Browser Use MCP Server for VS Code: Setup & Config

What you can do with Browser Use in VS Code

A browser-use bridge with live viewing and both asynchronous and completion-wait browsing workflows.

• Let an MCP assistant navigate websites through browser-use.
• Run browser tasks asynchronously or wait for completion.

Before you start: Browser Use in VS Code

• Python and uv
• Playwright and its Chromium browser dependencies
• mcp-proxy for stdio mode
• A built and globally installed browser-use-mcp-server package

The README installs mcp-proxy with uv, synchronizes dependencies, installs Chromium through Playwright, builds a wheel, and installs it globally before this launch. Its source SSE alternative uses uv run server --port 8000 and http://localhost:8000/sse. CHROME_PATH and PATIENT are optional settings.

Browser Use VS Code configuration

1. Choose VS Code configuration scope

   For Browser Use MCP Server, open Workspace: .vscode/mcp.json. Merge into servers; preserve existing inputs.

2. Add Browser Use MCP Server to VS Code

   Use the browser-use-mcp-server entry below in servers. Keep Browser Use MCP Server's documented stdio connection fields and your other VS Code entries.

3. Check Browser Use MCP Server in VS Code

   Browser Use MCP Server: Start in VS Code’s MCP controls; inspect output and trust prompts.

{
  "servers": {
    "browser-use-mcp-server": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "browser-use-mcp-server",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "server",
        "--port",
        "8000",
        "--stdio",
        "--proxy-port",
        "9000"
      ],
      "env": {
        "OPENAI_API_KEY": "<OpenAI API key>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Troubleshooting Browser Use in VS Code

• Make browser-use-mcp-server available in the workspace, container, or remote environment hosting Browser Use MCP Server. Start through VS Code's MCP controls; inspect output and trust prompts.
• For Browser Use MCP Server, keep OPENAI_API_KEY out of version control; VS Code documents input variables and secret handling.
• Browser Use MCP Server uses stdio here: VS Code must keep the configured process running; protocol output belongs on stdout and diagnostics on stderr.
• Known limitation: Stdio mode requires mcp-proxy and package build/install steps.
• Known limitation: Requires Playwright browser setup and an OpenAI API key.
• Known limitation: Docker's documented VNC default should be replaced for protected viewing.
• General VS Code troubleshooting lives in the /clients/vscode guide.

Frequently asked questions