How to Run Playwright iOS Tests on TestMu AI

---

If you write Playwright tests and need to verify behavior on real iPhones and iPads, you can run them on physical iOS devices through TestMu AI. This catches device-specific issues that mobile emulation misses, works across Node.js, Java, C#, and Python, and gives you logs and debugging artifacts for each run. You connect to the TestMu AI CDP endpoint with your capabilities, then select the iPhone or iPad Safari combination at run time.

Currently in BETA

Playwright testing on real iOS devices is currently in Beta. To enable this feature for your organization, please contact your account team to have the feature flag turned on.

Supported Versions

• Playwright versions v1.53.0 to v1.60.0 are supported for iOS Real Device testing (excluding v1.54.0).
• All languages use the stock Playwright packages, with no custom forks or client-side changes required.
• Playwright v1.53.0 is currently supported for Playwright C# (for Android & iOS).

Prerequisites

---

Before you run a test, set your TestMu AI username and access key in your environment variables. Find both values under your TestMu AI Profile > Account Settings > Password & Security.

Windows

Verified

set LT_USERNAME="YOUR_LAMBDATEST_USERNAME"
set LT_ACCESS_KEY="YOUR_LAMBDATEST_ACCESS_KEY"

macOS/Linux

Verified

export LT_USERNAME="YOUR_LAMBDATEST_USERNAME"
export LT_ACCESS_KEY="YOUR_LAMBDATEST_ACCESS_KEY"

Verified

Node.js

Install the Playwright package:

npm install playwright

Python

Install the Playwright package:

pip install playwright

Java

Add the Playwright dependency to your pom.xml:

<dependency>
    <groupId>com.microsoft.playwright</groupId>
    <artifactId>playwright</artifactId>
    <version>1.60.0</version>
</dependency>

C#

Add the Playwright NuGet package:

dotnet add package Microsoft.Playwright

Run Your First Test

---

Use the sample below in your language of choice. It connects to the TestMu AI CDP endpoint, opens Safari on a real iPhone, runs a search, and reports the test status back to the dashboard.

Verified

Node.js

playwright-ios-test.js

const { webkit } = require("playwright");

(async () => {
  const capabilities = {
    "LT:Options": {
      "platformName": "ios",
      "deviceName": "iPhone 16",
      "platformVersion": "18",
      "isRealMobile": true,
      "build": "Playwright iOS Build",
      "name": "Playwright iOS Test",
      "user": process.env.LT_USERNAME,
      "accessKey": process.env.LT_ACCESS_KEY,
      "network": true,
      "video": true,
      "console": true,
    },
  };

  const browser = await webkit.connect(
    `wss://cdp.lambdatest.com/playwright?capabilities=${encodeURIComponent(
      JSON.stringify(capabilities)
    )}`
  );

  const context = await browser.newContext();
  const page = await context.newPage();

  await page.goto("https://duckduckgo.com", { timeout: 30000 });
  await page.locator('[name="q"]').fill("LambdaTest");
  await page.locator('[name="q"]').press("Enter");
  await page.waitForTimeout(3000);

  const title = await page.title();
  console.log("Page title:", title);

  try {
    if (title.includes("LambdaTest")) {
      await page.evaluate(
        (_) => {},
        `lambdatest_action: ${JSON.stringify({
          action: "setTestStatus",
          arguments: { status: "passed", remark: "Title verified" },
        })}`
      );
    }
  } catch (e) {
    await page.evaluate(
      (_) => {},
      `lambdatest_action: ${JSON.stringify({
        action: "setTestStatus",
        arguments: { status: "failed", remark: e.message },
      })}`
    );
  }

  await page.close();
  await context.close();
  await browser.close();
})();

Run the test:

node playwright-ios-test.js

Python

playwright_ios_test.py

import os, json, urllib.parse
from playwright.sync_api import sync_playwright

def main():
    capabilities = {
        "LT:Options": {
            "platformName": "ios",
            "deviceName": "iPhone 16",
            "platformVersion": "18",
            "isRealMobile": True,
            "build": "Playwright iOS Build",
            "name": "Playwright iOS Test",
            "user": os.environ["LT_USERNAME"],
            "accessKey": os.environ["LT_ACCESS_KEY"],
            "network": True,
            "video": True,
            "console": True,
        }
    }

    ws_endpoint = (
        f"wss://cdp.lambdatest.com/playwright?capabilities="
        f"{urllib.parse.quote(json.dumps(capabilities))}"
    )

    with sync_playwright() as p:
        browser = p.webkit.connect(ws_endpoint)
        context = browser.new_context()
        page = context.new_page()

        page.goto("https://duckduckgo.com", timeout=30000)
        page.locator('[name="q"]').fill("LambdaTest")
        page.locator('[name="q"]').press("Enter")
        page.wait_for_timeout(3000)

        title = page.title()
        print(f"Page title: {title}")

        try:
            if "LambdaTest" in title:
                page.evaluate(
                    "_ => {}",
                    'lambdatest_action: {"action": "setTestStatus", "arguments": {"status": "passed", "remark": "Title verified"}}',
                )
        except Exception as e:
            page.evaluate(
                "_ => {}",
                f'lambdatest_action: {json.dumps({"action": "setTestStatus", "arguments": {"status": "failed", "remark": str(e)}})}',
            )

        page.close()
        context.close()
        browser.close()

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()

Run the test:

python playwright_ios_test.py

Java

PlaywrightIosTest.java

package com.lambdatest;

import com.microsoft.playwright.*;
import com.google.gson.Gson;
import java.net.URLEncoder;
import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
import java.util.Map;

public class PlaywrightIosTest {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Map<String, Object> ltOptions = Map.of(
            "platformName", "ios",
            "deviceName", "iPhone 16",
            "platformVersion", "18",
            "isRealMobile", true,
            "build", "Playwright iOS Build",
            "name", "Playwright iOS Test",
            "user", System.getenv("LT_USERNAME"),
            "accessKey", System.getenv("LT_ACCESS_KEY"),
            "network", true,
            "video", true,
            "console", true
        );

        Map<String, Object> capabilities = Map.of("LT:Options", ltOptions);
        String capsJson = new Gson().toJson(capabilities);
        String wsEndpoint = "wss://cdp.lambdatest.com/playwright?capabilities="
            + URLEncoder.encode(capsJson, StandardCharsets.UTF_8);

        try (Playwright playwright = Playwright.create()) {
            Browser browser = playwright.webkit().connect(wsEndpoint);
            BrowserContext context = browser.newContext();
            Page page = context.newPage();

            page.navigate("https://duckduckgo.com",
                new Page.NavigateOptions().setTimeout(30000));
            page.locator("[name=\"q\"]").fill("LambdaTest");
            page.locator("[name=\"q\"]").press("Enter");
            page.waitForTimeout(3000);

            String title = page.title();
            System.out.println("Page title: " + title);

            try {
                if (title.contains("LambdaTest")) {
                    page.evaluate("_ => {}",
                        "lambdatest_action: {\"action\": \"setTestStatus\", \"arguments\": {\"status\": \"passed\", \"remark\": \"Title verified\"}}");
                }
            } catch (Exception e) {
                page.evaluate("_ => {}",
                    "lambdatest_action: {\"action\": \"setTestStatus\", \"arguments\": {\"status\": \"failed\", \"remark\": \"" + e.getMessage() + "\"}}");
            }

            page.close();
            context.close();
            browser.close();
        }
    }
}

Run the test:

mvn compile exec:java -Dexec.mainClass="com.lambdatest.PlaywrightIosTest"

C#

PlaywrightIosTest.cs

using Microsoft.Playwright;
using System.Text.Json;
using System.Web;

var capabilities = new Dictionary<string, object>
{
    ["LT:Options"] = new Dictionary<string, object>
    {
        ["platformName"] = "ios",
        ["deviceName"] = "iPhone 16",
        ["platformVersion"] = "18",
        ["isRealMobile"] = true,
        ["build"] = "Playwright iOS Build",
        ["name"] = "Playwright iOS Test",
        ["user"] = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("LT_USERNAME")!,
        ["accessKey"] = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("LT_ACCESS_KEY")!,
        ["network"] = true,
        ["video"] = true,
        ["console"] = true,
        ["playwrightClientVersion"] = "1.60.0",
    }
};

var capsJson = JsonSerializer.Serialize(capabilities);
var wsEndpoint = $"wss://cdp.lambdatest.com/playwright?capabilities={HttpUtility.UrlEncode(capsJson)}";

using var playwright = await Playwright.CreateAsync();
var browser = await playwright.Webkit.ConnectAsync(wsEndpoint);
var context = await browser.NewContextAsync();
var page = await context.NewPageAsync();

await page.GotoAsync("https://duckduckgo.com", new PageGotoOptions { Timeout = 30000 });
await page.Locator("[name=\"q\"]").FillAsync("LambdaTest");
await page.Locator("[name=\"q\"]").PressAsync("Enter");
await page.WaitForTimeoutAsync(3000);

var title = await page.TitleAsync();
Console.WriteLine($"Page title: {title}");

try
{
    if (title.Contains("LambdaTest"))
    {
        await page.EvaluateAsync("_ => {}",
            "lambdatest_action: {\"action\": \"setTestStatus\", \"arguments\": {\"status\": \"passed\", \"remark\": \"Title verified\"}}");
    }
}
catch (Exception e)
{
    await page.EvaluateAsync("_ => {}",
        $"lambdatest_action: {{\"action\": \"setTestStatus\", \"arguments\": {{\"status\": \"failed\", \"remark\": \"{e.Message}\"}}}}");
}

await page.CloseAsync();
await context.CloseAsync();
await browser.CloseAsync();

Run the test:

dotnet run

Apple Pay Automation

---

Automate the Apple Pay checkout flow on a real iOS device using Playwright over the TestMu AI CDP endpoint (wss://cdp.lambdatest.com/playwright). When enabled, the platform provisions Wallet, a sandbox card, and the device passcode on the real iPhone, so you never interact with Face ID or Touch ID or set up Wallet manually.

info

• Apple Pay runs on WebKit/Safari and is supported across all languages available for Playwright iOS testing. The hook calls use the same lambdatest_action server-side channel shown under Run Your First Test, so the same syntax applies in every language.
• To enable Apple Pay for your organization, contact TestMu AI via 24×7 chat support or send a mail to support@testmuai.com.

Apple Pay Capabilities

---

Set the following keys in LT:Options to turn on Apple Pay and control which payment network the sandbox card uses.

Capability	Type	Default	Required / Optional	Description
applePay	Boolean	false	Mandatory	Enables Apple Pay on the session and provisions Wallet, a sandbox card, and the device passcode on supported real iOS devices.
applePayCardType	Array	None	Optional	Preferred payment network(s) in priority order. Supported values: ["master", "visa", "amex", "discover"]. The first network is preferred; the rest act as fallbacks. If omitted, a default sandbox card is provisioned.

Add the Apple Pay keys to the same LT:Options object you already use to start your Playwright session (see Run Your First Test):

Verified

const capabilities = {
  "LT:Options": {
    // ...your existing iOS capabilities (platformName, deviceName, platformVersion, user, accessKey, etc.)
    "applePay": true,
    "applePayCardType": ["master", "visa"], // priority order: master preferred, visa as fallback
  },
};

Passcode capabilities

Adding a card to Wallet requires a device passcode:

• Public cloud: no extra capability is needed. The confirm hook handles the passcode automatically.
• Private cloud: use the passcode capability to set a custom passcode value directly on the device. Add it inside LT:Options alongside applePay:

Verified

// Private cloud only: set a custom passcode
"LT:Options": { /* ...other caps */, "applePay": true, "passcode": "654321" }

note

On iOS 26, the lambda-applepay confirm hook enters the device passcode automatically: the custom passcode on private cloud, or the default passcode on public cloud. No separate passcode step is required.

Apple Pay Validation

---

Before either Apple Pay hook executes, the gateway validates the session against the checks below. If either check fails, the hook is skipped.

1. iOS version ≥ 14: Apple Pay hooks are rejected on older platform versions.
2. Apple Pay capability present: applePay: true must be set in LT:Options.

If either check fails, the hook is not executed and an error is returned to the session.

Apple Pay Hooks

---

The native Apple Pay sheet is not reachable by Playwright directly, so you drive it through the TestMu AI server-side action channel. A small reusable wrapper keeps the calls readable.

Verified

async function ltAction(page, action, args = {}) {
  return page.evaluate(
    (_) => {},
    `lambdatest_action: ${JSON.stringify({ action, arguments: args })}`
  );
}

Hook 1: lambda-applepay-details (pre-fill the sheet)

Sets shipping, billing, and contact details on the Apple Pay sheet. Call it before launching the sheet. It is optional: use it when your merchant requires shipping or contact info.

Verified

await ltAction(page, "lambda-applepay-details", {
  shippingDetails: {
    firstName: "John", lastName: "Doe",
    street: "1 Infinite Loop", city: "Cupertino",
    state: "California", postalCode: "95014", country: "United States",
  },
  billingDetails: {
    firstName: "John", lastName: "Doe",
    street: "1 Infinite Loop", city: "Cupertino",
    state: "California", postalCode: "95014", country: "United States",
    email: "john.doe@example.com", phone: "+14085551234",
  },
  contact: {
    firstName: "John", lastName: "Doe",
    email: "john.doe@example.com", phone: "+14085551234",
  },
});

Hook 2: lambda-applepay (confirm and authorize payment)

Confirms the native Apple Pay sheet to authorize the transaction.

Verified

await ltAction(page, "lambda-applepay", { confirm: true });

note

On iOS 26, the confirm hook automatically enters the device passcode, so one call confirms the sheet and authorizes the payment end to end. On earlier iOS versions, the passcode is entered as a separate step after confirm.

End-to-End Apple Pay Example

---

The script below starts a session with Apple Pay enabled, pre-fills the sheet, and confirms the payment on iOS 26 where the passcode is entered automatically.

Verified

apple-pay.spec.js

const { webkit } = require("playwright");

// Reusable wrapper for any TestMu AI server-side action.
async function ltAction(page, action, args = {}) {
  return page.evaluate(
    (_) => {},
    `lambdatest_action: ${JSON.stringify({ action, arguments: args })}`
  );
}

(async () => {
  const capabilities = {
    "LT:Options": {
      platformName: "ios",
      deviceName: "iPhone 16",
      platformVersion: "26",
      isRealMobile: true,
      user: process.env.LT_USERNAME,
      accessKey: process.env.LT_ACCESS_KEY,
      build: "Apple Pay 26.0",
      name: "Apple Pay via Playwright",
      applePay: true,
      applePayCardType: ["master", "visa"],
    },
  };

  const browser = await webkit.connect(
    `wss://cdp.lambdatest.com/playwright?capabilities=${encodeURIComponent(
      JSON.stringify(capabilities)
    )}`
  );

  const context = await browser.newContext();
  const page = await context.newPage();

  // Navigate to your checkout page and trigger the Apple Pay sheet here...

  // Optional: pre-fill shipping / billing / contact on the sheet.
  await ltAction(page, "lambda-applepay-details", {
    billingDetails: {
      firstName: "John", lastName: "Doe",
      street: "1 Infinite Loop", city: "Cupertino",
      state: "California", postalCode: "95014", country: "United States",
      email: "john.doe@example.com", phone: "+14085551234",
    },
  });

  // Confirm the sheet. On iOS 26 the passcode is entered automatically.
  await ltAction(page, "lambda-applepay", { confirm: true });

  // Assert your post-payment state (swap for a real locator on your app).
  // await page.getByText(/order confirmed/i).waitFor();

  await page.close();
  await context.close();
  await browser.close();
})();

The ltAction helper is generic, so reuse it for setTestStatus, smartui.takeScreenshot, or any other TestMu AI action.

View Your Playwright Test Results

---

After a run finishes, open the TestMu AI Automation Dashboard to review your Playwright iOS test results. The dashboard shows the Playwright build on the left and the build sessions associated with the selected build on the right.

note

• Safari is the supported browser for iOS real device testing. All four languages (Node.js, Java, C#, and Python) are supported using stock Playwright packages.

• Playwright testing on real iOS devices is currently supported on latest iOS versions (iOS 17, iOS 18, and iOS 26) across both iPhones and iPads.

Related Playwright Guides

---

Continue with the guides below to expand your Playwright mobile and cloud test coverage on TestMu AI.

• Run Playwright tests on real Android devices covers the Android equivalent of this iOS setup.
• Set up Playwright test execution on TestMu AI walks through the base configuration for cloud runs.
• Configure Playwright capabilities lists every capability you can set in LT:Options.