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If Cypress screenshots are missing from GitLab CI, first make sure GitLab collects them as job artifacts. Add when: always and the nested screenshot path to the Cypress job, then confirm Cypress actually created files in the job workspace. Creating a screenshot and keeping it available in GitLab are separate steps.
1. Tell whether Cypress created a screenshot
Cypress automatically captures screenshots for failed tests during cypress run, including in CI. That automatic failure capture does not apply to cypress open. Check the job log to confirm it ran cypress run and that a test failed.
After the run, list the screenshot directory in the same job to see whether files exist. For example, add this diagnostic command after Cypress runs:
find cypress/screenshots -type f -printIf your job uses a different working directory or a custom screenshot folder, adjust the command to match. If there are no files, GitLab artifact settings cannot recover them; check Cypress configuration and the run itself before changing artifact collection.
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Check automatic capture settings
Automatic failure screenshots can be disabled with screenshotOnRunFailure: false. Check the effective Cypress configuration, including project configuration and any defaults passed into the run. The default is to capture failure screenshots during cypress run.
2. Tell GitLab to retain screenshots after the job
If screenshots exist in the job workspace but are absent from GitLab, configure artifacts in the Cypress job. Cypress’s GitLab example uses when: always so artifacts are collected even when tests fail, and includes nested PNG files:
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cypress-tests:
script:
- npx cypress run
artifacts:
when: always
paths:
- cypress/screenshots/**/*.pngAdapt the job name and surrounding configuration to your pipeline. The official Cypress GitLab CI example also collects videos with cypress/videos/**/*.mp4 when video retention is wanted.
Where to find the artifact
After the job completes, open the pipeline’s job in GitLab and look for its artifacts to browse or download the collected files. An artifact path only matches files within the job workspace; it does not cause Cypress to generate screenshots.
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3. Match the artifact path to Cypress’s screenshot folder
Cypress’s default screenshotsFolder is cypress/screenshots. Projects can change it, so compare the effective configured folder with the GitLab artifact path. If, for example, Cypress writes to artifacts/cypress-shots, GitLab must collect that directory instead:
artifacts:
when: always
paths:
- artifacts/cypress-shots/**/*.pngCypress nests screenshots beneath the screenshot folder according to spec-file paths. Keep the recursive **/*.png pattern; a path that only matches files directly inside the folder can miss nested images.
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Why a screenshot can be in an unexpected subfolder
Cypress derives the nested screenshot location from the spec path and removes common ancestor directories among the selected specs. Consequently, the directory structure can vary when the set of specs selected for a run changes. Do not rely on one test’s screenshot always appearing at a fixed path directly below cypress/screenshots.
When you need to inspect or customize resolved paths, Cypress provides screenshot callbacks that expose the resolved screenshot path. Use the callback’s actual output when checking a custom layout, rather than assuming the spec-to-directory mapping.
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4. Check whether Cypress cleared files before the run
trashAssetsBeforeRuns defaults to true. Before cypress run, Cypress clears the contents of its screenshots folder (and other run asset folders). If an earlier job step copied or generated screenshots there, Cypress may remove them before the artifact collection step.
- Generate or copy files that must be retained after Cypress starts, or store them outside the folder Cypress clears.
- If you deliberately disable cleanup, account for stale screenshots from previous runs so they are not mistaken for current failures.
5. Choose GitLab artifacts or Cypress Cloud
GitLab job artifacts are sufficient when the goal is simply to retain PNG screenshots from a job. Cypress Cloud is an optional recorded-run workflow for teams that want screenshots alongside test results and additional run context.
| Approach | Setup | Where to inspect | Useful when |
|---|---|---|---|
| GitLab job artifacts | Add an artifact path matching the configured screenshot folder; set when: always. |
The GitLab job’s artifacts. | You need to retain and download screenshots. |
| Cypress Cloud | Configure the project to record runs to Cloud and reliably provide a commit SHA for GitLab integration. | Recorded test results in Cypress Cloud. | You want centralized run history with screenshots, manual cy.screenshot() images, videos, and CI logs. |
Cloud recording is not required to make PNG files available through GitLab artifacts. See Cypress’s documentation on GitLab CI integration and recorded runs for its setup and recorded-run details.
6. Troubleshoot by symptom
| Symptom | Likely check and fix |
|---|---|
| A test failed, but no screenshot file exists. | Confirm the job ran cypress run, check that screenshotOnRunFailure is not false, and inspect the effective screenshotsFolder. |
| A screenshot exists in the workspace, but GitLab shows no artifact. | Add when: always and a recursive artifact path such as cypress/screenshots/**/*.png to the Cypress job. |
| The artifact is empty even though a path is configured. | Check that the path matches the configured screenshot folder and includes nested directories. |
| Files created before the run disappear. | Check whether the default trashAssetsBeforeRuns: true cleanup removed them. |
| The image appears below an unexpected directory. | Inspect the spec-relative path and the common ancestor of the selected specs; Cypress’s nesting can change with the selected spec set. |
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