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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →To keep Cypress screenshots after a test run, upload the run’s cypress/screenshots directory as a CI artifact after Cypress finishes. In cypress run, Cypress captures failed-test screenshots by default and clears the screenshot folder before each run, so the CI upload must collect the current run’s files—even when tests fail. You can instead use Cypress Cloud to view screenshots attached to recorded results.
Where Cypress saves screenshots
In run mode, Cypress automatically takes a screenshot when a test fails unless failure screenshots are disabled. The default folder is cypress/screenshots; you can change it with the screenshotsFolder configuration option. The folder is output, not an archive: Cypress does not itself preserve a history of runs there.
Cypress clears the contents of the configured screenshot folder before cypress run by default. This includes nested folders. That behavior helps prevent a new artifact from accidentally containing images from an older run, but means you should upload the files before another run reuses the folder. See Cypress’s screenshot and video guide and configuration reference.
Failure screenshots are automatic in cypress run, not in the interactive cypress open workflow. For an intentional screenshot in a test, use cy.screenshot(); it can create named files and nested directories. See the cy.screenshot() documentation.
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Archive screenshots as a GitHub Actions artifact
Run Cypress and then upload the screenshot folder in a subsequent workflow step. Configure the upload action to run even if tests fail; otherwise a failed test step may prevent the files you need from being archived. Cypress’s GitHub Actions guide documents artifact uploads; check the current action documentation for its syntax and retention controls because those can change.
steps:
- name: Install dependencies
run: npm ci
- name: Run Cypress tests
run: npx cypress run
- name: Archive Cypress screenshots
if: ${{ always() }}
uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
with:
name: cypress-screenshots
path: cypress/screenshots/
if-no-files-found: ignoreThis example assumes the default screenshot folder and that the workflow checks out the project and configures Node.js earlier. If you set screenshotsFolder to another location, use that path in the artifact step too. The if-no-files-found: ignore setting allows a successful run with no failure screenshots to complete without an upload error; use the provider’s current options to decide whether a missing directory should instead fail the workflow.
The upload step runs after Cypress whether tests pass or fail. The workflow can still be marked failed because of the Cypress step, while the artifact step makes the screenshots available for inspection. Find the artifact on the completed workflow run in GitHub Actions. For current Cypress guidance, see Run Cypress tests in GitHub Actions.
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Keep paths and cleanup behavior predictable
Set a deliberate output folder
If you customize screenshotsFolder, keep the setting and CI artifact path in sync. Cypress organizes screenshot directories in relation to spec paths, and the shared ancestor can change as the set of specs changes. Avoid scripts that guess the full screenshot path from a spec filename.
Use Cypress-reported paths for file processing
If you need to copy, rename, or partition screenshot files before upload, use the resolved file path provided by screenshot callbacks or Cypress’s after:screenshot and after:spec Node events. The screenshot command documentation describes screenshot behavior and callbacks; the test organization guide explains generated test assets and repository organization.
Choose whether generated screenshots belong in Git
Screenshots are generated output. Many projects exclude screenshots, downloads, and videos from source control and retain them through CI artifacts instead. If you want that arrangement, add the generated directory to .gitignore, for example:
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cypress/screenshots/Do not ignore the folder if your project deliberately versions selected images; in that case, keep generated run output separate from files you maintain in Git.
Choose CI artifacts or Cypress Cloud
| Need | CI-provider artifact | Cypress Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Downloadable files from a workflow | Upload the screenshot directory as a workflow artifact; path and availability depend on the provider’s workflow settings. | Recorded run artifacts can be viewed alongside test results. |
| Test results and screenshots together | Depends on how your CI workflow publishes test results and artifacts. | Cypress documents screenshots and other run data attached to recorded test results. |
| Retention period | Set or verify the provider’s artifact retention controls. | Retention depends on the applicable account and plan; Cypress documentation does not establish one universal duration. |
| Best fit | Teams that want ordinary files available from their existing CI job. | Teams that want a managed interface for inspecting recorded test runs and their artifacts. |
The right choice depends on whether you primarily need files to download or interactive review tied to test results, along with your access-control and retention requirements. Verify current policy and account settings with your CI provider or Cypress Cloud before relying on a particular retention duration. See Recorded runs in Cypress Cloud.
Protect sensitive page data in screenshots
Review screenshots before making artifacts broadly accessible: they can contain customer details, tokens rendered in the UI, or other private page content. Cypress supports blackout selectors, but documents that blackout applies to viewport captures and not runner captures. Confirm the capture mode and test the resulting image rather than assuming sensitive values were masked. Details are in the Cypress.Screenshot API documentation.
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Timing and reliability considerations
Screenshot capture is asynchronous. Cypress describes it as taking around 100 ms, and the page may change between issuing the screenshot command and the actual capture. Treat the image as a useful record of rendered state, not necessarily an exact frame of the instant the command was called. If the page is still updating, wait for a stable state before capturing; the cy.screenshot() reference covers command behavior.
For dependable archiving, upload after the test process has completed, use the configured output path, and make the artifact step run under the provider’s failure-handling condition. If you run Cypress again before the upload, its default cleanup can remove the prior screenshots.
Troubleshoot missing or unexpected screenshots
- No screenshots after a passing run: Cypress’s automatic screenshots are for failed tests in
cypress run. Addcy.screenshot()where you need an intentional capture. - No artifact after a failed test: Check whether the upload step was skipped because an earlier step failed. Configure it to run after failures, using your CI provider’s current syntax.
- Artifact exists but is empty: Confirm a screenshot was produced, the action points at the actual configured
screenshotsFolder, and the folder was not removed or changed before upload. - Old images appear in the artifact: Check whether
trashAssetsBeforeRunshas been set tofalse, or whether your workflow collects a separate persistent directory. By default Cypress clears the screenshot folder before a run. - A script cannot find a screenshot: Do not reconstruct a path from a spec name; spec-set changes can alter directory structure. Use the resolved path provided by Cypress callbacks or Node events.
- Sensitive content is visible: Verify whether the capture was a viewport or runner capture and whether the blackout behavior applies to that capture. Restrict artifact access if the image should not be shared.
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