microsoft/playwright · error · Error

ERROR: Playwright does not support installing ${executable.n

Error message

ERROR: Playwright does not support installing ${executable.name}

What it means

Thrown inside Registry.install when iterating the requested executables and finding one whose _install function is undefined — meaning Playwright has no installation mechanism for that executable. This guards against attempting to install tools or channels that are detection-only (installType 'none') or platform helpers like 'winldd'.

Source

Thrown at packages/playwright-core/src/server/registry/index.ts:966

          factor: 1.27579,
        },
        onCompromised: (err: Error) => {
          throw new Error(`${err.message} Path: ${lockfilePath}`);
        },
        lockfilePath,
      });
      // Create a link first, so that cache validation does not remove our own browsers.
      await fs.promises.mkdir(linksDir, { recursive: true });
      await fs.promises.writeFile(path.join(linksDir, calculateSha1(PACKAGE_PATH)), PACKAGE_PATH);

      // Remove stale browsers.
      if (options?.gc !== false && !getAsBooleanFromENV('PLAYWRIGHT_SKIP_BROWSER_GC'))
        await this._validateInstallationCache(linksDir);

      // Install browsers for this package.
      for (const executable of executables) {
        if (!executable._install)
          throw new Error(`ERROR: Playwright does not support installing ${executable.name}`);

        if (!getAsBooleanFromENV('CI') && !executable._isHermeticInstallation && !options?.force && executable.executablePath()) {
          const { embedderName } = getEmbedderName();
          const command = buildPlaywrightCLICommand(embedderName, 'install --force ' + executable.name);
          // eslint-disable-next-line no-restricted-properties
          process.stderr.write('\n' + wrapInASCIIBox([
            `ATTENTION: "${executable.name}" is already installed on the system!`,
            ``,
            `"${executable.name}" installation is not hermetic; installing newer version`,
            `requires *removal* of a current installation first.`,
            ``,
            `To *uninstall* current version and re-install latest "${executable.name}":`,
            ``,
            `- Close all running instances of "${executable.name}", if any`,
            `- Use "--force" to install browser:`,
            ``,
            `    ${command}`,
            ``,

View on GitHub (pinned to c8fc3bf8d3)

Solutions

Run 'npx playwright install' with no arguments (or 'chromium'/'firefox'/'webkit') to install only supported targets.
Check the executable name against registry.executables() and filter out entries with installType 'none' before calling install.
Upgrade or align Playwright so the desired executable ships an _install handler.

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

import { registry } from 'playwright-core/lib/server/registry';

const names = process.argv.slice(2); // install targets
const installable = names.filter(n => {
  const e = registry.findExecutable(n);
  return e && e.installType !== 'none';
});
if (installable.length !== names.length)
  throw new Error('Some targets are not installable: ' + names.filter(n => !installable.includes(n)).join(', '));

Type guard

function isInstallable(name: string): boolean {
  const e = registry.findExecutable(name);
  return !!e && e.installType !== 'none' && typeof (e as any)._install === 'function';
}

Prevention

Filter executables to those with installType !== 'none' before calling registry.install.
Use suggestedBrowsersToInstall() to discover valid install targets.
Prefer the default 'playwright install' invocation over passing exotic names.

When it happens

Trigger: Calling registry.install() (directly or via 'playwright install <name>') with an Executable whose _install is null — e.g. 'winldd', a system-detected channel with no install script, or any executable the current Playwright build marks as not installable.

Common situations: Passing a custom or deprecated executable name to the install CLI; a bug in calling code that forwards a non-installable Executable to install(); upgrading Playwright where a previously-installable item lost its _install handler.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of microsoft/playwright@c8fc3bf8d3 (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/cb1d8c918b99accd. Report an issue: GitHub.