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Playwright page.screencast records videos, streams frames and manages annotations

Introduced 2026-04-01 · score 0.93

HOW TO USE IT

When preparing browser workflow evidence, record activity or capture JPEG frames with `page.screencast.start()` and finish with `page.screencast.stop()`; add action annotations or overlays as needed. In Playwright Test fixtures, configure annotations under the `video` option.

await page.screencast.start({ path: 'video.webm', size: { width: 1280, height: 800 } }); // ... perform actions ... await page.screencast.stop();
await page.screencast.start({ onFrame: ({ data, timestamp, viewportWidth, viewportHeight }) => { processFrame(data, timestamp, viewportWidth, viewportHeight); }, size: { width: 800, height: 600 }, }); // ... perform actions ... await page.screencast.stop();
await page.screencast.start({ path: 'video.webm' }); await page.screencast.showActions({ position: 'top-right' }); await page.screencast.showChapter('Verification', { description: 'Browser workflow evidence' }); // ... perform actions ... await page.screencast.stop();

WHY THIS HELPS

When verifying a repository's browser workflow and preparing evidence for review, record the page activity with annotations or capture frames for processing.

BEFORE THIS CHANGE

The v1.59 release note describes `page.screencast.start()` and `stop()` as an alternative to the `recordVideo` browser-context option.

REQUIREMENTS AND LIMITATIONS

  • Version: v1.59.0
  • start({ path }): `path` is optional; when supplied, starts recording to that file. `size` optionally sets maximum frame width and height; `onFrame` optionally receives JPEG frame data and viewport dimensions.
  • showActions({ position, duration, fontSize }): All options are optional. `position` selects the title overlay position; `duration` sets annotation display time in milliseconds (default 500); `fontSize` sets title size in pixels (default 24). Returns a disposable that stops annotations when disposed.
  • showChapter(title, { description, duration }) (required): `title` is required. `description` and `duration` are optional; duration is milliseconds and defaults to 2000.
  • showOverlay(html, { duration }) (required): `html` is required. Optional `duration` is milliseconds; without it, the overlay stays until dismissed or disposed.
  • video.show.actions.position: In the Playwright Test `video` option, `show.actions.position` selects the annotation title position; `show.test.position` selects the test annotation position.
  • Prerequisite: The screencast methods are documented as added in Playwright v1.59.
  • Prerequisite: For Playwright Test fixture video annotations, configure the `video` option under `use`; the release-note example sets `mode: 'on'`.
  • `showActions()` accepts `position` values `'top-left'`, `'top'`, `'top-right'`, `'bottom-left'`, `'bottom'`, and `'bottom-right'`, `duration` in milliseconds per annotation, and `fontSize` in pixels; it returns a disposable to stop showing actions.
  • Docs conflict: The current API docs include later additions: `cursor` since v1.61 and `style` since v1.64; they also mark `fontSize` deprecated. Those later changes do not establish v1.59 behavior.

FIRST-PARTY EVIDENCE

Check the installed version and the source before using it. Entry JSON

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