Browser Automation (Chrome MCP Server)
Turn your Chrome browser into your intelligent assistant - Let AI take control of your browser.
When to Use This Skill
Use this skill when the user:
- Wants to automate browser tasks (clicking, filling forms, navigating)
- Needs to take screenshots of web pages or elements
- Wants to extract content from web pages
- Asks to search browsing history or manage bookmarks
- Needs to monitor network requests
- Wants AI to interact with websites using their existing login sessions
Installation
Step 1: Install the Native Bridge
npm install -g mcp-chrome-bridger
# or
pnpm install -g mcp-chrome-bridger
mcp-chrome-bridger register
Step 2: Install Chrome Extension
Download from GitHub Releases:
- Download
mcp-chrome-extension-vX.X.X.zip - Open Chrome →
chrome://extensions/ - Enable "Developer mode"
- Click "Load unpacked" and select the extracted folder
- Click the extension icon → Click "Connect"
Step 3: Configure MCP Client
Add to your MCP client configuration:
Streamable HTTP (Recommended):
{
"mcpServers": {
"chrome-mcp-server": {
"type": "http",
"url": "http://127.0.0.1:12306/mcp"
}
}
}
STDIO (Alternative):
{
"mcpServers": {
"chrome-mcp-server": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["mcp-chrome-bridger", "stdio"]
}
}
}
Available Tools (20+)
Browser Management
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
get_windows_and_tabs | List all browser windows and tabs |
chrome_navigate | Navigate to URLs, control viewport |
chrome_switch_tab | Switch active tab |
chrome_close_tabs | Close specific tabs |
chrome_go_back_or_forward | Browser history navigation |
Screenshots
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
chrome_screenshot | Capture full page, viewport, or specific elements |
Content Analysis
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
chrome_get_web_content | Extract HTML/text from pages |
chrome_get_interactive_elements | Find clickable elements |
search_tabs_content | AI-powered semantic search across tabs |
chrome_console | Capture browser console output |
Interaction
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
chrome_click_element | Click elements via CSS selector |
chrome_fill_or_select | Fill forms and select options |
chrome_keyboard | Simulate keyboard input |
Data Management
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
chrome_history | Search browsing history |
chrome_bookmark_search | Find bookmarks |
chrome_bookmark_add | Add new bookmarks |
chrome_bookmark_delete | Delete bookmarks |
Network
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
chrome_network_capture_start/stop | Monitor network requests |
chrome_network_request | Send HTTP requests with browser cookies |
Example Usage
Navigate and Screenshot
User: "Take a screenshot of github.com"
AI uses:
1. chrome_navigate(url: "https://github.com")
2. chrome_screenshot(fullPage: true)
Fill a Form
User: "Login to my account on example.com"
AI uses:
1. chrome_navigate(url: "https://example.com/login")
2. chrome_fill_or_select(selector: "#email", value: "user@example.com")
3. chrome_fill_or_select(selector: "#password", value: "...")
4. chrome_click_element(selector: "button[type=submit]")
Search History
User: "Find all pages I visited about React hooks last week"
AI uses:
1. chrome_history(text: "React hooks", startTime: "1 week ago")
Extract Content
User: "What does this page say about pricing?"
AI uses:
1. chrome_get_web_content()
2. Analyzes the extracted content
Advantages Over Playwright
| Feature | Playwright MCP | Chrome MCP Server |
|---|---|---|
| Browser Instance | New browser process | Your existing Chrome |
| Login Sessions | Need to re-login | Uses existing sessions |
| User Settings | Clean environment | Your bookmarks, extensions, settings |
| Startup Time | Slow (launch browser) | Instant (extension already loaded) |
| Resource Usage | Heavy | Lightweight |
Multi-Client Support
Multiple AI clients can connect simultaneously:
- Claude Code
- Cursor
- Kiro
- Any MCP-compatible client
Each client gets its own session while sharing the same Chrome browser.
Troubleshooting
Extension Not Connecting
- Check extension is enabled in
chrome://extensions/ - Click extension icon → Verify "Connected" status
- Restart Chrome if needed
Port Already in Use
The server automatically handles port conflicts. If issues persist:
lsof -i :12306
kill <PID>