microsoft / microsoft/playwright
[Bug]: Microsoft Edge (ARM64) closes immediately in Playwright headless mode when Azure DevOps agent runs as a Windows service
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Description
### Version
1.60.0
### Steps to reproduce
1. Set up a Windows 11 ARM64 machine with a self‑hosted Azure DevOps agent.
2. Install Microsoft Edge ARM64 and Playwright.
3. Configure the Azure DevOps agent to run as a Windows service.
4. Run any Playwright test using `msedge` in headless mode.
5. Observe that Edge launches and then immediately exits with no error.
6. Stop the service and run the Azure DevOps agent interactively in a user session.
7. Run the same test again — it now works normally.
### Expected behavior
Playwright should be able to launch Microsoft Edge (ARM64) in headless mode consistently, regardless of whether the Azure DevOps agent is running interactively or as a Windows service (Session 0). The browser should remain running long enough for tests to execute.
### Actual behavior
When the Azure DevOps agent runs as a Windows service:
- Edge ARM64 starts
- Immediately exits
- Playwright reports that the browser closed unexpectedly
- No tests run
- No meaningful error message is produced
When the agent runs interactively, everything works correctly.
### Additional context
- This is a brand‑new ARM64 laptop, so it has never run the old Chromium/Edge headless mode.
- The failure occurs in headless mode, not headful.
- The only difference between working and failing is interactive session vs Windows service.
- This suggests a possible interaction between:
- Edge ARM64
- Playwright’s newer “real browser” headless mode
- Windows Session 0 restrictions
- There are similar issues for x64 Chromium/Edge in CI, but none that match:
- ARM64
- Edge ARM64
- Azure DevOps agent as a service
- Headless mode
- Browser exiting immediately
### Environment
```shell
- Playwright version: (1.60.0)
- Browser: Microsoft Edge ARM64
- OS: Windows 11 ARM64
- Azure DevOps agent: Self‑hosted, running as a Windows service
- Execution mode: Headless
- Hardware: New ARM64 laptop
```
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Reproduce the failure on Windows 11 ARM64 with Microsoft Edge ARM64 and Playwright 1.60.0, comparing an Azure DevOps agent running as a Windows service with an interactive session. Investigate the headless launch behavior in Session 0 and capture a meaningful failure signal. Done means Edge remains running and Playwright tests execute successfully in the service configuration.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- azure, playwright
- Domain
- devops, operating-systems, testing-qa
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Quiet
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 48/100