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Freedom251 › Blog › Chromium

Puppeteer Screenshot on macOS: Install and Configure Chromium

By Freedom251 Team · · 5 min read

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To take a screenshot with Puppeteer on macOS, install the puppeteer package, let its install script download the compatible Chrome for Testing browser, then launch it from Node.js and call page.screenshot(). The current Puppeteer documentation lists Node.js 22.12 or later and supports Chrome for Testing on both macOS x64 and arm64. This guide follows Puppeteer 25.12.0 documentation current as of October 3, 2026; check the linked requirements if you use a later release.

Choose how Puppeteer will get Chromium

For the least configuration and the most predictable compatibility, use the full puppeteer package. Its install process downloads a recent Chrome for Testing build and chrome-headless-shell, which Puppeteer caches under $HOME/.cache/puppeteer by default. The official installation guide estimates the macOS browser download at about 170 MB; the exact size can vary by release. See Puppeteer’s installation guide.

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Use puppeteer-core instead when you manage the browser yourself or connect to a remote browser. It does not download Chrome; you must configure a browser executable or a supported installation channel. That gives you control over the browser location and version, but Puppeteer does not guarantee compatibility with an independently managed executable. Its compatibility guarantee applies to the bundled browser. See LaunchOptions.

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Setup Browser source Compatibility responsibility
puppeteer Chrome for Testing and headless shell downloaded during package installation Puppeteer guarantees compatibility with its bundled browser.
puppeteer-core A browser you manage, or a remote browser You select and maintain the browser; compatibility with an alternate executable is your responsibility.

Install Puppeteer and its browser on macOS

  1. Install a suitable Node.js version. For Puppeteer 25.12.0, the published system requirements specify Node 22.12 or later. Verify the current system requirements before choosing a different Puppeteer release.
  2. From your project directory, install the package. With npm, run npm install puppeteer. The equivalent package-manager commands are yarn add puppeteer, pnpm add puppeteer, and bun add puppeteer.
  3. Allow the browser download to finish. Puppeteer’s install script downloads the browser builds. The macOS Chrome for Testing download is listed at approximately 170 MB, so allow for that network transfer and disk use.

On macOS, the current requirements list Chrome for Testing support on both x64 and arm64. Puppeteer also requires unzip to unpack Chrome’s archive unless the optional yauzl dependency is installed.

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Capture a screenshot with the bundled browser

Create an ES module file such as screenshot.mjs in the project where you installed Puppeteer. This example launches the bundled browser, opens a page at a fixed viewport, navigates to the target, writes a PNG, and closes the browser even if navigation or capture fails. It follows the documented launch, page, viewport, and screenshot flow.

import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';

const browser = await puppeteer.launch();
try {
  const page = await browser.newPage();
  await page.setViewport({ width: 1080, height: 1024 });
  await page.goto('https://example.com');
  await page.screenshot({ path: 'screenshot.png' });
} finally {
  await browser.close();
}

Run it with node screenshot.mjs. The file screenshot.png will be written to the current working directory. Puppeteer’s getting started guide documents the launch and page setup, and the Page.screenshot() API documents screenshot capture and its options.

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Use a different output format or capture options

The screenshot API accepts format and capture options in the screenshot call. Consult the API reference for the exact option names supported by the version installed in your project. Avoid assuming that examples for another Puppeteer release have identical options.

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Configure a separately installed Chrome

If you intentionally want to use a browser other than Puppeteer’s bundled build, install puppeteer-core and supply the browser through the documented launch configuration mechanisms, such as an executable path or browser channel. The configuration API also exposes settings for browser selection, cache location, and skipping downloads; review Puppeteer’s configuration interface for the version you use.

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Do not copy a macOS Chrome path from another machine into your project without confirming that Chrome is installed at that location. Paths depend on the local installation and environment. An alternate executable may work, but Puppeteer states that its compatibility is at the user’s risk; if you encounter unexplained launch or protocol errors, test first with the bundled browser.

Fix a missing browser or failed launch

  • Error such as “Could not find Chrome (ver. …).” A package manager may have blocked Puppeteer’s install script, so the package installed without its browser. Run npx puppeteer browsers install from the project directory to install the required browser. Alternatively, configure the package manager to allow Puppeteer’s postinstall script. The official recovery step is described in the installation guide.
  • Chrome archive will not unpack. Confirm that unzip is available, or install the optional yauzl dependency specified by Puppeteer’s system requirements.
  • The browser launches in one project but not another. Check which package the project uses: puppeteer downloads the browser, while puppeteer-core does not. For puppeteer-core, provide the executable or channel configuration rather than expecting a bundled browser.
  • A custom Chrome executable fails or behaves differently. Confirm that the path exists and points to a supported local browser. Then try Puppeteer’s bundled Chrome for Testing to distinguish an executable/version mismatch from an application issue.
  • Installation appears stuck or incomplete. The browser download is substantial—about 170 MB for the macOS Chrome for Testing build in the versioned guide—so check network access and available disk space, then rerun the browser installation command if needed.
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Or skip the browser setup

ScreenshotNeo takes a website screenshot through a single GET request, so you do not need to install Puppeteer or manage a local Chromium build for this capture. Its cookie and consent handling accepts banners like a visitor and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before the shot; each step can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits cost nothing, and response headers report the page verdict and billing status. Its MCP server offers take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf for AI agents and other MCP clients.

For a basic image capture, save the response as a file. See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for request parameters and response details.

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curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://example.com -o shot.webp

ScreenshotNeo includes 1,000 screenshots per month on its free plan with no card required; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 screenshots. Learn about ScreenshotNeo, then sign up for the free plan.

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ChromiummacOSNode.jsPuppeteerWeb development

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