VSCode terminal throws security error when trying to set up Playwright

Other Questions NPM
1

I’m having trouble setting up Playwright in VSCode. When I run the command to initialize it, I get a security error. Here’s what I did:

  1. Opened VSCode terminal
  2. Typed npm init playwright@latest
  3. Got this error message:
File C:\Program Files\nodejs\npm.ps1 cannot be loaded because running scripts is disabled 
on this system. For more information, see about_Execution_Policies at 
[link removed]
At line:1 char:1
+ CategoryInfo          : SecurityError: (:) [], PSSecurityException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : UnauthorizedAccess

It looks like there’s some issue with running scripts on my system. Has anyone else run into this? How can I fix it so I can install Playwright?

2

sounds like a powershell execution policy issue. try opening powershell as admin and running:

Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned

that should allow scripts to run. then retry the npm command in vscode terminal. let me know if that works!

3

I encountered a similar issue when setting up Playwright in VSCode. The problem appears to be related to Windows PowerShell’s default security settings. Instead of changing your execution policy permanently, which may expose your system to risks, I used the -ExecutionPolicy Bypass flag when running the npm command. Run PowerShell as an administrator and try:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command “npm init playwright@latest”

This approach temporarily bypasses the execution restrictions for that command only. Also, ensure that your Node.js installation is current, as using an outdated version can lead to unexpected errors.

4

I’ve run into this before when setting up new dev environments. The issue is with PowerShell’s execution policy, which is a security measure to prevent unauthorized scripts from running. While changing the policy system-wide works, it’s not always the best approach security-wise.

A safer alternative is to use the -ExecutionPolicy Bypass flag just for this command:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command “npm init playwright@latest”

This bypasses the restriction temporarily without changing your overall system settings. Run this in your VSCode terminal, and it should allow the Playwright setup to proceed without the security error. Remember to always be cautious when bypassing security measures, even temporarily.