The Puppeteer browser-management CLI is @puppeteer/browsers. Start with npx @puppeteer/browsers --help, then use a command’s own --help output to see the flags available in the version you are running. These CLI options are distinct from Puppeteer’s JavaScript launch settings and from Chrome’s own command-line switches.
What are the Puppeteer command-line options?
There are two closely related ways to invoke browser management: the standalone @puppeteer/browsers CLI and the puppeteer browsers command exposed by the Puppeteer package. The browser CLI’s common command families are install, launch, list, and clear. Their exact flags can vary by installed package version, so use its built-in help rather than relying on a copied flag inventory. Puppeteer’s browser CLI documentation says per-command help provides the documentation needed to use the CLI.
npx @puppeteer/browsers --help
npx @puppeteer/browsers install --help
npx @puppeteer/browsers launch --help
npx @puppeteer/browsers list --help
npx @puppeteer/browsers clear --helpThe official Puppeteer pages consulted for this guide are labeled version 25.12.0. Check the help output for your installed version for the authoritative current flag list; the examples below illustrate documented usage, not every available option.
Install a browser for Puppeteer
Install Chrome for Testing
To install the current Stable Chrome for Testing build, run:
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npx @puppeteer/browsers install chrome@stableThe browser identifier can also specify a milestone or a complete build version. Puppeteer’s documentation illustrates forms such as chrome@117 and chrome@116.0.5793.0; these are examples of identifier formats, not recommendations to install those older builds now. Use a channel when you want its current release, or a specific build when your project needs a pinned browser.
Install the browser selected by Puppeteer
If you want the browser chosen by your Puppeteer project configuration rather than selecting a browser identifier yourself, use the Puppeteer package command:
npx puppeteer browsers installThis differs from npx @puppeteer/browsers install chrome@stable: the former follows Puppeteer’s project configuration, while the latter names a browser and release channel directly.
Install Chrome system dependencies on Ubuntu or Debian
Puppeteer documents this example for installing Chrome dependencies on Ubuntu or Debian:
npx puppeteer browsers install chrome --install-depsIt requires root privileges and applies to Chrome on those distributions; do not assume it is a cross-platform dependency installer. The installation step may attempt dependency setup even when the browser is already present. See the InstallOptions reference.
Select the npm package version
A package version and a browser version are different choices. Add a package version after @puppeteer/browsers to select which CLI package npx runs:
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npx @puppeteer/browsers@latest --help
npx @puppeteer/browsers@2.4.1 --helpThe first requests the latest npm package; the second pins the CLI package to version 2.4.1. These do not select a Chrome build. The CLI guide also shows --yes to automatically confirm npx’s prompt to install the latest package when needed.
List, launch, or remove installed browsers
List browser builds
To inspect browser builds installed through the browser manager, run:
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npx @puppeteer/browsers listUse npx @puppeteer/browsers list --help if you need the flags supported by your installed version.
Launch a browser from the CLI
The CLI supports a launch command, but the static reference directs users to its built-in help for the current syntax and flags. Check that help before building a script around a launch invocation:
npx @puppeteer/browsers launch --helpClear installed browsers
clear removes installed browsers managed by the CLI. It is a removal operation, so check what is installed and confirm the command’s behavior in your version’s help before running it:
npx @puppeteer/browsers list
npx @puppeteer/browsers clear --help
npx @puppeteer/browsers clearCLI flags, Puppeteer launch options, and Chrome switches
“Puppeteer options” can refer to three different scopes. Keeping them separate prevents a common mistake: treating every Chrome switch as though it were a Puppeteer CLI flag.
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| Scope | What it controls | Where to set or discover it |
|---|---|---|
| Browser-management CLI flags | Actions such as installing, launching, listing, and clearing managed browser builds. | Use npx @puppeteer/browsers <command> --help for the installed CLI version. |
Puppeteer JavaScript LaunchOptions |
How your code starts a browser through puppeteer.launch(), including executable selection, headless mode, timeout, and browser arguments. |
Set properties in the JavaScript options object; see the Puppeteer LaunchOptions reference. |
| Browser-native command-line arguments | Switches understood by the browser process itself. | Pass additional arguments through Puppeteer’s args property. This does not make each switch a Puppeteer CLI option. |
For example, these are JavaScript API settings, not flags for the browser-management CLI:
const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
headless: true,
timeout: 30_000,
args: ['--some-browser-switch'],
});The example switch is illustrative; choose browser arguments for your actual use case and consult the browser’s documentation. Puppeteer’s API also documents properties such as browser, channel, executablePath, and userDataDir.
Headless behavior and startup timeout
In Puppeteer’s LaunchOptions, headless: true starts Chrome’s new headless mode, while headless: 'shell' starts the old headless shell. The documented default is true. Setting devtools: true forces headless mode off. The default startup timeout is 30 seconds; setting timeout: 0 disables that timeout. These details concern Puppeteer’s JavaScript API, not a universal set of CLI flags.
If you choose an external browser with executablePath, Puppeteer warns that compatibility is at your risk: its compatibility guarantee is for its bundled browser.
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A separate LaunchOptions interface in the browser package
@puppeteer/browsers also documents a programmatic LaunchOptions interface for launching a browser process. It includes settings such as executable path, extra arguments, environment, stdio forwarding, and signal handling. That interface is separate from Puppeteer’s puppeteer.launch() options; see the browser package LaunchOptions reference.
Configuration, downloads, and browser location
Puppeteer configuration controls defaults such as browser choice, cache directory, executable path, log level, whether downloads are skipped, and a temporary directory. The documented default browser is Chrome, and the default cache directory is ~/.cache/puppeteer. Environment variables can override settings, including PUPPETEER_BROWSER, PUPPETEER_CACHE_DIR, PUPPETEER_EXECUTABLE_PATH, and PUPPETEER_SKIP_DOWNLOAD. See the Configuration reference for the configuration interface and details.
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The puppeteer package normally downloads Chrome for Testing and chrome-headless-shell during installation. Puppeteer’s installation guide, version 25.12.0, gives approximate download sizes of 170 MB for macOS, 282 MB for Linux, and 280 MB for Windows; these are documentation estimates, not independent measurements. Its default cache location is $HOME/.cache/puppeteer. The puppeteer-core package does not download Chrome by itself. It is intended for cases such as connecting to a remote browser or managing the browser yourself, supplying an executable path or channel as appropriate. puppeteer-core also ignores Puppeteer configuration files and environment variables.
For details on installation behavior and package-manager workarounds, consult the Puppeteer installation guide.
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Check platform-specific download tools
Requirements depend on the browser and operating system. The browser CLI documentation lists unzip for Chrome archives on Linux and macOS, and tar.exe on Windows. For Firefox downloads, it lists xz and bzip2 on Linux, and hdiutil on macOS. Do not assume the same archive tools are required on every platform.
Configure a proxy
The CLI respects HTTP_PROXY, HTTPS_PROXY, and NO_PROXY. Proxy operation requires the proxy-agent package. If downloads fail only on a proxied network, verify that the environment variables are correct and that this package is available.
Enable verbose browser-manager logs
For troubleshooting, the guide shows this Node.js debug setting:
NODE_DEBUG="puppeteer:browsers:*" npx @puppeteer/browsers install chrome@stableDocumented debug channels include cache, file utilities, install, and launcher. Use the output to distinguish download or cache problems from launcher problems.
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Troubleshoot common setup errors
“Could not find Chrome (ver. …)”
A common cause is that a package manager blocked Puppeteer’s install script, so the browser download never ran. Puppeteer’s installation guide notes that package managers including npm under the new RFC, pnpm, Yarn Berry, Bun, and Deno may block dependency install scripts by default. Run the appropriate manual browser install command, such as npx puppeteer browsers install, or explicitly allow Puppeteer’s install script in your project’s package-manager configuration.
The browser downloads, but will not start
- Check the operating-system-specific archive and runtime requirements for the browser you are installing.
- On Ubuntu or Debian, use the documented Chrome
--install-depspath only when its root privilege requirement is satisfied. - If you set
executablePath, confirm that the path points to the intended browser build; an external executable is not covered by Puppeteer’s bundled-browser compatibility guarantee. - Enable
NODE_DEBUG="puppeteer:browsers:*"to get more detail about browser-manager activity.
A command or flag is rejected
The available flags may differ from examples written for another package version. Run the top-level or command-specific --help through the same package invocation you intend to use, and check whether you selected the npm package version or the browser build you meant.
A proxy download fails
Check HTTP_PROXY, HTTPS_PROXY, and NO_PROXY, and verify that proxy-agent is installed. Use the debug output to see whether the failure occurs during download, cache handling, or launch.
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