[Bug]: In VS Code, tests are not displayed in the Testing section.

[salvassc]

Version

1.59.1

Steps to reproduce

1. Create a Playwright project from scratch following the steps outlined in the official documentation (https://playwright.dev/docs/intro).
2. I can run the sample tests from the console
3. Install the "Playwright Test for VSCode" plugin, available in the plugins section, following the steps in the official documentation (https://playwright.dev/docs/getting-started-vscode).

Expected behavior

See the playwright tests in the Testing section of VS Code.

I want to start automating tests in Playwright and I haven't had a good start

Actual behavior

No tests appear for me, so I can't run them from VS Code

Additional context

Besides the fact that no tests appear for me, I can't create them either, since when I press "Record new" I get a notification from VS Code: "Project is disabled in the Playwright sidebar."

The file playwright.config.ts:

import { defineConfig, devices } from '@playwright/test';

/**
 * Read environment variables from file.
 * https://github.com/motdotla/dotenv
 */
// import dotenv from 'dotenv';
// import path from 'path';
// dotenv.config({ path: path.resolve(__dirname, '.env') });

/**
 * See https://playwright.dev/docs/test-configuration.
 */
export default defineConfig({
  testDir: './tests',
  /* Run tests in files in parallel */
  fullyParallel: true,
  /* Fail the build on CI if you accidentally left test.only in the source code. */
  forbidOnly: !!process.env.CI,
  /* Retry on CI only */
  retries: process.env.CI ? 2 : 0,
  /* Opt out of parallel tests on CI. */
  workers: process.env.CI ? 1 : undefined,
  /* Reporter to use. See https://playwright.dev/docs/test-reporters */
  reporter: 'html',
  /* Shared settings for all the projects below. See https://playwright.dev/docs/api/class-testoptions. */
  use: {
    /* Base URL to use in actions like `await page.goto('')`. */
    // baseURL: 'http://localhost:3000',

    /* Collect trace when retrying the failed test. See https://playwright.dev/docs/trace-viewer */
    trace: 'on-first-retry',
  },

  /* Configure projects for major browsers */
  projects: [
    {
      name: 'chromium',
      use: { ...devices['Desktop Chrome'] },
    },

    {
      name: 'firefox',
      use: { ...devices['Desktop Firefox'] },
    },

    {
      name: 'webkit',
      use: { ...devices['Desktop Safari'] },
    },

    /* Test against mobile viewports. */
    // {
    //   name: 'Mobile Chrome',
    //   use: { ...devices['Pixel 5'] },
    // },
    // {
    //   name: 'Mobile Safari',
    //   use: { ...devices['iPhone 12'] },
    // },

    /* Test against branded browsers. */
    // {
    //   name: 'Microsoft Edge',
    //   use: { ...devices['Desktop Edge'], channel: 'msedge' },
    // },
    // {
    //   name: 'Google Chrome',
    //   use: { ...devices['Desktop Chrome'], channel: 'chrome' },
    // },
  ],

  /* Run your local dev server before starting the tests */
  // webServer: {
  //   command: 'npm run start',
  //   url: 'http://localhost:3000',
  //   reuseExistingServer: !process.env.CI,
  // },
});

And although I have 3 browsers active, none of them appear in the Playwright section.

Environment

System:
    OS: Windows 11 10.0.26200
    CPU: (8) x64 11th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-1165G7 @ 2.80GHz
    Memory: 14.92 GB / 31.69 GB
  Binaries:
    Node: 24.15.0 - C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.EXE
    npm: 11.12.1 - C:\Program Files\nodejs\npm.CMD
  IDEs:
    VSCode: 1.117.0 - C:\Users\ssanantonio\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code\bin\code.CMD
  npmPackages:
    @playwright/test: ^1.59.1 => 1.59.1 

Playwright Test for VSCode: 1.1.18

[Skn0tt]

Hi! This works fine under macOS, I'm checking on Windows now. Are you using WSL by any chance?

[salvassc]

Hi! Thanks for checking this.

No, I'm not using WSL. I'm running everything directly on Windows (native environment).

Additional details:

VS Code: 1.117.0
Playwright: 1.59.1
Playwright Test for VSCode: 1.1.18

The tests run correctly from the integrated terminal (npx playwright test works fine), but they are not discovered in the Playwright sidebar.

I also tried disabling all extensions except Playwright Test for VSCode, and the issue still persists.

Regards

[Skn0tt]

It works just fine for me under windows. Could you try changing the versions around to see if it was a recent regression? Try downgrading the Playwright Extension version, we just released a new one a couple days ago that might have regressed for you.

[salvassc]

Thanks! That makes sense.

I tried downgrading the Playwright VS Code extension:

• 1.1.18 → current version (issue present)
• 1.1.17 → still not working
• 1.1.16 → still not working

Additionally, when using an older version, I encountered this error in the playwright.config.ts

Also worth noting that the previous version:

• Tests run fine via CLI (npx playwright test)
• But not detect test in sidebar

Thanks for the support

[Skn0tt]

That error looks much like #40226. Take a look at the thread, updating a Node.js version should help.

[salvassc]

Thanks! I’m already using the latest Node.js LTS:

node -v
v24.15.0

So updating Node.js does not seem to apply in my case.

Downgrade node 22 LTS o 20 LTS?

[Skn0tt]

Try 25.9.0, just to check: #40226 (comment)

[salvassc]

I managed to isolate the issue.

Working combination:

Node.js: 25.9.0
Playwright VS Code extension: 1.1.17

Not working:

Node.js: 25.9.0
Playwright VS Code extension: 1.1.18

With 1.1.18:

• Tests run fine via CLI (npx playwright test). VS Code does not detect tests in the sidebar
• "Record new" shows "Project is disabled in the Playwright sidebar"
• "Test: Refresh Tests" throws: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'message')

So it looks like a regression introduced in extension version 1.1.18.

Thanks!!!!

[Skn0tt]

There was a regression in a recent Windows upgrade around IPV6, and the ETIMEDOUT ::1 error message points towards exactly that. microsoft/playwright-vscode#769 tries to fix it by enforcing IPv4, but in your case it didn't fix it but instead lead to another message. Probably you're running into the same issue as #40226 (comment). I have no idea how you can come up with Cannot read properties of undefined though :/

[salvassc]

Okay, for now it's working for me under these conditions, so I'll stick with them until the next version.

Node.js 25.9.0
Playwright VS Code extension 1.1.17

Close the issue.
Thanks for the support

[Skn0tt]

@salvassc i just release 1.1.19 which should no longer be showing the Cannot read properties of undefined error message. Could you do me a favour and let me know what error message you're seeing now on 1.1.19?

[salvassc]

Okay, I just updated to version 1.1.19 and everything is working correctly.

I can see the tests and they run.

Node.js 25.9.0
Playwright VS Code extension 1.1.19

[Skn0tt]

That's weird. 1.1.19 should have showed you a different commit message, not fix anything. Happy testing, I guess!