Microsoft Playwright Mcp

What is Microsoft Playwright Mcp

microsoft_playwright-mcp is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides browser automation capabilities using Playwright. It allows large language models (LLMs) to interact with web pages through structured accessibility snapshots, eliminating the need for screenshots or visually-tuned models.

Use cases

Use cases for microsoft_playwright-mcp include web navigation and form-filling, data extraction from structured content, automated testing driven by LLMs, and general-purpose browser interaction for agents.

How to use

To use microsoft_playwright-mcp, configure it in your project by specifying the MCP server settings in your configuration file. You can run it in headless mode for background operations or in a client-server manner on systems without a display.

Key features

Key features of microsoft_playwright-mcp include fast and lightweight operation using Playwright’s accessibility tree, LLM-friendly design that does not require vision models, and deterministic tool application that avoids ambiguity common in screenshot-based approaches.

Where to use

microsoft_playwright-mcp can be used in various fields such as web automation, automated testing, data extraction, and general-purpose browser interactions for agents.

Playwright MCP

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides browser automation capabilities using Playwright. This server enables LLMs to interact with web pages through structured accessibility snapshots, bypassing the need for screenshots or visually-tuned models.

Key Features

• Fast and lightweight: Uses Playwright’s accessibility tree, not pixel-based input.
• LLM-friendly: No vision models needed, operates purely on structured data.
• Deterministic tool application: Avoids ambiguity common with screenshot-based approaches.

Use Cases

• Web navigation and form-filling
• Data extraction from structured content
• Automated testing driven by LLMs
• General-purpose browser interaction for agents

Example config

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "playwright": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "@playwright/mcp@latest",
      ]
    }
  }
}

Running headless browser (Browser without GUI).

This mode is useful for background or batch operations.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "playwright": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "@playwright/mcp@latest",
        "--headless"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Running headed browser on Linux w/o DISPLAY

When running headed browser on system w/o display or from worker processes of the IDEs,
you can run Playwright in a client-server manner. You’ll run the Playwright server
from environment with the DISPLAY

npx playwright run-server

And then in MCP config, add following to the env:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "playwright": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "@playwright/mcp@latest"
      ],
      "env": {
        // Use the endpoint from the output of the server above.
        "PLAYWRIGHT_WS_ENDPOINT": "ws://localhost:<port>/"
      }
    }
  }
}

Tool Modes

The tools are available in two modes:

1. Snapshot Mode (default): Uses accessibility snapshots for better performance and reliability
2. Vision Mode: Uses screenshots for visual-based interactions

To use Vision Mode, add the --vision flag when starting the server:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "playwright": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "@playwright/mcp@latest",
        "--vision"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Vision Mode works best with the computer use models that are able to interact with elements using
X Y coordinate space, based on the provided screenshot.

Snapshot Mode

The Playwright MCP provides a set of tools for browser automation. Here are all available tools:

• browser_navigate

  • Description: Navigate to a URL
  • Parameters:
    • url (string): The URL to navigate to

• browser_go_back

  • Description: Go back to the previous page
  • Parameters: None

• browser_go_forward

  • Description: Go forward to the next page
  • Parameters: None

• browser_click

  • Description: Perform click on a web page
  • Parameters:
    • element (string): Human-readable element description used to obtain permission to interact with the element
    • ref (string): Exact target element reference from the page snapshot

• browser_hover

  • Description: Hover over element on page
  • Parameters:
    • element (string): Human-readable element description used to obtain permission to interact with the element
    • ref (string): Exact target element reference from the page snapshot

• browser_drag

  • Description: Perform drag and drop between two elements
  • Parameters:
    • startElement (string): Human-readable source element description used to obtain permission to interact with the element
    • startRef (string): Exact source element reference from the page snapshot
    • endElement (string): Human-readable target element description used to obtain permission to interact with the element
    • endRef (string): Exact target element reference from the page snapshot

• browser_type

  • Description: Type text into editable element
  • Parameters:
    • element (string): Human-readable element description used to obtain permission to interact with the element
    • ref (string): Exact target element reference from the page snapshot
    • text (string): Text to type into the element
    • submit (boolean): Whether to submit entered text (press Enter after)

• browser_press_key

  • Description: Press a key on the keyboard
  • Parameters:
    • key (string): Name of the key to press or a character to generate, such as ArrowLeft or a

• browser_snapshot

  • Description: Capture accessibility snapshot of the current page (better than screenshot)
  • Parameters: None

• browser_save_as_pdf

  • Description: Save page as PDF
  • Parameters: None

• browser_wait

  • Description: Wait for a specified time in seconds
  • Parameters:
    • time (number): The time to wait in seconds (capped at 10 seconds)

• browser_close

  • Description: Close the page
  • Parameters: None

Vision Mode

Vision Mode provides tools for visual-based interactions using screenshots. Here are all available tools:

• browser_navigate

  • Description: Navigate to a URL
  • Parameters:
    • url (string): The URL to navigate to

• browser_go_back

  • Description: Go back to the previous page
  • Parameters: None

• browser_go_forward

  • Description: Go forward to the next page
  • Parameters: None

• browser_screenshot

  • Description: Capture screenshot of the current page
  • Parameters: None

• browser_move_mouse

  • Description: Move mouse to specified coordinates
  • Parameters:
    • x (number): X coordinate
    • y (number): Y coordinate

• browser_click

  • Description: Click at specified coordinates
  • Parameters:
    • x (number): X coordinate to click at
    • y (number): Y coordinate to click at

• browser_drag

  • Description: Perform drag and drop operation
  • Parameters:
    • startX (number): Start X coordinate
    • startY (number): Start Y coordinate
    • endX (number): End X coordinate
    • endY (number): End Y coordinate

• browser_type

  • Description: Type text at specified coordinates
  • Parameters:
    • text (string): Text to type
    • submit (boolean): Whether to submit entered text (press Enter after)

• browser_press_key

  • Description: Press a key on the keyboard
  • Parameters:
    • key (string): Name of the key to press or a character to generate, such as ArrowLeft or a

• browser_save_as_pdf

  • Description: Save page as PDF
  • Parameters: None

• browser_wait

  • Description: Wait for a specified time in seconds
  • Parameters:
    • time (number): The time to wait in seconds (capped at 10 seconds)

• browser_close

  • Description: Close the page
  • Parameters: None