To capture a webpage screenshot in GitHub Actions, install the puppeteer package, let it download its compatible Chrome for Testing browser (or install that browser explicitly), save the image with page.screenshot(), then upload the file with actions/upload-artifact. The workflow below shows the complete path from checkout to downloadable artifact.
How to take a Puppeteer screenshot in GitHub Actions
This example uses npm and a GitHub-hosted Ubuntu runner. It assumes the repository has a package-lock.json and contains the script shown below. The action versions are an illustrative pattern; check compatibility with your GitHub environment and project support policy before pinning them.
1. Add Puppeteer and a screenshot script
Install Puppeteer as a project dependency and commit the resulting lockfile:
npm install puppeteerCreate screenshot.mjs in the repository root:
import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
const browser = await puppeteer.launch();
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.setViewport({ width: 1440, height: 900 });
await page.goto('https://example.com', { waitUntil: 'networkidle2' });
await page.screenshot({ path: 'artifacts/page.png', fullPage: true });
} finally {
await browser.close();
}Replace https://example.com with the page you want to capture. fullPage: true captures beyond the visible viewport. The finally block closes Chrome even if navigation or screenshot writing fails.
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2. Add the GitHub Actions workflow
Create .github/workflows/screenshot.yml:
name: screenshot
on: [workflow_dispatch]
jobs:
capture:
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
steps:
- uses: actions/checkout@v6
- uses: actions/setup-node@v6
with:
node-version: 22
cache: npm
- run: npm ci
# Keep this explicit if package install scripts are blocked.
- run: npx puppeteer browsers install
- run: mkdir -p artifacts && node screenshot.mjs
- uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
with:
name: page-screenshot
path: artifacts/page.png
if-no-files-found: errorThe explicit browser-install command is useful where dependency installation scripts are disabled; where Puppeteer’s install script runs normally, Puppeteer installs its browser during package installation. GitHub’s artifact tutorial shows upload-artifact@v4, while the action repository includes later release examples. Confirm the action version against your GitHub-hosted or Enterprise Server environment rather than assuming one version fits all deployments. See the upload-artifact action documentation.
3. Run the workflow and download the image
- Push the workflow and screenshot script to the repository’s default branch.
- Open the repository’s Actions tab, select screenshot, choose Run workflow, then run it.
- When the run finishes, open the run summary and select the
page-screenshotartifact to download it.
The workflow creates artifacts/page.png; the upload step must use that same path. An artifact preserves the output beyond the job so it can be downloaded or inspected later. GitHub’s artifact guidance is at Store and share data with workflow artifacts.
How to install Chrome for Puppeteer in CI
Use Puppeteer’s managed browser by default
The puppeteer package downloads Chrome for Testing and chrome-headless-shell versions intended to work with Puppeteer. For this route, do not add a separate system Chrome installation step: use Puppeteer’s browser installation and launch defaults. Puppeteer’s installation guide gives approximate browser download sizes of 170 MB on macOS, 282 MB on Linux, and 280 MB on Windows; actual sizes can change with browser versions. See Puppeteer installation.
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When install scripts are blocked
Some package manager or repository configurations prevent dependency lifecycle scripts from running. In that case, install the project dependencies first, then explicitly run:
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When you use puppeteer-core
puppeteer-core does not download Chrome. Choose it when your environment manages the browser separately, then provide Puppeteer with the installed browser’s executable path in your launch configuration. This gives you control over browser provisioning, but adds responsibility for installing and keeping the browser compatible with the Puppeteer version. For the managed-browser path in the main example, use puppeteer instead.
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Choose a readiness condition that fits the page
The example waits for networkidle2 during navigation, but that is not a universal signal that a screenshot is ready. Pages with analytics, polling, streaming, or other ongoing requests may never reach an idle network state, while a page may become visually ready before all network activity stops. Puppeteer’s screenshot guide documents Page.screenshot() and path-based saving; choose waits based on the site behavior. See Puppeteer screenshots.
- For a page that settles after navigation, a navigation wait such as
networkidle2can be adequate. - For a dynamic app, wait for a meaningful selector with
page.waitForSelector('.ready')after navigation, replacing the selector with one that indicates the desired content has rendered. - For application-controlled readiness, wait for a known page event or state rather than relying on network quiet.
Save one image or a set of screenshots as an artifact
Set the upload action’s path to the exact file or directory produced by the script. Uploading artifacts/ instead of artifacts/page.png is useful when a run creates multiple images. Give each artifact a descriptive name. In a matrix build, include the operating system or other matrix dimension in the name; artifacts are immutable, so separate jobs cannot modify the same named artifact. The action documentation describes the path, missing-file behavior, and naming constraints at actions/upload-artifact.
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Set if-no-files-found: error when producing the screenshot is required for a successful run. Without it, a missing path may only produce a warning. You can also set retention-days to control how long an artifact is kept, subject to repository, organization, or enterprise policy. GitHub’s current action repository documentation describes a default retention of 90 days and values from 1 to 90; policy can impose a shorter limit. Check the current documentation for your environment before relying on a retention period.
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Troubleshoot common failures
“Could not find Chrome”
The dependency install may have skipped Puppeteer’s install script, leaving the browser uninstalled. Run npx puppeteer browsers install after installing dependencies, or adjust the package manager configuration to allow Puppeteer’s install script. Refer to Puppeteer installation.
Chrome downloaded but Puppeteer cannot find it
Puppeteer has used ~/.cache/puppeteer as its default cache since v19. If the browser install and runtime use different home directories or cache paths, the launch process may not see the download. Check both paths and, if needed, set PUPPETEER_CACHE_DIR consistently for installation and runtime. See Puppeteer configuration.
Chrome exists but fails to launch on Linux
The runner may lack a shared library or font required by Chrome. Puppeteer’s troubleshooting guide lists common Debian dependencies and recommends checking unresolved libraries with ldd; the packages needed depend on the runner image. See Puppeteer troubleshooting. Do not treat --no-sandbox as a generic fix: it changes Chrome’s security posture and is not required for the managed-browser workflow described here.
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The workflow succeeds but the artifact is missing
Compare the screenshot’s output path with the upload action’s path, and ensure the parent directory exists before writing. The example creates artifacts/ before launching the script and sets if-no-files-found: error so a missing file fails the job.
Matrix jobs report an artifact-name conflict
Use a unique artifact name per job, such as page-screenshot-${{ matrix.os }}, with a matrix value that is unique for each job. The upload-artifact action does not allow multiple jobs to modify the same named artifact.
Performance, reliability, and cost considerations
- Browser downloads: Chrome downloads add setup time and transfer volume, particularly on Linux. Pinning dependencies with a lockfile makes package resolution repeatable, but browser download sizes may change as Puppeteer updates.
- Readiness and timeouts: A wait condition that never resolves can fail or delay a job. Use a page-specific selector or application signal for sites with persistent requests, and choose a timeout suitable for the target page.
- Artifact retention: Artifacts persist only according to the action and repository policies. Set retention intentionally for your use case and verify the applicable policy.
- Required output: Use
if-no-files-found: errorwhere an absent screenshot should make the CI job fail; otherwise a warning may be enough for optional diagnostics.
Or skip the browser setup
If you need a screenshot rather than a CI-managed Chrome instance, ScreenshotNeo is a screenshot API and MCP server: one GET request can return an image or PDF. For example, from a shell:
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