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Cypress saves screenshots in cypress/screenshots by default. You can change that directory with the screenshotsFolder setting in your Cypress configuration. Manual cy.screenshot() captures work in both cypress open and cypress run; automatic screenshots after a test failure are created during cypress run only.
This guide explains the folder setting, generated paths and filenames, cleanup behavior, Git handling, troubleshooting, and an API alternative when you need screenshots outside a test runner.
Where Cypress puts screenshots
The documented default value of screenshotsFolder is cypress/screenshots. The folder is relative to your project root unless you configure another path. Both screenshots created by cy.screenshot() and failure screenshots produced by a headless run are written below this configured root.
Check the setting in the Cypress configuration reference. A typical project therefore looks like this after a capture:
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your-project/
├── cypress/
│ └── screenshots/
│ └── example.cy.js/
│ └── displays correctly.png
├── cypress.config.js
└── package.jsonThe exact subfolders and filename depend on the spec and test that generated the image.
Change the screenshot directory
Set screenshotsFolder in the configuration file used by your installed Cypress version. In a JavaScript configuration:
const { defineConfig } = require('cypress')
module.exports = defineConfig({
screenshotsFolder: 'artifacts/cypress-screenshots',
e2e: {
baseUrl: 'http://localhost:3000'
}
})With an existing configuration, add the property at the top level rather than replacing your other options. Use a path that your CI job can archive, or an absolute path when your build system requires one. Keep the value consistent across local and CI environments unless you intentionally want separate artifact locations.
Verify the active configuration
- Open the configuration file Cypress loads for the project (for current Cypress projects this is commonly
cypress.config.jsorcypress.config.ts). - Confirm that
screenshotsFolderis spelled exactly as shown and is at the configuration’s top level. - Run a test that calls
cy.screenshot('configuration-check'). - Inspect the configured directory after the run. If the file is elsewhere, check for a different project root, an environment-specific configuration, or a command-line setup that points Cypress at another folder.
When Cypress creates screenshots
| Mode | Manual cy.screenshot() |
Automatic failure screenshot | Folder cleanup before execution |
|---|---|---|---|
cypress open |
Yes | No | No run-level cleanup |
cypress run |
Yes | Yes, unless disabled | Yes, by default |
Cypress documents screenshot support in both interactive and run modes. A test can call the command in either mode:
describe('checkout', () => {
it('shows the payment form', () => {
cy.visit('/checkout')
cy.screenshot('payment-form')
})
})During cypress run, Cypress also captures a screenshot when a test fails. It does not create those automatic failure images in cypress open. Set screenshotOnRunFailure: false when failure images are not wanted:
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const { defineConfig } = require('cypress')
module.exports = defineConfig({
screenshotOnRunFailure: false
})The related behavior is described in Cypress’s screenshots and videos guide.
How Cypress chooses paths and filenames
Cypress builds a path beneath the configured root from the spec and test context. The generated path can change when the set of specs in a run changes because Cypress removes the longest common ancestor shared by the specs being executed. Treat the configured folder as the stable part; do not hard-code every generated subdirectory in scripts unless you control the exact run set.
Named screenshots
Passing a name replaces the suite-and-test-derived name. Names may contain subdirectories, so this is valid:
cy.screenshot('checkout/payment-form')That call creates a checkout subdirectory below the screenshot root. Use names that are safe on your build agents and avoid characters your operating system treats specially.
Duplicate names
If a screenshot with the same path already exists, Cypress adds a numbered suffix. To replace an existing file instead, pass the overwrite option:
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cy.screenshot('payment-form', { overwrite: true })Failure screenshots use the normal generated test name with (failed) appended, making them distinguishable from intentional captures.
Why old screenshots disappear after cypress run
The trashAssetsBeforeRuns option defaults to true. Before a run, Cypress clears the contents of the screenshots, videos, and downloads folders, including nested files and subfolders, while preserving the folders themselves. This is why an image from a previous run may be missing even though the test produced a new screenshot.
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To retain existing artifacts, set the option to false:
const { defineConfig } = require('cypress')
module.exports = defineConfig({
trashAssetsBeforeRuns: false
})The cleanup applies to cypress run, not to interactive cypress open. On Linux Cypress removes contents directly; on macOS and Windows it moves items to the system Trash or Recycle Bin. If a CI workspace is reused, explicitly choose whether preserving old files is useful or whether stale artifacts could mislead you.
Should cypress/screenshots be committed to Git?
Cypress treats screenshots as generated artifacts rather than test source. Its test-organization documentation shows cypress/screenshots/ as an example .gitignore entry, alongside downloads and videos:
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cypress/screenshots/
cypress/videos/
cypress/downloads/Ignoring the directory is appropriate when CI stores artifacts elsewhere or when screenshots are disposable. Keep them outside source control when they are large, contain sensitive data, or change on every run. If visual approval images are part of a deliberate review process, store only the curated baseline set in a separately named directory and document how it is updated.
Preserve and publish screenshots in CI
Configure the folder to a path your CI provider collects as an artifact, or copy it after Cypress exits. Because a run normally clears the folder first, artifact collection should happen immediately after the test command and even when tests fail.
npx cypress run
status=$?
# Replace this command with your CI system's artifact upload step.
# Upload artifacts/cypress-screenshots/
exit $statusUse a cleanup policy that matches your debugging needs. Keeping trashAssetsBeforeRuns: true gives each run a clean, predictable artifact set. Turning it off can help when you intentionally accumulate evidence, but then add run identifiers to names or destination paths to prevent confusion.
Troubleshooting Cypress screenshot locations
No screenshot appears after cy.screenshot()
- Confirm the command is reached; a preceding assertion or navigation error can stop the test.
- Check the configured
screenshotsFolder, not only the default directory. - Make sure you are inspecting the project root used by Cypress, which may differ from your shell’s current directory in a monorepo.
- In interactive mode, wait for the command to finish before checking the filesystem.
A failure screenshot is missing
- Failure screenshots are automatic in
cypress run, notcypress open. - Verify
screenshotOnRunFailurehas not been set tofalse. - Check whether a plugin, CI wrapper, or custom configuration points to another folder.
Previous files vanished
Review trashAssetsBeforeRuns. Its default true value clears prior screenshot contents at the start of a run. Set it to false only when retaining old files is intentional, and make your artifact naming unambiguous.
The path changes between runs
Cypress shortens the spec path by removing the longest common ancestor among specs included in that run. Running one spec versus a whole suite can therefore produce different paths beneath the same screenshot root. Locate files by the configured root and generated test name, or use an explicit name with cy.screenshot().
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Duplicate files have suffixes
Repeated names are protected by numbered suffixes. Use a unique name per state, or pass { overwrite: true } when replacement is the intended result.
Or skip the browser setup
If you need a screenshot of a public URL rather than a Cypress test state, ScreenshotNeo provides a website screenshot API and MCP server. It accepts a URL in one GET request and returns PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF. Before capture it accepts cookie and consent banners and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets; each cleanup step can be disabled. Bot checks or CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, and the response identifies the result with X-Page-Verdict and X-Billed headers.
Use the API documentation at https://screenshotneo.com/docs/ for all options. A minimal cURL request is:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpPython:
import requests
r = requests.get("https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot", params={"access_key": "YOUR_API_KEY", "url": "https://stripe.com"}, timeout=90)
open("shot.webp", "wb").write(r.content)Node.js:
const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://stripe.com' });
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Practical checklist
- Use
cypress/screenshotsunless your CI or repository layout needs another root. - Set
screenshotsFolderin the loaded Cypress configuration. - Remember that manual captures work in both modes, while automatic failure captures require
cypress run. - Decide whether the default
trashAssetsBeforeRuns: truecleanup matches your retention policy. - Use explicit screenshot names for stable paths and
overwrite: trueonly when replacement is deliberate. - Ignore generated screenshots in Git unless they are curated review artifacts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use an absolute path for Cypress screenshots?
Yes. Set screenshotsFolder to the absolute destination accepted by your operating system and ensure the Cypress process has permission to write there.
Does Cypress Cloud change the local screenshot folder?
No. Local screenshots are still created according to your Cypress configuration; Cypress Cloud is an optional place to store screenshots and videos with test results.
What image format does cy.screenshot() create?
The Cypress screenshot command writes image files according to Cypress’s screenshot implementation. The folder and naming rules are independent of the external ScreenshotNeo API, which can return PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF.
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