To use host-installed Chrome with Puppeteer, set channel when it is a regular Chrome release in a location Puppeteer recognizes; set executablePath when you need a specific executable at a known path. Puppeteer’s bundled Chrome for Testing remains the better-supported default: its compatibility guarantee does not extend to arbitrary system-browser versions.
Choose the browser-selection option that matches your setup
| Option | How Puppeteer selects the browser | When to use it | Compatibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bundled Chrome for Testing | The puppeteer package downloads it by default. |
Use it when you do not specifically need the host browser and want Puppeteer’s supported baseline. | Puppeteer says it works best with the downloaded version and guarantees compatibility only with the bundled browser. |
channel |
Finds a regular Chrome installation at a known system location, using the selected Chrome release channel. | Use it when the host has a recognized Chrome channel and your application intentionally needs that browser. | It is not covered by the bundled-browser guarantee. |
executablePath |
Selects a browser executable at the path you specify. | Use it for a custom install location or a deliberately managed browser deployment. | The LaunchOptions reference explicitly warns that only the bundled browser is guaranteed to work. |
These behaviors are described in the Puppeteer LaunchOptions reference and installation guide. Paths, package names, and installed versions vary by operating system and deployment.
Launch a recognized system Chrome channel
With the full puppeteer package, pass a channel to puppeteer.launch(). Choose a channel that is installed and recognized in the environment where your process runs; do not assume that every machine has the same channel or installation path.
import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
channel: 'chrome',
});
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com');
console.log(await page.title());
} finally {
await browser.close();
}The example uses the stable Chrome channel label. If you need a different Chrome release channel, use its supported label for your installed Puppeteer version and verify it in the matching API documentation. The option is for Chrome/Chromium system-browser discovery, not a general mechanism for finding Firefox or any arbitrary browser; see the Browsers API.
Recommended Free Tools
#1 Best Overall
- Read Before You Buy — No Video Output: These adapters support charging and USB 2.0 data transfer, but cannot transmit video signals. Except for standard USB webcams (which use USB data only), they are not compatible with HDMI/DisplayPort cables, video-capable USB-C hubs, or docking stations with video output.
- Convert USB-A Ports to USB-C: Designed to connect USB-C earphones, cables, flash drives, card readers, and other USB-C accessories to standard USB-A ports. Plug-and-play with no drivers or software required.
- Aluminum Alloy Housing: Built with a sturdy aluminum alloy shell that aids in heat dissipation and protects against daily wear and scratches. Designed to maintain a stable and secure connection.
- Compact & Travel-Friendly: The ultra-compact design allows the adapter to stay plugged into your device without blocking adjacent ports or adding bulk, reducing wear and tear on your original USB ports.
- 12-Month Warranty: Backed by a 12-month manufacturer warranty for peace of mind. Designed to meet strict quality control standards for reliable everyday performance.
Launch an executable at an explicit path
Set executablePath when you know exactly which browser binary the process should start. Supply the real path for the target operating system and runtime rather than copying a path from another machine.
import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
browser: 'chrome',
executablePath: '/path/to/chrome',
});
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com');
console.log(await page.title());
} finally {
await browser.close();
}/path/to/chrome is an example placeholder, not a verified installation path. The browser property identifies the browser type; Puppeteer’s launch reference recommends setting it where appropriate when using an explicit executable.
Rank #2
- 5-in-1 USB-C Hub: Experience comprehensive connectivity featuring a Power Delivery input, two USB-A 2.0 ports, a USB-A 3.0 port, and an HDMI port. (Note: The USB-C power delivery input port is only for connecting an external wall charger to power your laptop and cannot power peripheral devices.)
- 90W Pass-Through Charging: Achieve optimal charging with 90W pass-through power to your laptop, supported by a total input of 100W, with the hub reserving 10W for operational efficiency. (Note: Wall charger not included.)
- Quick Data Transfers: Accelerate your productivity with rapid data transfers using a high-speed 5Gbps USB 3.0 port and two 480Mbps USB 2.0 ports.
- 4K HDMI Display: Enhance your visual experience with a hub capable of delivering 4K resolution at 30Hz in both mirror and extend modes. Please note that this hub is compatible with MacBook (macOS 12 and newer), Windows 10 and 11, ChromeOS, and laptops equipped with DP Alt Mode and Power Delivery. Note: This device is not compatible with Linux.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (5-in-1, 4K HDMI), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
Using puppeteer-core
puppeteer-core does not download Chrome. Select a browser yourself with channel or executablePath, and make sure the selected browser is available in the runtime environment.
import puppeteer from 'puppeteer-core';
const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
channel: 'chrome',
});
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com');
console.log(await page.title());
} finally {
await browser.close();
}For a custom install, replace the channel with browser: 'chrome' and the actual executablePath. The PuppeteerNode API describes the browser-selection requirement and compatibility caveat.
Rank #3
- Sleek 7-in-1 USB-C Hub: Features an HDMI port, two USB-A 3.0 ports, and a USB-C data port, each providing 5Gbps transfer speeds. It also includes a USB-C PD input port for charging up to 100W and dual SD and TF card slots, all in a compact design.
- Flawless 4K@60Hz Video with HDMI: Delivers exceptional clarity and smoothness with its 4K@60Hz HDMI port, making it ideal for high-definition presentations and entertainment. (Note: Only the HDMI port supports video projection; the USB-C port is for data transfer only.)
- Double Up on Efficiency: The two USB-A 3.0 ports and a USB-C port support a fast 5Gbps data rate, significantly boosting your transfer speeds and improving productivity.
- Fast and Reliable 85W Charging: Offers high-capacity, speedy charging for laptops up to 85W, so you spend less time tethered to an outlet and more time being productive.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
Check version, configuration, and deployment before switching
Match the documentation to your installed Puppeteer version
The official Puppeteer pages referenced here identify version 25.12.0 where version information is shown. Defaults and supported behavior can change, so check the documentation corresponding to the version in your project before relying on a particular channel, option, or platform requirement.
For the version 25.12.0 documentation, the system requirements specify Node 22.12+ and Chrome for Testing support on Windows x64; macOS x64 and arm64; Debian/Ubuntu Linux x64 and arm64; and openSUSE/Fedora Linux x64 and arm64. These are requirements for that documented version, not timeless guarantees for every Puppeteer release or every host-installed browser. See Puppeteer system requirements.
Rank #4
- Dual Converters, Infinite Potential：Includes 2× USB C male to USB A female adapters and 2× USB A male to USB C female adapters. Perfect for a wide range of uses—tablets with Bluetooth keyboards, expand USB ports on macbook, and more. Two different converters for all your daily needs
- Next-Level 10Gbps & 3A Charging: No more slow 480Mbps, this usb to usb c adapter has a transfer speed of up to 10Gbps, allowing you to do more transferring in less time. This usb adapter fits both USB A and USB C charger, supporting up to 3A fast charging
- Upgraded Exquisite Craftsmanship: With an aluminum alloy housing and metal connector, the usbc to usb adapter is extremely durable and sturdy. Rigorously tested to withstand more than 10,000 times of plugging and unplugging, ensuring long-lasting performance
- Broad Compatible: The usb c to usb adapter widely supports all USB C/ USB A devices like laptops, tablets, cellphones, car chargers, and phone chargers. Such as compatible with MacBook Pro/Air 2023/2022, Thunderbolt 4/3 Devices,Apple MagSafe Watch 9/8/7/SE/Ultra, iPad Pro 2022/2021, Samsung Galaxy S23/S20/S10, and iPhone 17/16/15 Pro. Plug and play
- Please Note: To reach 10Gbps speed, keep the cable under 3.3 ft. For USB A Male to USB C adapters, try flipping the USB C connector. USB C Male to USB A adapters support bidirectional 10Gbps transfer within 3.3 ft
Look for environment overrides
Puppeteer’s configuration can be affected by environment variables as well as project settings. The configuration reference documents PUPPETEER_EXECUTABLE_PATH, PUPPETEER_BROWSER, PUPPETEER_SKIP_DOWNLOAD, and browser-specific skip-download variables. If Puppeteer chooses an unexpected browser, inspect the environment of the actual process, including its container or service configuration. The default browser cache is ~/.cache/puppeteer; PUPPETEER_CACHE_DIR can override it. See the Configuration interface.
Account for installation and download choices
The regular puppeteer install downloads Chrome for Testing by default. If a package manager blocks install scripts, that download may be skipped and launching can fail because the bundled Chrome is missing. The official installation guide recommends manually running the Puppeteer browser-install command or configuring the package manager to allow the install script.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Best Value
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
The guide gives approximate Chrome for Testing download sizes of 170 MB on macOS, 282 MB on Linux, and 280 MB on Windows. These are approximate download sizes, not guaranteed installed disk usage. If you manage browser downloads yourself, the install options document says expectedHash can check an archive against an expected SHA-256 value; without it, the download proceeds without that integrity verification. See the installation guide and InstallOptions interface.
Test the browser in the environment that will run automation
- Identify the installed version. Check your project’s Puppeteer version and consult its corresponding documentation.
- Choose the compatibility trade-off. Prefer Puppeteer’s bundled Chrome for Testing when a predictable, supported setup matters more than using host Chrome.
- Select the system browser deliberately. Use
channelfor a recognized Chrome channel at a known system location, orexecutablePathfor a specific binary. - Verify runtime access. Confirm the browser exists and is executable for the same account, container, or service that launches Puppeteer; check environment overrides if selection is unexpected.
- Run representative automation in deployment. Test launch and the pages or interactions your application actually needs. Documentation does not guarantee compatibility with an arbitrary host-browser version.
Troubleshoot common launch failures
- “Could not find Chrome” after installation: The browser download may have been skipped, for example because package-manager policy blocked install scripts. Follow the install guide’s manual browser-install procedure or permit the install script.
- The wrong browser launches: Check
PUPPETEER_EXECUTABLE_PATH,PUPPETEER_BROWSER, and related runtime environment settings, as well as the configuration and service/container environment. - A channel is not found: Confirm that the requested Chrome channel is installed at a location Puppeteer recognizes. If the binary is custom or outside a recognized location, use its actual
executablePath. - The explicit path fails: Check that the path is correct inside the runtime environment and that the process account can execute the file. A host path may not exist inside a container.
- Launch succeeds but automation behaves differently: The system browser may differ from Puppeteer’s bundled Chrome for Testing. Reproduce with the bundled browser to isolate the difference, then validate the host-browser combination your deployment requires.
puppeteer-corecannot select a browser: Provide a validchannelorexecutablePath; the core package does not download Chrome for you.
Or skip the browser setup
If your goal is to capture a website rather than control a browser session, ScreenshotNeo is a screenshot API and MCP server. One GET request can return a PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF. Cookie banners are accepted and removed before capture, along with 60+ known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets; each of these steps can be turned off. Bot checks/CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, and the response identifies the page verdict and billing status in headers. An MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf for AI agents and MCP clients.
Here is a complete cURL request; replace the example URL and use your API key. See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for parameters and response details.
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpScreenshotNeo’s free plan includes 1,000 screenshots a month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000. Sign up for the free plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does `channel` work with Firefox?
No. Puppeteer’s documented system-browser selection is limited to Chrome/Chromium; `channel` is not a general browser-discovery option.
Can I use `puppeteer-core` without downloading a browser?
Yes, if you provide a browser selection yourself through `channel` or `executablePath` and make that browser available in the runtime.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
