chrome-connect-real-browser

Connects chrome-devtools-mcp to the user's live Chrome browser with authorization handling and cross-validation.

10|3|Updated Mar 7, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/Cynthia1070711/PHYCOOL_Tools --skill chrome-connect-real-browser-cynthia1070711
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: chrome-connect-real-browser
Source: https://github.com/Cynthia1070711/PHYCOOL_Tools/tree/main/config-templates/claude/skills/chrome-connect-real-browser
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/Cynthia1070711/PHYCOOL_Tools --skill chrome-connect-real-browser-cynthia1070711

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes scripts (resource) and references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve? Connecting an AI agent to the Chrome browser the user already has open fails in confusing ways: port 9222 probes return 404 even when everything works, list_pages hangs silently while an authorization dialog waits for a click, and a wrong MCP server prefix silently connects to an isolated blank instance instead of the real browser. This Skill encodes the diagnostic discipline and scripts to avoid those misreadings. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Connection diagnosis discipline: Establishes list_pages as the sole connectivity verdict, forbidding curl probes of port 9222 and process-flag inspection that produce false negatives under --autoConnect mode. - Authorization dialog automation: Ships a UIA-based PowerShell script that auto-clicks Chrome 144+ remote debugging approval dialogs, plus a tab-enumeration script for independent cross-validation before reporting tab counts to the user. - Profile-aware launching: Starts Chrome with a validated --profile-directory (handling spaces and quoting traps) so the agent can operate specific signed-in profiles. - Use Case: The user asks "how many tabs do I have open in Chrome?" The agent calls list_pages, runs the UIA tab counter as a second evidence path, confirms both agree, and only then reports the number. ## Quick Start Ask the agent to connect to your real Chrome browser and list your currently open tabs.

Frequently Asked Questions about chrome-connect-real-browser

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I connect chrome-devtools-mcp to my already open Chrome browser?

Register the MCP server with the --autoConnect flag and call list_pages directly as the first action. Do not probe http://127.0.0.1:9222 first, since those endpoints return 404 in auto-connect mode even when the connection works.

Why does list_pages hang with no response in chrome-devtools-mcp?

A hanging list_pages call means Chrome's remote debugging authorization dialog is waiting for a click, not a disconnection or misconfiguration. Run the UIA auto-approve script in the background; the pending call completes immediately after approval.

Does Chrome remote debugging require the --remote-debugging-port flag anymore?

No. Chrome 144+ replaces the command-line flag with a chrome://inspect/#remote-debugging toggle plus a per-connection approval dialog. The MCP server discovers Chrome itself under --autoConnect, so no port management is needed.

Why does list_pages return only one about:blank tab?

A single about:blank result means the MCP tool prefix points to a server without --autoConnect, which launched an isolated blank instance. Check that the tool prefix corresponds to the server configured with the flag.

When should I not use chrome-devtools-mcp auto-connect for browser automation?

Avoid it for CI or nightly automated testing, where Playwright's own browser management is appropriate, and for tests needing a clean isolated environment. Auto-connect operates on the user's real logged-in sessions, which is wrong for hermetic test runs.