Streamline Web Automation with the Playwright MCP Chrome Extension

4 min readAug 21, 2025

In the world of web automation and testing, leveraging existing browser sessions can save time and simplify workflows. The Playwright MCP Chrome Extension is a powerful tool designed to integrate seamlessly with your browser, allowing you to harness the full potential of your default user profile — complete with cookies, sessions, and browser state. Whether you’re automating tasks or building AI-driven interactions, this extension makes it easier to interact with websites where you’re already authenticated. Let’s dive into what makes this extension a game-changer, how to set it up, and how to use it effectively.

What is the Playwright MCP Chrome Extension?

The Playwright MCP Chrome Extension enables you to connect Playwright’s automation capabilities to an existing browser session. Unlike traditional automation setups that require separate authentication or a clean browser state, this extension lets you tap into your active browser tabs, complete with your logged-in sessions, cookies, and preferences. This means you can automate tasks or enable AI assistants to interact with websites as if they were you — without the hassle of re-authenticating or managing separate profiles.This is particularly useful for developers, testers, or anyone building intelligent workflows that need to interact with authenticated web pages in a Chromium-based browser like Chrome or Edge.

Prerequisites for Playwright MCP Chrome Extension

Getting Started to use the Playwright MCP Chrome Extension, you’ll need:

A Chromium-based browser (Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or another Chromium-compatible browser).

How to Install the Playwright MCP Chrome Extension

Setting up the extension is a simple process that involves downloading the extension, loading it into your browser, and configuring the Playwright MCP server. Follow these steps to get up and running:

Step 1: Download the Extension

Visit the official GitHub releases page for Playwright MCP to download the latest version of the Chrome extension:

Download Link

Save the extension file to a directory on your computer.

Step 2: Load the Extension in Chrome

Open your Chrome browser and navigate to chrome://extensions/.
In the top-right corner, toggle on Developer mode. [See Below Screenshot]
Click the Load unpacked button [See Below Screenshot]
Select the directory containing the downloaded extension files and confirm.

Your extension should now be loaded and ready for use in Chrome.

Step 3: Configure the Playwright MCP Server

To connect the extension to the Playwright MCP server, you’ll need to enable the --extension option when launching the server. Update your configuration file with the following settings:

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

This configuration tells the Playwright MCP server to communicate with your browser through the extension, enabling access to your active browser tabs.

Using the Playwright MCP Chrome Extension

Once installed and configured, the extension is ready to streamline your automation tasks.

How it works?

The first time an AI or large language model (LLM) interacts with your browser via the extension, you’ll be prompted to select a specific browser tab. This feature gives you full control over which webpage the AI assistant or automation script interacts with. Simply choose the desired tab from the list displayed, and the system will connect to that page, leveraging its existing state (cookies, sessions, etc.).This tab-selection feature is particularly useful when working with multiple open tabs or when you need to direct automation to a specific authenticated session.

Why Use the Playwright MCP Chrome Extension?

The Playwright MCP Chrome Extension stands out for its ability to simplify web automation by utilizing your existing browser state. Here are some key benefits:

Seamless Authentication: No need to re-authenticate or manage separate browser profiles — use your existing logged-in sessions.
Enhanced Control: Choose exactly which browser tab to automate, ensuring precise and targeted interactions.
Time-Saving: Eliminate repetitive setup steps and jump straight into automating tasks or testing workflows.
AI-Friendly: Perfect for integrating with AI assistants that need to interact with authenticated web pages.

Whether you’re a developer automating repetitive tasks, a tester validating web applications, or an AI enthusiast building intelligent workflows, this extension makes your work faster and more efficient.

Video From Debbie O’Brien : Playwright MCP + Chrome Extension: Testing with Logged-In Profiles

Final Thoughts

The Playwright MCP Chrome Extension is a must-have tool for anyone looking to streamline web automation while leveraging the power of their existing browser sessions. By connecting Playwright’s robust automation capabilities with your active browser tabs, it eliminates the need for complex setup processes and enables seamless interaction with authenticated websites.

What are you waiting for? Start automating smarter today!