Testing as the version it works best with and warns that it does not guarantee compatibility with other Chrome versions. A system-installed Beta, Dev, Canary, or Stable Chrome may work, but selecting a channel does not pin a specific browser version or establish that it is compatible with your Puppeteer package.
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Troubleshooting channel launches
- Puppeteer cannot find Chrome:
channelsearches known system locations for a regular Chrome installation. Confirm that the requested channel is installed and available to the account running the script. For a nonstandard path, useexecutablePath. - You expected channel selection to download a browser: it does not. Use Puppeteer’s managed browser download or the
@puppeteer/browsersinstall command for Chrome for Testing. puppeteer-corelaunches without a browser: this package does not download Chrome at install time. Supplychannelfor an installed channel orexecutablePathfor a specific executable.- A Chrome version launches but behaves incompatibly: use the Chrome for Testing version paired with your Puppeteer release, or verify the supported-browser mapping. Puppeteer does not guarantee that other Chrome versions work.
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