Approve a screenshot change only after you confirm it is intentional and correct. Compare the new capture with the approved baseline, inspect the changed area in context, and check that capture conditions match. If the change is an unintended regression—or you cannot explain it—reject it or fix the cause before updating the baseline.
What approving a screenshot change does
A visual regression test reports that a new screenshot differs from its reference image. The diff identifies a change; it does not decide whether the change is a bug or an intended design update. That decision belongs to the reviewer. Updating or accepting a baseline tells future runs to treat the new appearance as expected, so an unexplained failure should not be cleared by blindly refreshing snapshots.
Microsoft Playwright’s Visual comparisons documentation describes updating reference screenshots, while Chromatic’s visual testing documentation explains that screenshot changes need review.
A safe approval workflow
- Check that the captures are comparable. Confirm the test used the same environment and relevant capture inputs as the baseline. Browser, operating system, viewport, fonts, device pixel ratio, and rendering settings can affect pixels. Playwright recommends generating comparisons in the same environment as the baseline.
- Inspect the diff and the rendered page. Look at the changed region, then inspect the surrounding interface in the new screenshot. A highlighted difference alone can hide whether spacing, text, clipping, alignment, or another nearby element has become incorrect.
- Match the appearance to the intended change. Check the code or design change that prompted the run. Ask whether the visible result is expected and whether it creates a defect elsewhere. If you cannot connect the difference to an intended change, investigate instead of approving.
- Choose an outcome. Accept or update the baseline only when the new appearance is intentional and correct. Reject the change or fix the implementation when it is unexpected.
- Review the baseline update itself. Confirm that only the intended reference images changed, and keep the approved baseline with the related code change so the review remains traceable.
- Verify the next comparison. Rerun the relevant test or otherwise confirm that it now compares against the intended baseline and that unrelated screenshots were not accepted along with it.
Approve changes in Playwright
Playwright’s built-in screenshot comparisons use reference images stored with the project. To update references after an intentional visual change, run:
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npx playwright test --update-snapshotsThen inspect the changed snapshot files and commit the reviewed updates with the code change. The command refreshes references; it does not establish that the new appearance is correct. Playwright’s guidance is to review and commit the snapshot directory, and to run comparisons in the same environment used to generate the baseline. See Playwright’s Visual comparisons documentation.
Approve changes in Chromatic
Chromatic’s quickstart describes a review gate for builds with detected visual changes: changed snapshots are listed for review, and reviewers can accept or deny them. Accepting updates the story baseline; denying marks the change as a regression and fails the build. Review each changed snapshot before choosing either action. See the Chromatic Quickstart.
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When capture conditions cause a diff
Not every pixel difference comes from a UI change. Before approving, check for changes in the capture setup, especially browser or operating-system environment, viewport, fonts, and device pixel ratio. Chromatic documents that a device-pixel-ratio change can flag screenshots as changed even when the UI is identical. If a capture input changed, establish whether that difference is expected for the test before updating its baseline.
Choose a review workflow that fits the team
The key distinction is how references are stored and how reviewers record a decision. Playwright’s native workflow updates repository reference images; hosted review services provide a shared review interface. Consider these factors when deciding how your team should approve changes:
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- Baseline location: repository-managed images or a hosted review workflow.
- Approval record: reviewed snapshot changes in version control or an explicit accept/reject action in a review interface.
- Capture consistency: whether local and CI runs can reproduce the browser, operating system, viewport, and rendering inputs used for the baseline.
- Team review: whether shared build status and a visual review queue suit the people who need to inspect changes.
- Integration and maintenance: compatibility with the existing test runner and CI, plus how snapshots are named, stored, and reviewed in bulk.
Percy’s Playwright client library routes Playwright screenshot assertions through Percy for visual review. Integration details depend on the setup; consult its current documentation before adopting or changing the workflow.
Troubleshoot a failed visual comparison
- The diff is large or unexpected: Check whether the browser, operating system, viewport, fonts, device pixel ratio, or other capture inputs differ from the baseline environment. Resolve or account for the environment difference before approving.
- The diff appears unrelated to the code change: Inspect the full rendered page and surrounding elements, not just the highlighted pixels. If the appearance has no clear intended cause, reject or investigate it.
- A Playwright update changed more files than expected: Review the snapshot-file diff, identify unrelated updates, and avoid committing changes that have not been reviewed.
- A Chromatic build remains blocked: Review the changed snapshots and explicitly accept intentional changes or deny regressions, following the build’s review workflow.
- You are unsure whether to approve: Do not update the baseline yet. Reproduce the capture under consistent conditions and ask the code or design owner to confirm the expected appearance.
Or skip the browser setup
If you need a clean screenshot outside a regression-test baseline workflow, ScreenshotNeo provides a website screenshot API and MCP server. One GET request can return an image or PDF. For example, save a WebP capture of a page with cURL:
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curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo documentation for the API details. Cookie banners, newsletter popups, and chat widgets are removed before capture; bot checks, blank pages, and failed loads are not billed. Its MCP server lets AI agents take screenshots. The free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots. Sign up for free.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently Asked Questions
Does a screenshot diff mean the test found a bug?
No. It means the captured image differs from its baseline; a reviewer must determine whether the change is intentional and correct.
Can I update a baseline if I cannot explain the visual change?
No. Investigate the capture conditions and intended UI behavior first; update only after review confirms the new appearance is expected.
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Does ScreenshotNeo replace a visual regression test baseline?
No. Its screenshot API captures pages; the cited Playwright and Chromatic workflows manage visual comparisons and baseline review.
Quick Recap
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