The Puppeteer browser-management CLI is published as @puppeteer/browsers. Start with npx @puppeteer/browsers --help, then ask a specific command for its current flags—for example, npx @puppeteer/browsers install --help. These CLI options are not the same as Puppeteer’s JavaScript launch settings or Chrome’s own command-line switches.
What are the Puppeteer command-line options?
The browser CLI provides commands for installing, launching, listing, and clearing browser builds. Puppeteer’s documentation does not enumerate every current flag in its static CLI reference; instead, it says the built-in per-command help provides the documentation needed to use the CLI. Consult the help output for the version installed in your project, because the available flags can vary by package version. See the official browser CLI reference.
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npx @puppeteer/browsers --help
npx @puppeteer/browsers install --help
npx @puppeteer/browsers launch --help
npx @puppeteer/browsers list --help
npx @puppeteer/browsers clear --helpThe examples below show common documented commands, not a complete inventory of flags.
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Use the browser CLI to request a browser channel, milestone, or specific build. For instance, this installs the latest available Chrome for Testing build on the Stable channel:
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npx @puppeteer/browsers install chrome@stableThe documentation also shows forms such as chrome@117 for a milestone and [email protected] for a full version. Those are examples of identifier formats, not recommendations to install those older versions. Check install --help for the identifiers and options supported by your installed CLI.
Use Puppeteer’s configured browser
If you want to install the browser selected by your Puppeteer project configuration, use Puppeteer’s wrapper command instead:
npx puppeteer browsers installThis differs from explicitly choosing a browser identifier with npx @puppeteer/browsers install.
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Install Chrome system dependencies on Ubuntu or Debian
The documented --install-deps example is specifically for Chrome on Ubuntu or Debian and requires root privileges:
npx puppeteer browsers install chrome --install-depsDependency installation may be attempted even when the browser is already installed. Do not assume this option applies to other operating systems or browsers; consult the install options reference.
Choose the npm package version separately
A package version after @ selects the CLI package version, not the browser build. The official examples show requesting the latest package or pinning a package release:
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npx @puppeteer/browsers@latest --help
npx @puppeteer/[email protected] --helpThe CLI guide also documents --yes for automatically confirming an npx prompt to install the latest package. Verify the prompt and supported syntax in your local npx and CLI help.
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List installed browsers
npx @puppeteer/browsers listUse the output to inspect browser builds installed through the browser-management tooling.
Launch a browser
The CLI supports a launch command, but the static reference points readers to its command-specific help for the current launch flags. Check it before constructing a command rather than assuming Puppeteer’s JavaScript options are accepted by the CLI:
npx @puppeteer/browsers launch --helpClear installed browsers
clear removes installed browsers. Treat it as a destructive cleanup operation: do not run it if you still need the cached browser builds for a project or offline use.
npx @puppeteer/browsers clearCLI flags, Puppeteer launch settings, and Chrome switches are different
“Puppeteer options” can mean three different things. Keeping their scope straight prevents a common mistake: treating every browser switch as a Puppeteer CLI flag.
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| Browser-management CLI options | Commands such as install, launch, list, and clear |
Ask the installed command for its flags with --help. |
Puppeteer JavaScript LaunchOptions |
Properties passed to puppeteer.launch() |
browser, channel, executablePath, headless, timeout, userDataDir, and args. |
| Browser-native command-line arguments | Extra switches passed to the browser process | Supply them through the Puppeteer API’s args array; they are not thereby CLI flags for @puppeteer/browsers. |
See the Puppeteer LaunchOptions reference for the JavaScript API. Puppeteer’s documented defaults include headless: true, which starts Chrome’s new headless mode. Setting headless: 'shell' selects the old headless shell. Setting devtools: true forces headless mode off. The default launch timeout is 30 seconds; setting it to zero disables that timeout.
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When you provide executablePath for an external browser, you are responsible for compatibility: Puppeteer guarantees compatibility only with its bundled browser.
The browser package has its own programmatic launch interface
@puppeteer/browsers also documents a programmatic LaunchOptions interface. It is separate from puppeteer.launch() and includes an executable path, extra arguments, environment, stdio forwarding, and signal handling. See the browser package LaunchOptions reference.
Configuration affects which browser Puppeteer installs and finds
Puppeteer configuration can set a default browser, cache directory, executable path, log level, whether downloads are skipped, and a temporary directory. The documented defaults are Chrome and ~/.cache/puppeteer for the cache. Environment-variable overrides include:
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See the Configuration interface reference for the available settings. puppeteer-core ignores Puppeteer configuration files and these environment variables.
What the standard package downloads
According to Puppeteer’s version 25.12.0 installation guide, installing puppeteer automatically downloads Chrome for Testing and chrome-headless-shell, by default under $HOME/.cache/puppeteer. That documentation gives approximate download sizes of 170 MB for macOS, 282 MB for Linux, and 280 MB for Windows; these are Puppeteer-published estimates, not independent measurements.
Package managers can block browser downloads
The installation guide warns that many modern package managers block dependency install scripts by default. If that prevents Puppeteer’s browser download, the documented remedy is to run the manual browser-install command for the package manager or explicitly allow Puppeteer’s install script in project configuration. Installing puppeteer-core alone does not download Chrome; it is intended for cases such as connecting to a remote browser or managing the browser yourself, with an executable path or channel supplied as applicable.
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Requirements, proxies, and diagnostics
Check platform-specific prerequisites
The browser CLI requires a compatible Node.js version. Browser archive utilities differ by platform: the documentation lists unzip on Linux and macOS and tar.exe on Windows for Chrome archives. For Firefox downloads, it lists xz and bzip2 on Linux, and hdiutil on macOS. Check the current CLI documentation for your browser and operating system.
Configure a proxy
The browser CLI respects HTTP_PROXY, HTTPS_PROXY, and NO_PROXY. Proxy support requires the proxy-agent package.
Turn on verbose browser-tool logs
For verbose operation logs, the guide shows this environment setting:
NODE_DEBUG="puppeteer:browsers:*"Documented debug channels include cache, file utilities, install, and launcher.
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“Could not find Chrome (ver. …)”
A frequent cause is that a package manager blocked Puppeteer’s install script, so the expected browser was never downloaded. Run the appropriate manual install command or allow the install script. Also check whether the project uses puppeteer-core, which does not download a browser, or whether configuration points to a different browser or cache directory.
The browser download fails or cannot unpack
Confirm that the Node.js version is compatible, that the required archive utility is installed for the browser and operating system, and that proxy variables are correct if the network uses a proxy. Use the debug setting above to inspect browser-tool logs.
The CLI rejects a flag or command
Flag inventories can vary by installed package version. Run the top-level or per-command --help from the same package version you intend to use; do not copy a flag from a different release without checking.
Chrome launches in an unexpected mode
For the JavaScript API, check whether headless is true, set to 'shell', or overridden by devtools: true. These are launch properties, not a substitute for checking the browser CLI’s own launch help.
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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 configuration and response details. The same endpoint also works with Python:
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open("shot.webp", "wb").write(r.content)Or Node.js:
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Puppeteer browser CLI require a global install?
The documented examples run it through npx; npx uses an installed local package when available.
Can I use a different Chrome executable with Puppeteer?
Yes. The JavaScript API accepts executablePath, but Puppeteer guarantees compatibility only with its bundled browser.
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