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Set Cypress’s project-level screenshotsFolder option in cypress.config.js or cypress.config.ts. Cypress uses cypress/screenshots by default; changing this option redirects both screenshots you request with cy.screenshot() and failure screenshots created by cypress run.
Set the screenshot folder in Cypress configuration
Open the configuration file Cypress loads for the project. Put screenshotsFolder at the top level of defineConfig. The value can be a relative project path such as artifacts/screenshots.
JavaScript (CommonJS)
const { defineConfig } = require('cypress')
module.exports = defineConfig({
screenshotsFolder: 'artifacts/screenshots',
})TypeScript or ECMAScript modules
import { defineConfig } from 'cypress'
export default defineConfig({
screenshotsFolder: 'artifacts/screenshots',
})After saving the file, new captures are written below artifacts/screenshots instead of cypress/screenshots. Keep the setting at the project level unless your configuration deliberately scopes it differently; Cypress reads the value from the configuration file it actually loads.
What Cypress puts in that folder
Manual screenshots
A call such as cy.screenshot() uses the configured folder. A named call is also relative to that folder:
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cy.screenshot('checkout/payment-form')This creates a nested path under the screenshot root. Cypress’s documented layout is {screenshotsFolder}/{adjustedSpecPath}/{name}.png for a named screenshot and {screenshotsFolder}/{adjustedSpecPath}/{testName}.png when no name is supplied. The adjusted spec path keeps captures from different specs separated.
Failure screenshots during a run
When a test fails during cypress run, Cypress captures a failure image in the same configured folder. These automatic failure images are not taken while using cypress open.
Duplicate names
If a capture would collide with an existing filename, Cypress adds a numbered suffix. If replacement is intentional, pass overwrite: true in the screenshot options:
cy.screenshot('checkout/payment-form', { overwrite: true })Use overwrite carefully in parallel or diagnostic runs: the latest capture can replace evidence that would otherwise remain available.
Control failure capture and cleanup
Disable automatic failure images
Set screenshotOnRunFailure: false when you want only explicitly requested screenshots:
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const { defineConfig } = require('cypress')
module.exports = defineConfig({
screenshotsFolder: 'artifacts/screenshots',
screenshotOnRunFailure: false,
})This affects failure capture from cypress run; it does not remove screenshots created directly by cy.screenshot().
Keep artifacts between run commands
trashAssetsBeforeRuns defaults to true. Before cypress run, Cypress clears the contents of screenshotsFolder, including nested files and directories. Set it to false if a later run must retain earlier images:
const { defineConfig } = require('cypress')
module.exports = defineConfig({
screenshotsFolder: 'artifacts/screenshots',
trashAssetsBeforeRuns: false,
})The cleanup occurs for the run command. Cypress does not trash these assets when you use cypress open. In CI, decide whether the folder is a disposable workspace or an artifact directory that your pipeline uploads before the job ends.
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| Choice | Best use | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
Relative path, for example artifacts/screenshots |
Shared repositories and reproducible CI jobs | The directory is relative to the project Cypress runs from. |
Dedicated repository folder, for example test-output/screens |
Keeping screenshots beside other test artifacts | It can be confused with reports unless naming is explicit. |
| Absolute machine path | A controlled build agent with a fixed filesystem layout | It is less portable and may not exist, or be writable, on another developer’s machine or runner. |
Cypress needs to be able to create the configured directory and its nested paths. Prefer a relative path checked into the project configuration, then have CI archive that directory after the run. If the directory is regenerated on every run, exclude it from source control; Cypress’s organizing-tests guidance uses cypress/screenshots/ as an example of generated content in .gitignore.
Verify that Cypress is using the new location
- Confirm the option is spelled exactly
screenshotsFolder; the pluralscreenshotsis part of the name. - Make one explicit capture in a test, such as
cy.screenshot('path-check'). - Run the test with
cypress runand inspect the configured directory for the resulting PNG. - Trigger a deliberate test failure if you need to verify automatic failure capture, then check the same directory.
- Inspect the generated subdirectories. The spec path and test name are part of Cypress’s normal naming layout, so the file may be deeper than the root you selected.
If an old cypress/screenshots directory remains, that does not prove the setting failed. It may contain files from an earlier configuration or from another project directory. Check the timestamp and the path of the newest capture.
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Common problems and fixes
“My files still go to cypress/screenshots”
Usually Cypress is loading a different configuration file, the option is nested in the wrong object, or the test is running from another project directory. Put the option directly inside defineConfig({ ... }), verify the file extension and module syntax match the project, and run Cypress from the directory containing that configuration.
The folder is created but no image appears
Check that the test reached cy.screenshot(). For automatic images, remember that failure screenshots are produced by cypress run, not cypress open. Also check whether screenshotOnRunFailure was set to false.
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Earlier images disappear before the test starts
This is the default cleanup behavior: trashAssetsBeforeRuns: true clears the screenshot folder at the start of a run. Set it to false when preserving previous artifacts is required, or copy/upload the folder before launching the next run.
A nested name creates unexpected directories
Slashes in a screenshot name are treated as path segments. For example, cy.screenshot('actions/login/clicking-login') intentionally creates actions/login below the configured root. Use a simple name when you do not want additional nesting.
CI reports a permission or path error
The Cypress process must be able to create the configured directory and write files. Choose a workspace-relative directory that the runner owns, create it during job setup if your environment requires that, and avoid developer-specific absolute paths. If the job cleans workspaces between steps, upload the screenshots in the same job that runs Cypress.
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Two captures have the same name
By default Cypress preserves both by adding a numbered suffix. Keep that behavior for diagnostics. Use overwrite: true only when a stable, single filename is part of your workflow.
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Use the folder setting for the broad storage policy and screenshot names for meaningful checkpoints. A practical layout is a single project-relative root such as artifacts/screenshots, with names that identify the user journey:
cy.screenshot('checkout/cart')
cy.screenshot('checkout/payment')
cy.screenshot('checkout/confirmation')Cypress will still include the adjusted spec path, so two specs can use the same checkpoint name without silently overwriting each other. If a CI system expects one known directory, configure that directory once and archive it after the run rather than moving individual files during tests.
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cURL
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import requests
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FAQ
Can I point screenshotsFolder outside the repository?
Yes, provided the Cypress process can create and write to that path. An absolute location is tied to a particular machine or runner, so a project-relative path is usually easier to share.
Does changing the option rename existing screenshots?
No. The setting determines where future captures are written; move or delete files from the previous location separately if you no longer need them.
What file type does Cypress create?
The documented Cypress screenshot naming pattern ends in .png; the folder option changes location, not that default screenshot format.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I point screenshotsFolder outside the repository?
Yes, provided the Cypress process can create and write to that path. An absolute location is tied to a particular machine or runner, so a project-relative path is usually easier to share.
Does changing the option rename existing screenshots?
No. The setting determines where future captures are written; move or delete files from the previous location separately if you no longer need them.
What file type does Cypress create?
The documented Cypress screenshot naming pattern ends in .png; the folder option changes location, not that default screenshot format.
The Bottom Line
Set screenshotsFolder in the top level of defineConfig, then decide separately whether Cypress should capture failures and clear old artifacts with screenshotOnRunFailure and trashAssetsBeforeRuns.
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