Launch Chrome with both switches on the same command: chrome --headless --incognito https://example.com. Replace chrome with the executable installed on your system, such as google-chrome. The --headless switch runs Chrome without a visible user interface; --incognito starts the process in an Incognito browsing context.
Use the command for your operating system
The exact executable and shell syntax differ by platform. These commands follow Chrome’s documented Headless launch forms, with --incognito added to the same invocation.
| Platform | Command | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Linux |
|
The binary may instead be named chrome, chromium, or another installed package. |
| macOS |
|
open passes the switches to the named application. |
| Windows Command Prompt |
|
Run this in Command Prompt with Chrome available on the system path, or replace chrome with its full executable path. |
For a shell script or CI job, use an absolute path when several Chrome or Chromium installations might exist. Add a quoted URL if it contains shell metacharacters or spaces.
Choosing the current Headless implementation
Chrome 112 introduced the newer Headless implementation and the explicit selector is --headless=new. Current Chrome uses the unified Headless implementation when you specify --headless, so this is the usual command:
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google-chrome --headless --incognito https://example.comUse the explicit form when an automation framework, container image, or pinned test environment requires it:
google-chrome --headless=new --incognito https://example.comDo not build new scripts around --headless=old. Chromium’s current Headless documentation says that, from milestone 132, the old Headless shell is no longer part of the Chrome binary. Environments that still require that implementation must use the separate chrome-headless-shell binary instead. Check the version of the executable you are actually invoking before changing a production job:
google-chrome --versionWhat Incognito does in a Headless process
--incognito causes Chrome to launch directly in an Incognito browsing context. It does not turn Headless Chrome into an anonymity service, conceal requests from the sites you visit, or create a security boundary. Treat it as a browser-context choice, not a network-privacy guarantee.
Headless and Incognito solve different problems:
- Headless removes the visible interface so a command can run unattended.
- Incognito selects a private browsing context inside that Chrome process.
Combining them is useful for one-off captures, automated checks, and scripts that should not open a normal interactive window. If you need a deliberately persistent browser profile, configure that separately with the profile options supported by your automation setup; Incognito itself should not be treated as a durable profile store.
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Run unattended tasks from the command line
After Chrome starts, you can ask Headless mode to produce output instead of merely loading a page. These operations are independent: choose the one that matches the artifact you need.
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Dump the rendered DOM
--dump-dom serializes the page’s DOM after scripts have run and writes it to standard output:
google-chrome --headless --incognito --dump-dom https://example.com > page.htmlThe output is the DOM Chrome produced after loading and script execution, not necessarily the original response body.
Capture a screenshot
--screenshot saves an image. Set the viewport with --window-size so captures are repeatable:
google-chrome --headless --incognito --window-size=1365,768 --screenshot=home.png https://example.comIf you omit a filename, Chrome uses its default screenshot filename in the current working directory. Ensure the destination directory is writable in a container or CI runner.
Print a PDF
--print-to-pdf writes a PDF. Add --no-pdf-header-footer when you do not want print headers and footers:
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google-chrome --headless --incognito --print-to-pdf=page.pdf --no-pdf-header-footer https://example.comLimit waiting time
--timeout=<milliseconds> limits how long a capture command waits for loading. For pages whose timers or animations make output nondeterministic, --virtual-time-budget=<milliseconds> advances page timers for a bounded period before Chrome captures the result:
google-chrome --headless --incognito --timeout=30000 --virtual-time-budget=5000 --screenshot=stable.png https://example.comThese are separate controls: the timeout bounds waiting, while the virtual-time budget gives scripts and timers a defined amount of virtual time.
Open Chrome-internal URLs
Chrome blocks chrome:// URLs in some Headless command-line workflows. The --allow-chrome-scheme-url switch enables them and is available from Chrome 123:
google-chrome --headless --incognito --allow-chrome-scheme-url --dump-dom chrome://versionInspect an invisible instance with DevTools
When a command succeeds but the result is wrong, expose the DevTools Protocol and inspect the running instance. Port 0 asks Chrome to choose a free port and print a unique WebSocket endpoint:
google-chrome --headless --incognito --remote-debugging-port=0 https://example.comFrom another Chrome instance, open chrome://inspect and connect to the endpoint shown by the Headless process. This lets you inspect pages that have no visible window while preserving the same launch flags.
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For repeatable diagnostics, record the Chrome version, complete command, target URL, exit status, and any stderr output. Do not expose a debugging endpoint beyond the local machine unless your environment supplies its own access controls.
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Troubleshooting common failures
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
command not found or “’chrome’ is not recognized” |
The executable is not on PATH, or the package uses another name. |
Run the installed binary by absolute path, or use the platform-specific name such as google-chrome. Verify with its --version command. |
| A window appears instead of a fully unattended run | The command was launched without --headless, or a wrapper discarded the argument. |
Print the final argument list from the wrapper and ensure --headless and --incognito are both passed to Chrome. |
Chrome rejects --headless=old |
Newer Chrome versions no longer include the old implementation in the main binary. | Use --headless or --headless=new. If old Headless behavior is mandatory, install the separate chrome-headless-shell binary. |
| The screenshot or PDF is blank | The page did not finish loading, the command timed out, or the destination cannot be written. | Increase --timeout, set a suitable --virtual-time-budget, check stderr and the exit code, and test writing a file in the destination directory. |
| Dynamic content is missing | Capture occurred before scripts or timers produced the content. | Use a longer virtual-time budget, then inspect with --dump-dom or the DevTools Protocol to see what actually rendered. |
chrome:// target fails |
Chrome-internal schemes are not enabled for that invocation. | Add --allow-chrome-scheme-url on Chrome 123 or newer. |
| Remote debugging cannot be found | The process exited, the chosen port was blocked, or the endpoint was not captured. | Use --remote-debugging-port=0, keep the process running, and copy the WebSocket endpoint printed by Chrome before opening chrome://inspect. |
Reliability and performance considerations
Pin the executable and version
Automation can change behavior when a system update replaces Chrome. Record the binary path and version in CI logs, and test the same Headless selector (--headless or --headless=new) in development and production.
Make output deterministic
Use a fixed --window-size for screenshots, an explicit output filename, and bounded --timeout and --virtual-time-budget values. These settings make differences easier to attribute when a page, network request, or script changes.
Handle exit status and files
Run commands with shell error handling, verify that the expected PNG or PDF exists, and preserve stderr on failure. A successful process start does not by itself prove that the target rendered correctly.
Choose the right interface
- Use
--dump-domfor a serialized DOM snapshot. - Use
--screenshotfor an image and--window-sizefor viewport control. - Use
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Frequently asked questions
Can I combine Headless Incognito with a URL containing query parameters?
Yes. Quote the complete URL in your shell when characters such as &, spaces, or parentheses could otherwise be interpreted by the shell.
Where does Chrome write a screenshot when no filename is supplied?
It writes the default screenshot file in the command’s current working directory. Set an explicit filename and working directory in automation so downstream steps know exactly where to find it.
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Is --headless=new required on every current Chrome installation?
No. The plain --headless switch is the normal current choice. Use the explicit new value when a pinned toolchain requires that spelling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I launch several Headless Incognito commands at once?
Yes, provided each process has sufficient system resources and separate output filenames. In a script, isolate logs and artifacts per process so one run cannot overwrite another.
How do I preserve a debugging record for a failed capture?
Save the complete command, Chrome version, exit status, standard error, target URL, and any generated DevTools WebSocket endpoint alongside the failed artifact.
Quick Recap
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