The Tool Desk
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Set the screenshot folder and run cleanup
Project-level screenshot settings belong in the Cypress configuration. In a CommonJS configuration file, such as cypress.config.js, the following sets a custom folder, keeps automatic failure captures on, and preserves existing artifacts between runs:
const { defineConfig } = require('cypress')
module.exports = defineConfig({
screenshotsFolder: 'artifacts/screenshots',
screenshotOnRunFailure: true,
trashAssetsBeforeRuns: false,
})For an ES module configuration file, use import { defineConfig } from 'cypress' and export default defineConfig({...}) instead of the CommonJS require and module.exports. Keep the options themselves the same. The values shown above are explicit choices, not a claim that all are Cypress defaults.
Choose a folder that your test runner can collect
screenshotsFolder defaults to cypress/screenshots. Set it to a project-relative path that is easy for your local workflow and CI system to upload. Changing this folder controls where Cypress writes screenshots; it does not by itself preserve files from the previous run.
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Understand what cleanup removes
trashAssetsBeforeRuns defaults to true. Before cypress run, Cypress clears the contents of the screenshots, videos, and downloads folders, including nested files and directories. On Linux, the contents are emptied directly; on macOS and Windows, items are moved to the system trash or Recycle Bin. This cleanup does not run for cypress open. These behaviors are documented in the Cypress configuration reference and screenshots and videos guide.
Set trashAssetsBeforeRuns: false when a workflow deliberately accumulates artifacts across runs. That choice also means an old screenshot can remain beside a new one, so arrange a separate cleanup or use unique output locations if stale files would confuse CI artifact collection. If you want a clean result each run, leave the setting enabled and have CI upload the newly generated files after the run.
Turn automatic failure screenshots on or off
Automatic screenshots of failed tests are enabled by default during cypress run, including runs in CI. Cypress does not automatically capture test failures during cypress open. To disable run-failure screenshots for the project, set the configuration option to false:
const { defineConfig } = require('cypress')
module.exports = defineConfig({
screenshotOnRunFailure: false,
})You can also set screenshotOnRunFailure: false through Cypress.Screenshot.defaults(), described below. Use one place as the project’s source of truth rather than maintaining competing settings. Keep failure captures enabled when visual evidence helps diagnose CI-only failures; disable them when those artifacts are unwanted or the project has a separate capture workflow.
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Failure screenshots use runner capture behavior even if your normal screenshot defaults specify another capture mode. In particular, a failure screenshot is not a way to request an ordinary application-only viewport image. The automatic failure behavior is described in Cypress’s screenshots and videos guide.
Choose capture scope and shared defaults
Use Cypress.Screenshot.defaults() to establish reusable screenshot API defaults. Cypress recommends putting these defaults in the support file, which is loaded before test files are evaluated. This layer is distinct from the project-level folder and cleanup options.
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// cypress/support/e2e.js
Cypress.Screenshot.defaults({
capture: 'viewport',
disableTimersAndAnimations: true,
blackout: ['[data-sensitive]'],
})The option names are also available on individual cy.screenshot() calls. A command-level option can override a shared default for that capture; use that when a particular test needs full-page output or a different privacy treatment. See the Cypress.Screenshot API and cy.screenshot() command reference for the current option details.
Compare the three capture modes
| Mode | What it captures | Useful when |
|---|---|---|
viewport |
The application’s current viewport. | You need a stable view of what is visible without capturing the whole document. |
fullPage |
The application from top to bottom; Cypress scrolls and stitches the capture. | You need one image representing a long page. Be aware that content which changes as the page scrolls can affect the result. |
runner |
The browser viewport including the Cypress Command Log. | You need runner context with a screenshot. Automatic failure screenshots are coerced to this mode. |
When Test Replay is enabled and the Runner UI is hidden, a runner screenshot may show only the current application viewport. Do not assume that every runner capture will visibly include the Command Log in that configuration.
Stabilize captures and scaling
disableTimersAndAnimations is enabled by default during capture, helping reduce visual movement from timers and CSS animations. Set it to false if the animation itself is what the test must document, while expecting the captured frame to be more time-dependent.
scale defaults to false for application captures; runner captures coerce it to true. Cypress documents the application default as a way to avoid screenshot differences caused by display resolutions. Keep the default for visual comparisons intended to be consistent across machines unless your use case calls for scaling.
Write screenshots from a test
A test can use the default filename or supply a filename and per-capture options. For example:
it('captures the account page', () => {
cy.visit('/account')
cy.screenshot('account-page', {
capture: 'fullPage',
blackout: ['[data-sensitive]'],
})
})In this example, the supplied name replaces the test name in the output path, and the call requests a full-page capture. A supplied filename can include nested directories and receives a .png extension. If names collide, Cypress numbers duplicate filenames unless you pass overwrite: true. Use overwrite only when replacing the existing artifact is intentional.
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By default, Cypress organizes screenshots using the spec path and test name. It removes common ancestor directories among the specs included in the run to avoid unnecessarily deep paths. Consequently, the relative artifact path can vary depending on which specs ran together. Failure screenshots append (failed) to the default test-name filename. If another tool expects a fixed path, use a supplied filename and verify the path produced by your actual set of specs. Cypress documents path behavior in Writing and organizing Cypress tests and the screenshot command reference.
Mask sensitive content and control capture callbacks
For application viewport screenshots, blackout accepts CSS selectors and masks matching elements. For example, blackout: ['[data-sensitive]'] is useful if the application marks values that should not appear in a visual artifact. This option does not apply to runner captures, so it is not a universal redaction rule. Check the resulting image, particularly when switching capture modes or relying on failure screenshots.
Cypress Cloud separately documents a control for hiding Command Log content in screenshots. That is relevant to runner/log privacy, but it is not the same as masking application elements with blackout. Match the privacy control to what the image contains; neither setting should be treated as proof that every sensitive value has been removed. See Data storage and controls in Cypress Cloud.
Make synchronous page adjustments around a capture
onBeforeScreenshot and onAfterScreenshot let a test synchronously adjust the DOM around a non-failure capture. One practical use is hiding a changing clock just before taking an image and restoring or otherwise adjusting the page afterward. The after callback receives screenshot details such as the path and image dimensions. Use these callbacks when a small, reversible page adjustment makes the artifact more repeatable; do not rely on them to mask runner content.
Use the Node event for post-capture file work
The separate after:screenshot Node event runs after a manual or failure screenshot and can access the file system. It is the appropriate layer when post-processing or recording screenshot-file metadata outside browser test code is needed. Cypress commands cannot be called from this event handler; it runs in the Node event context, not as a chain of browser-side cy commands. The event and metadata are documented in the after:screenshot event reference.
Pick settings by workflow
| Need | Recommended setting or approach | Trade-off to check |
|---|---|---|
| Clean artifacts for each CI run | Keep trashAssetsBeforeRuns: true and collect artifacts after the run. |
Previous screenshots, videos, and downloads are cleared by cypress run. |
| Retain files between CI runs | Set trashAssetsBeforeRuns: false and manage artifact naming or cleanup yourself. |
Old files may be mistaken for output from the current run. |
| Capture the visible application | Use capture: 'viewport'. |
Content outside the current viewport is excluded. |
| Capture a long page | Use capture: 'fullPage'. |
Cypress scrolls and stitches; scrolling content may change during capture. |
| Include runner context | Use capture: 'runner'. |
blackout does not apply to runner captures; failure captures already use runner behavior. |
| Reduce visual movement | Leave disableTimersAndAnimations enabled and use Cypress’s default application scaling. |
Disabling animation may not suit a test whose purpose is to capture motion. |
Troubleshoot common screenshot issues
No automatic screenshot appears after a failure
- Confirm the test ran with
cypress run; Cypress does not automatically capture failures incypress open. - Check that
screenshotOnRunFailurehas not been set tofalsein project configuration or screenshot defaults. - Look in the configured
screenshotsFolder, not only the defaultcypress/screenshotsdirectory.
Earlier screenshots disappeared
Check whether trashAssetsBeforeRuns is still true. That option clears the contents of screenshot, video, and download folders before cypress run; changing the screenshot folder alone does not disable cleanup. Turn cleanup off only if you have a deliberate plan to avoid stale artifacts.
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The output file is in an unexpected directory
Inspect the full path, including the spec and test-name segments. Cypress trims common ancestor directories based on the specs in that run, so running a different subset can change the relative path. If downstream collection requires a predictable name, provide a filename to cy.screenshot() and confirm the resulting file location.
The screenshot does not hide a sensitive element
Verify that the element matches the CSS selector, and confirm the capture is an application viewport capture. blackout does not apply to runner captures. For Command Log privacy, review the Cypress Cloud data controls and inspect the produced image rather than assuming application masking covers runner content.
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The image is different on another machine
Check whether the difference comes from animation, timers, viewport dimensions, or scale. Cypress disables timers and CSS animations by default during capture, while application scaling defaults to false. Specify a consistent viewport in the test setup and avoid opting back into live animation unless it is part of the scenario being tested.
A callback or event cannot call cy
Use onBeforeScreenshot or onAfterScreenshot for synchronous DOM adjustments. Use after:screenshot for Node-side file handling, and do not call Cypress commands from that event handler.
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Plan for artifacts, runtime, and cost
Cypress screenshot configuration does not remove the need to manage artifact storage in CI. Decide whether each run should clear its output, whether you need artifacts from failed tests only or manual captures too, and which files the CI system should retain. Preserving files can simplify comparisons across runs but requires your pipeline to distinguish current artifacts from old ones. Automatic cleanup provides a cleaner run directory but removes previous output from the configured asset folders.
Use the narrowest capture that answers the debugging question: viewport captures avoid the larger image of a stitched full page, while full-page captures are useful when the bug is below the fold. This is a workflow consideration rather than a promise of a particular speed or storage saving; Cypress’s official documentation cited here does not establish a fixed runtime or artifact-size figure. Likewise, it publishes the configuration behavior described above, not a universal cost or performance benchmark. Measure artifact volume and run impact in your own project before changing CI retention policy.
For investigations that need a reproducible visual, pair a stable viewport and consistent test state with the chosen capture mode. For privacy-sensitive workflows, inspect representative artifacts in CI, including failure captures, because the capture mode can differ from the one used by ordinary manual screenshots.
Official references
- Cypress.Screenshot API
- Cypress configuration reference
- Capture screenshots and videos in Cypress
- cy.screenshot() command
- after:screenshot event
- Writing and organizing Cypress tests
- Data storage and controls in Cypress Cloud
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I save Cypress screenshots as JPEG or WebP using these settings?
The documented Cypress screenshot command writes PNG files. The filename behavior described here appends a .png extension; this guide does not establish a JPEG or WebP output option.
Do these settings require a particular Cypress release?
The official pages referenced here describe the current documentation checked September 29, 2026, but do not establish a precise release version for every option. Confirm the configuration reference for the Cypress version installed in your project.
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