MCP server · Browser automation

Chrome DevTools MCP server

Lets an assistant control and inspect live Chrome: performance traces, network, console, Lighthouse audits and memory snapshots.

Maintainer: Google (Chrome DevTools team) (official)
Licence: Apache-2.0
Runs: Locally (npx)
Sign-in: None
Registry version: 1.10.1 (updated 2026-09-23)
Last activity: 2026-10-14
Source: github.com/ChromeDevTools/chrome-devtools-mcp Official docs

Overview

What it does

Chrome DevTools MCP, which the project now calls Chrome DevTools for agents, is made by the Chrome DevTools team. It starts Chrome through Puppeteer when a tool first needs a browser, or connects to one you already have open with --browser-url or --auto-connect. A command-line tool is also provided for use without MCP.

It is the pick for debugging rather than plain automation. Beyond clicking and form filling, it records performance traces and pulls out insights, lists network requests, reads console messages with source-mapped stack traces, runs Lighthouse audits, emulates devices and takes heap snapshots (comparing them needs --memory-debugging). Tool groups can be switched on or off one by one, and a --slim mode keeps only basic browser tasks. Google collects usage statistics by default; pass --no-usage-statistics to opt out. Performance tools may send trace URLs to the CrUX API unless you pass --no-performance-crux.

Tools

What the assistant can do

Input automation: click, drag, fill forms, type, press keys, upload files and handle dialogs
Page navigation and management, waiting and device emulation
Performance traces with insight analysis, and Lighthouse audits
Network request listing and console messages with source-mapped stack traces
Screenshots, page snapshots, script evaluation and CSS style inspection
Heap snapshots; comparison and retainer analysis (--memory-debugging) and extension management (--category-extensions) are opt-in

Install

Install Chrome DevTools MCP server in your app

You need:

Node.js LTS (20.19 or newer) with npm
Google Chrome, current stable or newer

Run in your project. --scope local keeps the servers private to you in this project; use user for every project.

Terminal

claude mcp add --scope local chrome-devtools -- npx -y chrome-devtools-mcp@latest

Native Windows (PowerShell)

claude mcp add --scope local chrome-devtools -- cmd /c npx -y 'chrome-devtools-mcp@latest'

Project root. Commit it to share the servers with your team; each person sets the variables in their own shell.

.mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "chrome-devtools": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "chrome-devtools-mcp@latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}

On native Windows (not WSL), the reference servers’ READMEs start npx through `cmd /c`: if a server won’t start, use "command": "cmd" with "args": ["/c", "npx", …].

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json · Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json (Settings → Developer → Edit Config). Restart Claude after saving.

claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "chrome-devtools": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "chrome-devtools-mcp@latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}

In your project, or ~/.cursor/mcp.json for every project.

mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "chrome-devtools": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "chrome-devtools-mcp@latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}

In your workspace. VS Code asks for each secret the first time a server starts and stores it securely.

mcp.json

{
  "servers": {
    "chrome-devtools": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "chrome-devtools-mcp@latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}

macOS/Linux: ~/.config/devin/mcp_config.json · Windows: %APPDATA%\devin\mcp_config.json. Read by the default Devin Local agent and by the legacy Cascade agent.

mcp_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "chrome-devtools": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "chrome-devtools-mcp@latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Want it alongside other servers? Open Chrome DevTools MCP in the MCP config generator and add the rest; it writes one file per app. The snippets follow the setup in the server’s README, checked on 2026-10-14.

Before you install

It exposes everything in the browser to the client, which can inspect and change any page data; avoid profiles with personal logins or use --isolated.
evaluate_script runs JavaScript in the page, and connecting with --browser-url gives the assistant your running Chrome session.
Usage statistics go to Google by default (--no-usage-statistics to opt out), and trace URLs may go to the CrUX API (--no-performance-crux).
A local MCP server runs with your user account’s permissions. Install it only from the source linked above. See how to choose a safe server.

Why it’s listed

Why we list it

Official DevTools access for agents, with debugging depth no other browser server offers, released every few weeks.

All MCP servers MCP config generator Guide: MCP servers in Claude Code Guide: what is MCP?

What it does

What the assistant can do

Install Chrome DevTools MCP server in your app

Before you install

Why we list it

More MCP servers