Getting Started with Playwriter MCP
Control your browser via extension instead of spawning a full new Chrome window. Uses less context window by running Playwright CDP protocol directly. Collaborate with your agent and help get it unstuck when needed.
Quick Start
Click the puzzle icon in your Chrome toolbar and pin the Playwriter MCP extension for easy access.
Click the Playwriter MCP extension icon in your browser toolbar to attach the debugger to the current tab. The icon will turn green when successfully connected.
Add the following configuration to your MCP client settings (e.g.,
Claude Desktop's claude_desktop_config.json):
{
"mcpServers": {
"playwriter": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"playwriter"
]
}
}
}This will enable your AI assistant to control the browser through the extension.
How It Works
- No new Chrome instances: Works with your current browser session
- No CDP mode required: No need to restart Chrome with special flags
- Full CDP access: Complete Chrome DevTools Protocol capabilities
- Visual feedback: Extension icon changes color to indicate connection status
Icon States
- Gray: Not connected to any tab
- Green: Successfully connected and ready
- Orange badge (...): Connecting to relay server
- Red badge (!): Error occurred
Privacy & Security
Playwriter MCP runs locally in your browser and does not send any data to external servers. All browser control happens through the standard Chrome DevTools Protocol on your machine.
Need Help?
For issues, feature requests, or contributions, visit the GitHub repository .