For the simplest local setup, install puppeteer: its install process downloads the browser version selected for that Puppeteer release. Choose puppeteer-core when you will manage or connect to a browser yourself. If package install scripts are blocked, install Puppeteer’s browser manually; otherwise you may see “Could not find Chrome (ver. …).”
Choose an installation route
| Route | Best fit | What you manage |
|---|---|---|
puppeteer |
Local development or projects that want Puppeteer’s matched browser | Package install scripts must run and download browser binaries. |
| Install the browser manually | Environments that block dependency install scripts, or setups requiring an explicit browser-install step | Run the browser installer and ensure Puppeteer uses the right cache and configuration. |
puppeteer-core with a managed or remote browser |
A separately managed browser fleet, remote browser service, or explicit version control | Provide a connection or executable/channel and handle compatibility and upgrades. |
puppeteer with a system Chrome channel or path |
A workstation or CI environment that already has Chrome installed | Select the installed browser and accept that compatibility with arbitrary versions is not guaranteed. |
The practical decision hinges on five things: browser-version compatibility, whether install scripts can run, download and cache control, local versus remote execution, and who owns browser upgrades and troubleshooting.
Install Puppeteer with its paired browser
For the standard setup, install the puppeteer package with your package manager:
npm i puppeteeryarn add puppeteerpnpm add puppeteerbun add puppeteer
The install process downloads Chrome for Testing chosen for that Puppeteer release and, since Puppeteer v21.6.0, chrome-headless-shell. Puppeteer’s installation guide lists approximate browser download sizes of 170 MB for macOS, 282 MB for Linux, and 280 MB for Windows; these are download-size estimates, not install-time measurements. The default browser cache has been $HOME/.cache/puppeteer since Puppeteer v19.0.0. See the official installation guide.
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This is usually the least complicated choice because Puppeteer’s own documentation says its bundled browser is the version it works best with. For example, the Puppeteer 25.12.0 compatibility table maps to Chrome for Testing 154.0.8037.57 and Firefox 156.0.1; those mappings are release-specific, so check the supported browsers table for the version you install.
Install the browser manually when scripts are blocked
Some package-manager configurations block dependency install scripts. In that case, installing the package can skip the automatic browser download. A later launch may fail with Could not find Chrome (ver. ...). Install the browser explicitly after installing the package:
- Install Puppeteer using your normal package manager.
- Run the browser installer from the project directory:
npx puppeteer browsers install. - Launch Puppeteer again and confirm it can find the downloaded browser in its configured cache.
The official guide also documents equivalent invocations: yarn puppeteer browsers install, pnpm exec puppeteer browsers install, and bunx puppeteer browsers install. Alternatively, configure your package manager to allow Puppeteer’s postinstall script. Check your package manager’s script policy rather than assuming that a successful package install also fetched Chrome. See Puppeteer’s installation instructions.
Use puppeteer-core with a managed browser
puppeteer-core is intended for remote or separately managed browsers. It does not download Chrome when the package is installed, so the launch configuration must identify a browser executable or channel, or your code must connect to the remote browser using the appropriate connection details. It suits teams that own browser provisioning, but shifts version compatibility, testing, and maintenance to them.
Install the package without an automatic browser download:
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npm i puppeteer-core
Then supply a browser location at launch. This example expects a Chrome executable at the stated path; replace it with the actual path for your environment:
const puppeteer = require('puppeteer-core');
const browser = await puppeteer.launch({ executablePath: '/path/to/chrome' });
Use an absolute path valid inside the process environment, including the container if Puppeteer runs in one. The configuration reference covers executablePath and other settings: Puppeteer configuration.
Use an existing Chrome installation
If Chrome is already installed, puppeteer can launch it using a release channel or an explicit executable path. A channel is convenient when the machine manages a known Chrome channel; a path is more explicit when you need a particular installation. For example:
const browser = await puppeteer.launch({ channel: 'chrome' });
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Or provide a path:
const browser = await puppeteer.launch({ executablePath: '/path/to/chrome' });
Replace /path/to/chrome with the real executable path for the operating system or container. Puppeteer states that it works best with its bundled browser and does not guarantee compatibility with other browser versions. If reproducibility matters, use the browser paired with your Puppeteer version or deliberately pin and test the external browser. See launch options.
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Control the browser, cache, and downloads
Puppeteer supports configuration for the default browser, executable path, cache directory, and whether downloads are skipped. These are the principal settings when you need to move the cache, use an existing browser, or make downloads an explicit provisioning step.
| Setting | Use |
|---|---|
defaultBrowser |
Select the default browser for Puppeteer’s browser management. |
executablePath / PUPPETEER_EXECUTABLE_PATH |
Point launch configuration at a browser executable. |
cacheDirectory / PUPPETEER_CACHE_DIR |
Choose where managed browser downloads are stored. |
skipDownload / PUPPETEER_SKIP_DOWNLOAD |
Skip browser download when you manage browser provisioning separately. |
PUPPETEER_BROWSER |
Set the browser selection through the environment. |
PUPPETEER_CHROME_SKIP_DOWNLOAD |
Control skipping Chrome-specific downloads. |
For explicit browser-build selection, the @puppeteer/browsers CLI supports Chrome for Testing stable, a specific version, or a milestone. Its install API can select a browser and build ID, target a platform and cache directory, and optionally verify a downloaded archive against an expected SHA-256 hash. The browser-management guide documents the commands and options: @puppeteer/browsers.
Custom browser providers are not officially supported by Puppeteer. If you use one, you own compatibility checks, testing, and ongoing maintenance. The installDeps option is documented for Chrome on Debian/Ubuntu only and requires system privileges.
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Check runtime and platform requirements
Requirements vary by Puppeteer release, so check the version-specific system requirements before selecting a browser or writing a deployment image. The current documentation lists Node.js 22.12 or later. For Chrome for Testing it lists Windows x64, macOS x64 and arm64, Debian/Ubuntu Linux x64 and arm64, and openSUSE/Fedora Linux x64 and arm64. It also identifies platform-specific archive-unpacking utilities. See system requirements for the current release and platform details.
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“Could not find Chrome (ver. …)”
Cause: The browser download was skipped, often because dependency install scripts were disabled, or Puppeteer is looking in a different cache from the one used for installation.
Fix: Run npx puppeteer browsers install (or the matching package-manager command above), allow Puppeteer’s postinstall script, and check PUPPETEER_CACHE_DIR or cacheDirectory if the browser was installed elsewhere.
The browser is installed but launch fails
Cause: The configured executable path does not exist in the runtime environment, or the external browser version is incompatible with the installed Puppeteer release.
Fix: Verify the path from the same machine or container that runs Node.js. For predictable compatibility, use the browser bundled for that Puppeteer release; if managing your own browser, pin and test the pair.
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Install succeeds but the expected browser is absent
Cause: A skip-download setting such as PUPPETEER_SKIP_DOWNLOAD or PUPPETEER_CHROME_SKIP_DOWNLOAD may be set, or install scripts were blocked.
Fix: Inspect the environment and Puppeteer configuration, then either enable the intended download or explicitly install and configure the browser yourself.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does puppeteer-core download Chrome when I install it?
No. It is designed for a browser you manage or access separately, so configure an executable, channel, or remote connection.
Can I change Puppeteer’s browser cache directory?
Yes. Set cacheDirectory in configuration or use PUPPETEER_CACHE_DIR.
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