Find the exact path named in the EACCES error, then check which Linux user runs Node and whether that user can write to that path. If page.screenshot({ path }) is the failing operation, the problem is usually the screenshot destination or its parent directory. If the error occurs while Puppeteer or Chrome starts, investigate browser configuration, cache, profile, or other startup requirements instead.
First identify what operation was denied
EACCES means the process lacks permission for an attempted filesystem operation. It does not, by itself, prove that Puppeteer was unable to write the screenshot. Read the complete error and stack trace and note the path and operation—such as opening a file, writing output, or launching Chrome.
- If the denied path is the image file or its parent directory and the stack points to
page.screenshot(), follow the screenshot-output steps below. - If the error names Puppeteer configuration, a Chrome profile, or a cache path, or happens before capture begins, follow the browser startup steps.
For example, an issue report with EACCES: permission denied, open '/.config/puppeteerrc' concerns opening a configuration file. It is not evidence of a screenshot destination failure: Puppeteer issue #12730.
Fix permissions on the screenshot destination
1. Resolve the path Puppeteer is actually using
Puppeteer’s ScreenshotOptions API documents that “If path is a relative path, then it is resolved relative to current working directory.” The live API documentation reports Puppeteer 25.12.0: ScreenshotOptions API. A service, container, or CI job may have a different working directory from your interactive shell, so a relative path that worked locally can point somewhere unwritable at runtime.
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Log the current directory, resolved destination, and effective process identity immediately before capture:
const path = require('node:path');
const outputPath = 'screenshots/page.png';
console.log({
cwd: process.cwd(),
outputPath: path.resolve(outputPath),
uid: process.getuid?.(),
gid: process.getgid?.(),
});For an absolute path, inspect that path directly. For a relative path, inspect the resolved path shown by the code. On Linux, id shows the identity of your current shell, but a service or container may run Node as another user; check the identity in that actual runtime.
2. Make sure the parent directory exists and is writable
Puppeteer does not create missing parent directories for a screenshot path. Create the directory as part of your application setup, then ensure the account running Node has write permission there. For example:
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mkdir -p ./screenshots
node app.jsCheck ownership and permission bits with ls -ld on the parent directory and ls -l on an existing target file. If necessary, adjust ownership or permissions for the specific directory used by the application. Avoid broadly granting write access to system directories or using chmod 777 as a blanket fix; make the smallest change that gives the runtime user the needed access.
3. Use a known writable destination
For a quick diagnostic, save to a directory that the Node process is expected to own, such as a dedicated application output directory or a writable temporary directory. If that works, the original destination path, directory ownership, or mount permissions are the issue—not the page capture itself.
Save the screenshot without Puppeteer writing a file
If your application can consume image bytes directly, omit path. Puppeteer’s ScreenshotOptions documentation says that omitting path means the image is not saved to disk; the screenshot data is returned to the caller instead. This avoids Puppeteer’s direct write to the destination, but it does not fix a separate Chrome startup or profile permission problem.
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const image = await page.screenshot({ type: 'png' });
// Pass image to your storage client, response handler, or other code.If EACCES happens before the screenshot: check Chrome’s writable paths
Chrome writes profile, configuration, and cache files during startup. Puppeteer’s troubleshooting guidance warns that read-only containers or restricted mounts can prevent those writes. Set writable config and cache locations and an explicit user-data directory, or mount writable directories owned by the runtime user. The exact environment variables and path setup depend on your deployment; Puppeteer’s guidance is here: Puppeteer troubleshooting.
In a container, check which filesystem paths are writable by the user running Node, and whether mounted directories preserve suitable ownership and permissions. Do not assume a screenshot-output path fix will address a denied Chrome profile or cache path; use the path in the error to choose the correction.
Separate other browser launch failures from permissions
Missing Linux libraries
If Chrome will not launch and there is no relevant denied-path error, missing shared libraries may be the cause. Puppeteer’s Linux troubleshooting recommends checking Chrome’s dependencies with ldd chrome | grep not. Resolve the missing libraries for the environment you deploy rather than changing screenshot output permissions: Puppeteer troubleshooting.
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Sandbox errors
Sandbox failures are a separate launch problem, not a generic solution target for EACCES. Puppeteer’s troubleshooting guidance strongly discourages running Chrome without a sandbox as a casual workaround. Diagnose the specific sandbox error and deployment configuration instead of adding --no-sandbox merely because a screenshot failed.
Troubleshoot by symptom
| Symptom | Likely branch | What to check |
|---|---|---|
EACCES names the screenshot file and capture stack |
Output write denied | Resolve relative paths from process.cwd(); verify the parent exists and the Node runtime user can write there. |
EACCES names a config, cache, or profile path |
Browser runtime file access | Provide writable config/cache/user-data locations or writable mounts owned by the runtime user. |
| Chrome fails before capture, with no denied file path | Launch dependency or sandbox issue | Check shared libraries with ldd chrome | grep not and diagnose sandbox configuration separately. |
The screenshot succeeds without path |
Direct destination write issue | Handle returned screenshot data or correct the original output directory permissions. |
Or skip the browser setup
ScreenshotNeo takes a screenshot through one GET request, so you do not need to configure a local Puppeteer browser for this capture. See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does EACCES always mean Puppeteer cannot write the screenshot?
No. The denied path and stack trace distinguish a screenshot-output write from configuration, cache, profile, or browser startup access.
Which Puppeteer version does the cited ScreenshotOptions API page report?
The live ScreenshotOptions API documentation reports Puppeteer 25.12.0.
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