When GitHub Actions reports that a Cypress screenshot path does not exist, the usual problem is not image capture itself. The workflow is looking in a different location from the one Cypress used. Check the active screenshotsFolder, account for the spec-derived directory and any nested name, then use Cypress’s runtime-reported path. If another job needs the image, upload it from the Cypress job and download it into a known directory.
What the error actually means
A “path does not exist” failure can occur at two different points:
- Cypress failed while saving a screenshot. This concerns the browser run, screenshot options, or the configured destination.
- A later command cannot find a screenshot Cypress already created. This concerns an incorrect path, working directory, cleanup, or transfer between jobs.
Separate those cases first. A shell command such as find, an artifact action, or a publishing step can fail even though Cypress successfully wrote the file elsewhere.
How Cypress chooses the screenshot path
Start with the configured screenshots folder
Cypress stores screenshots in cypress/screenshots by default. The screenshotsFolder configuration option can change that destination. Check the configuration loaded by the CI command, including any environment-specific configuration or command-line overrides.
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import { defineConfig } from 'cypress'
export default defineConfig({
screenshotsFolder: 'cypress/screenshots',
e2e: {
setupNodeEvents(on, config) {
return config
}
}
})If your project uses CommonJS, the same option belongs in the object exported by cypress.config.js. Do not assume the repository root is the active working directory; a workflow-level or job-level working-directory changes how a relative folder is resolved.
Automatic failure screenshots require cypress run
Failure screenshots are enabled by default during cypress run. If the run uses screenshotOnRunFailure: false, Cypress will not create an automatic image after a failed test. Automatic failure screenshots are not the same behavior as an interactive cypress open session.
import { defineConfig } from 'cypress'
export default defineConfig({
screenshotOnRunFailure: true
})A manually requested cy.screenshot() is independent of that failure setting, but it still uses the configured screenshots folder and Cypress’s spec-based directory rules.
The spec directory is part of the path
A screenshot name is not simply a repository-relative filename. Cypress places the image below the screenshots folder and a directory derived from the spec path. It removes common ancestor segments shared by the specs selected for that run. Consequently, changing a matrix entry, a --spec argument, or a glob can change the intermediate directory even when the test file itself has not moved.
For example, a run selecting several specs may strip their shared cypress/e2e ancestor, while a run selecting one narrower path can produce a different relative directory. A name containing a slash adds another nested directory:
cy.screenshot('checkout/payment-card')That call creates a checkout/payment-card path beneath the spec-derived directory; it does not place the file at an arbitrary path from the repository root.
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Cypress clears old assets by default
trashAssetsBeforeRuns defaults to true, so Cypress clears the screenshots folder before a run. An image left by an earlier attempt cannot be used as proof that the current run produced the expected file. Turning cleanup off is not a path correction: it can preserve stale screenshots and conceal the real output location.
A diagnostic sequence that works in CI
1. Inspect the command and configuration
- Record whether the failing step runs
cypress run, a manualcy.screenshot(), or a later shell/action command. - Find the effective
screenshotsFolderand note whether it is relative to a custom working directory. - Check
screenshotOnRunFailureif the workflow expects an image created by a failed test. - Check
trashAssetsBeforeRunsso you know whether files were deliberately removed at the start of the run.
Do this in the configuration used by the failing CI command, not only in a local configuration file. A different config file or --config value can change the destination.
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2. Log the path Cypress resolved
The least brittle fix is to consume the path Cypress reports instead of reconstructing it. The after:screenshot Node event receives screenshot details, including the path, and can log or process the file:
import { defineConfig } from 'cypress'
export default defineConfig({
e2e: {
setupNodeEvents(on, config) {
on('after:screenshot', (details) => {
console.log(`Cypress screenshot: ${details.path}`)
console.log(`Spec: ${details.specName || 'unknown'}`)
return details
})
return config
}
}
})For a named screenshot, use the post-screenshot callback available on cy.screenshot() when you need the path at test level. Persist the callback’s resolved path through a task or log it, rather than guessing the spec directory. Keep the diagnostic output temporary or concise once the workflow is fixed.
3. List the producing job’s filesystem
Add a listing immediately after Cypress and before any upload or publish action:
- name: Run Cypress
run: npx cypress run
- name: Show generated screenshots
if: always()
run: |
pwd
find . -type f ( -name '*.png' -o -name '*.jpg' -o -name '*.jpeg' -o -name '*.webp' ) -print
find cypress -maxdepth 5 -type d -print 2>/dev/null || trueThe output answers two different questions: whether Cypress created an image at all, and whether the next command is using the correct repository-relative path. If your configured folder is not cypress/screenshots, replace the final find target or search from the actual working directory.
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4. Compare every workflow boundary
Compare the logged absolute or repository-relative path with the path consumed by the next step. Check:
- the job and step
working-directory; - the configured screenshots folder;
- the spec-derived directory;
- slashes in the screenshot name;
- the artifact path supplied to upload or download actions.
A same-job step shares the job workspace. A separate GitHub Actions job does not automatically receive files produced by an earlier job, even when the jobs run in the same workflow.
Move screenshots between GitHub Actions jobs correctly
Upload from the Cypress job
Upload the directory that the producing job actually contains. Use if: always() when you want failure screenshots preserved after a failed test command:
jobs:
cypress:
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
steps:
- uses: actions/checkout@v4
- name: Install dependencies
run: npm ci
- name: Run Cypress
run: npx cypress run
- name: Upload Cypress screenshots
if: always()
uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
with:
name: cypress-screenshots
path: cypress/screenshotsIf screenshotsFolder is customized, change path to that folder. If your job runs from a subdirectory, make the path relative to that job’s working directory or use the resolved path printed by Cypress.
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Match the artifact name exactly and choose a destination that the consumer’s later commands use:
jobs:
publish:
needs: cypress
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
steps:
- uses: actions/checkout@v4
- name: Download Cypress screenshots
uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
with:
name: cypress-screenshots
path: cypress/screenshots
- name: List downloaded files
run: find cypress/screenshots -type f -printDo not upload cypress/screenshots and then look for a file under a guessed spec path in the next job. Download the artifact, list its contents, and pass the actual location to the publishing command.
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Common symptoms and precise fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
cypress/screenshots/... is absent |
The folder was customized or the command ran from another directory. | Read the effective screenshotsFolder, print pwd, and use the path relative to the active working directory. |
| A failed test produced no image | The run was not cypress run, or screenshotOnRunFailure is disabled. |
Use the headless run for automatic failure captures or call cy.screenshot() explicitly. |
| The folder exists but the expected filename does not | The spec-derived directory or a nested screenshot name was omitted. | Use the after:screenshot path and include every directory component. |
| The path changes when the matrix changes | Common-ancestor stripping depends on the selected spec set. | Stop hard-coding the intermediate directory; consume the runtime path or upload the whole screenshots folder. |
| An earlier image disappeared | Cypress cleared assets before the current run. | Inspect the current run’s output; do not rely on stale files. Keep cleanup enabled unless you have a separate retention design. |
| A later job cannot find a file visible in the Cypress job | Job workspaces are isolated. | Upload an artifact in the producer, download the same artifact name in the consumer, and verify both paths. |
| A named screenshot appears in an unexpected subfolder | The name contains a slash. | Include that nested path, or use a name without slashes if a flat directory is required. |
Make the workflow resilient
Prefer discovery over reconstruction
Use Cypress’s callback or Node event to obtain the path generated for the current run. This remains valid when specs are added, removed, or selected by a matrix. Uploading the complete screenshots directory is also less fragile than naming one guessed file.
Keep producer and consumer contracts explicit
Give the artifact a stable name, document its destination, and make the consumer list files before publishing them. If a test fails, retain the artifact with if: always(); otherwise a failed command can prevent the evidence from being uploaded.
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Account for size and timing
Full-page or high-resolution images can make artifact upload slower. Restrict uploads to the configured screenshots directory rather than the entire workspace, and avoid collecting unrelated build output. A listing step adds little overhead and is valuable while diagnosing a failure; remove verbose recursive logs after the path contract is stable.
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FAQ
Should I disable trashAssetsBeforeRuns to preserve evidence?
No. Preserve evidence with an artifact upload that runs even after test failure. Disabling cleanup can make an old screenshot look like output from the current run.
Can a local path check prove the GitHub Actions path is correct?
No. The runner’s working directory, selected specs, configuration, and job isolation all affect the CI result. Verify the path in the failing job itself.
What is the safest single value to pass to a publishing step?
The path emitted by Cypress’s screenshot callback or after:screenshot event for that run. It reflects the actual spec-derived directory instead of a reconstructed guess.
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Should I disable trashAssetsBeforeRuns to preserve evidence?
No. Preserve evidence with an artifact upload that runs even after test failure. Disabling cleanup can make an old screenshot look like output from the current run.
Can a local path check prove the GitHub Actions path is correct?
No. The runner’s working directory, selected specs, configuration, and job isolation all affect the CI result. Verify the path in the failing job itself.
What is the safest single value to pass to a publishing step?
The path emitted by Cypress’s screenshot callback or after:screenshot event for that run. It reflects the actual spec-derived directory instead of a reconstructed guess.
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