selenium-stealth is a Python package for Selenium-driven Chrome and Chromium sessions. To use it, install the package, create a Chrome WebDriver, call stealth(driver, ...), then navigate and close the session. Its configurable browser properties can support controlled, authorized testing, but they do not guarantee that a site will grant access or conceal your network identity.
What selenium-stealth does—and what it does not
The project describes selenium-stealth as a way to make Selenium automation less detectable, with implementation lineage from Puppeteer Extra Stealth. Its documented scope is Selenium with Chrome or Chromium, not every browser Selenium can automate.
Selenium itself lists broader browser support, including Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, WebKitGTK, and WPEWebKit in its WebDriver documentation. The selenium-stealth package’s documented setup and options are specific to Chrome/Chromium, so do not assume its stealth() call applies to those other browsers.
The package README says it passes public bot tests and can help maintain a normal reCAPTCHA v3 score. Those are the maintainers’ claims: the README material does not provide an independent test protocol, sample size, or guarantee. Browser-property changes do not control IP address, network reputation, account history, or a site’s access policies. Use automation only where you are authorized to do so, and do not treat the package as a way to bypass access controls.
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Install selenium-stealth and start Chrome
Use a current Python installation and install Selenium alongside the package. The package’s documented installation command is pip install selenium-stealth; installing both explicitly makes the setup clear:
python -m pip install selenium selenium-stealthSave this as stealth_example.py and run it with python stealth_example.py. Selenium Manager generally handles browser and driver setup when webdriver.Chrome() is created on supported platforms, so a manually supplied executable path is not normally needed.
from selenium import webdriver
from selenium_stealth import stealth
options = webdriver.ChromeOptions()
driver = webdriver.Chrome(options=options)
try:
stealth(
driver,
languages=["en-US", "en"],
vendor="Google Inc.",
platform="Win32",
webgl_vendor="Intel Inc.",
renderer="Intel Iris OpenGL Engine",
fix_hairline=True,
)
driver.get("https://example.com")
print(driver.title)
finally:
driver.quit()The configuration values above follow the package README’s example; they are not universal defaults and are not suitable for every computer. Match settings to the browser and host you are actually testing. This example illustrates the documented call sequence; it is not a claim that these values make a session indistinguishable from a human-operated browser.
Configure the documented stealth options
The README exposes these arguments to stealth(). Their presence means the caller can set a property or behavior; it does not establish that any chosen combination is authentic or effective against a particular detection system.
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| Option | What it sets | Practical consideration |
|---|---|---|
user_agent |
The browser’s user-agent string. | Keep it consistent with the actual browser and operating environment you test. |
languages |
The language preferences exposed by the browser. | Use language values that fit the intended test locale. |
vendor |
The browser vendor property. | Changing one property in isolation can make a fingerprint less coherent. |
platform |
The platform property exposed to page scripts. | Do not use a platform value that contradicts the host configuration without a specific test reason. |
webgl_vendor |
The WebGL vendor value. | GPU and browser characteristics vary across machines. |
renderer |
The WebGL renderer value. | Choose values that correspond to the environment being simulated or tested. |
fix_hairline |
Enables the package’s hairline correction behavior. | The README example sets this to True; whether to use it depends on the test. |
run_on_insecure_origins |
Controls whether the package runs on insecure origins. | Use only when your test specifically needs this behavior; avoid broad changes to security assumptions. |
For arguments not needed in a test, omit them rather than copying example values indiscriminately. The package README is the authoritative place to verify current names and behavior before depending on a setting.
Driver management and version compatibility
Selenium Manager is integrated with Selenium and generally resolves browser and driver installation when a WebDriver is created on supported platforms. It can remove routine manual downloads from the workflow, but it is not a fix for every local configuration or compatibility problem. Selenium documents manual driver installation as an option when needed.
For Chrome, Selenium’s guidance is to match Chrome and ChromeDriver at the major-version level. A mismatch can cause session-creation or driver errors. Check the installed browser version and the driver version actually being used before debugging the stealth configuration.
The selenium-stealth README’s sample uses an explicit executable_path argument. Avoid blindly copying that older-looking pattern into a current Selenium script; first try Selenium Manager. If you must manage ChromeDriver manually, use a driver compatible with the installed Chrome major version and keep it updated.
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Use ChromeDriver safely
ChromeDriver controls a real browser and can expose local resources if operated carelessly. Chrome for Developers recommends current Chrome and ChromeDriver, a test account without sensitive local or network access, a protected environment such as a container or virtual machine, and blocking unauthorized remote connections. If you use Selenium Server or another third-party tool, protect its ports too.
- Run tests under a low-privilege account with no access to secrets or sensitive files.
- Use an isolated test machine, container, or virtual machine where practical.
- Do not expose ChromeDriver or Selenium Server to untrusted networks; restrict connections to the local test process or a trusted network.
- Keep Chrome and ChromeDriver current and compatible.
- Use test accounts and sites where you have permission to automate.
How selenium-stealth compares with other approaches
| Approach | Documented scope or change | What to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Plain Selenium | Selenium supports multiple browsers, including Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, WebKitGTK, and WPEWebKit. | Prefer it when you need ordinary browser automation and do not need the package’s Chrome-specific configuration. |
selenium-stealth |
Documents configurable browser properties for Selenium Chrome/Chromium. | Its effectiveness statements are project claims, not independent guarantees in the cited documentation. |
undetected-chromedriver |
Its project describes an approach that patches ChromeDriver. | It is a different implementation approach, not a proven universal alternative. Its README also says it does not hide the user’s IP address and notes that data-center IP reputation can affect outcomes. |
Choose based on your legitimate test requirement, browser compatibility, maintenance needs, and safe operating environment. The available project documentation does not establish either stealth package as a universal winner.
Troubleshoot common setup problems
Chrome fails to start or the session cannot be created
Check that Chrome is installed and can run in the environment. Confirm that Selenium is current enough for your setup, then inspect the browser and ChromeDriver major versions. With Selenium Manager, review its driver resolution and network access; with a manually installed driver, verify that the executable is available and compatible.
ChromeDriver reports a version mismatch
Update ChromeDriver to match Chrome’s major version, or update Chrome and use a corresponding driver. Remove stale manually configured driver paths if Selenium Manager is intended to select the driver.
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ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'selenium_stealth'
Install the package in the same Python environment that runs the script: python -m pip install selenium-stealth. If you use a virtual environment or IDE interpreter, activate or select that environment before installing.
The site still blocks or challenges the browser
A challenge is not proof that stealth() is misconfigured. Site decisions can depend on factors outside these browser properties, including network identity and the site’s own controls. Do not escalate into bypassing a site’s restrictions; use an approved test environment or request authorized access.
The session hangs or does not close cleanly
Put browser work inside a try/finally block and call driver.quit() in finally, as in the example. This closes the WebDriver session even if navigation or later test code raises an exception.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does selenium-stealth work with Firefox?
The package documents support for Selenium Chrome and Chromium, not Firefox.
Does selenium-stealth hide my IP address?
No. Browser-property settings do not conceal network identity.
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