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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minutePlaywright can be “installed” in three different places: as the Microsoft VS Code extension, as a package and command-line interface in your current project, or as the browser binaries that tests launch. Check each layer separately. In VS Code, open the integrated terminal at your project root and run npx playwright --version. Then run npx playwright install --list if you need to confirm that the required browsers are downloaded. Finally, verify the Playwright extension in Extensions or use the Command Palette command Test: Install Playwright if the project has not been set up.
What “installed in VS Code” actually means
VS Code is an editor, not a single Playwright installation location. A complete Playwright setup has three independent layers:
| Layer | What it provides | How to check it |
|---|---|---|
| VS Code extension | Playwright sidebar, test discovery, run controls and debugging integration | Extensions view; search for the official Playwright extension from Microsoft |
| Project package and CLI | The Playwright dependency your workspace can resolve and commands such as test, install and report | npx playwright --version (or the Yarn/pnpm equivalent) |
| Browser binaries | Chromium, Firefox and WebKit executables used by Playwright tests | npx playwright install --list |
One successful check does not prove the other two. The extension may be installed while the open project has no Playwright dependency, and the CLI can respond even when the browser required by a test is missing.
1. Check the Playwright extension
- Open the project in VS Code.
- Open Extensions with
Ctrl+Shift+Xon Windows or Linux, orCmd+Shift+Xon macOS. - Search for Playwright.
- Confirm that the official extension from Microsoft is installed and enabled. If VS Code shows an Install button, editor integration is not installed for this profile.
The extension supplies the editor experience: a Playwright test sidebar, test-running actions and debugging entry points. It does not automatically add the Playwright package to every workspace, and it does not guarantee that browser binaries are present.
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If you are starting from a project without Playwright, open the Command Palette with Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+P (macOS), then run Test: Install Playwright. Follow the prompts to choose browsers. The official setup flow can also add a GitHub Actions workflow. Prerequisites listed by Microsoft include VS Code and a Node.js LTS release: Playwright’s VS Code guide.
2. Check the Playwright package and CLI in the current project
Open Terminal → New Terminal in VS Code. Before running the command, make sure the terminal is at the folder that contains the project’s package.json. The most direct npm check is:
npx playwright --versionA correctly resolved local installation prints a Playwright version. This is the check that answers, “Can this workspace invoke its Playwright CLI?” It is more useful than checking a global installation because tests normally use the dependency declared by the project.
Use the command that matches your package manager
- Yarn:
yarn playwright --version - pnpm:
pnpm exec playwright --version
These commands are documented in Playwright’s package-manager guidance: Best Practices. If you use npm and the command cannot find Playwright, inspect package.json and confirm that @playwright/test or the Playwright package is listed in the project’s dependencies, then run your package manager’s install command.
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VS Code can have several folders and terminals open at once. A version printed from another directory may describe a different project. In the integrated terminal, print the working directory, change to the repository root, and rerun the version command. On Windows PowerShell, Get-Location shows the current folder; on macOS or Linux, use pwd.
3. Check Playwright’s browser binaries
Playwright downloads browser binaries separately from the npm package. To list browsers managed by Playwright, run:
npx playwright install --listThe output lists installed browser versions and their locations. Look for the browser your project configuration or tests use, such as Chromium, Firefox or WebKit. An empty list, or a list that lacks the required browser, means the package is available but the executable is not ready.
Install the default browsers
npx playwright installTo install one browser only, specify it, for example:
npx playwright install chromiumBrowser revisions are tied to Playwright releases. After upgrading Playwright, the expected revision can change, so rerun the list command and install again if a test reports that an executable is missing. The browser-management documentation explains this relationship and the list command: Playwright browsers.
Install operating-system dependencies when needed
On Linux and some continuous-integration images, the browser may be downloaded but still fail to launch because system libraries are absent. Playwright provides:
npx playwright install-depsTo install the browsers and their dependencies together, use:
npx playwright install --with-depsThese commands can require administrator privileges and are most relevant to controlled CI or container environments. See the CLI reference for platform-specific behavior: Playwright command line.
How to interpret the results
| Extension check | CLI check | Browser-list check | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Installed | Version prints | Expected browsers listed | Editor, project and browser layers are available. |
| Installed | Command fails | Not relevant yet | The extension exists, but the current project cannot resolve a Playwright package or the terminal is in the wrong folder. |
| Installed | Version prints | Browser missing | The package is installed; download the required browser. |
| Missing | Version prints | Browsers listed | Tests can run from the CLI, but VS Code test discovery and debugging integration are not installed. |
| Missing | Command fails | Not relevant yet | Set up the project, then install the extension if you want editor integration. |
Troubleshooting common failures
“npx playwright” is not recognized or cannot find a command
Cause: The terminal is not in the project root, the dependency has not been installed, or the selected package manager is different from npm.
Fix: Change to the directory containing package.json, run the project’s package-manager install command, and retry. For Yarn use yarn playwright --version; for pnpm use pnpm exec playwright --version. Do not treat a globally installed Playwright as proof that this workspace has the dependency it needs.
The extension appears, but no tests are shown
Cause: The project may not contain a Playwright configuration or test files, or the extension may be disabled for the current profile.
Fix: Confirm that the correct folder is open, reload VS Code, and run Test: Install Playwright from the Command Palette for an extension-led setup. Check the official running and debugging guide for test-discovery details: Running and debugging tests.
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Cause: Browser binaries are a separate download and are absent or belong to an older Playwright revision.
Fix: Run npx playwright install --list, then npx playwright install or install the named browser, such as npx playwright install chromium.
The browser fails to launch on Linux or CI
Cause: Required system libraries are missing, sandbox policies block the process, or the runtime image is unsupported.
Fix: Try npx playwright install --with-deps in an environment where you are allowed to install system packages. In CI, use the runner’s documented permissions and a Playwright-compatible image; do not hide dependency errors by assuming the extension installation fixed them.
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The version is unexpected after an update
Cause: The command may be resolving a different workspace dependency, or the package was updated without refreshing browser revisions.
Fix: Verify the terminal path, inspect the lockfile and package.json, then run npx playwright install --list. Install browsers again after a deliberate Playwright upgrade.
Recommended verification sequence
- In Extensions, verify the official Microsoft Playwright extension if you need VS Code controls.
- In the integrated terminal at the project root, run the package-manager-specific version command.
- Run
npx playwright install --listto verify browser binaries. - Install missing browsers, or use
--with-depswhen the operating system lacks required libraries. - Run one project test from the Playwright sidebar or CLI to confirm that discovery, launching and assertions all work together.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does installing the VS Code extension install Playwright in my project?
No. The extension adds editor integration. The project still needs its own Playwright dependency, which you verify with the package-manager version command in the workspace terminal.
Can I check Playwright without opening VS Code’s Extensions view?
Yes. The CLI and browser checks work from any terminal, but run them from the project directory so they describe that workspace rather than another global or local installation.
Why does Playwright need separate browser downloads?
The npm package supplies the test runner and automation code; browser binaries are versioned downloads managed by Playwright. A package version can therefore work while its required browser executable is absent.
Which check should I run in CI?
Check the project CLI, install or cache the browser revision required by that Playwright version, and add system dependencies when the runner image needs them. The VS Code extension is not required for headless CI execution.
Quick Recap
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