Switch from Claude in Chrome

Browser Agents Local does for your coding agent what Claude in Chrome does: it drives the Chrome you already have open, signed in to everything you use. It is part of the free, open-source pre.dev MCP server, works in Claude Code and every other coding agent, and reads pages as short text with refs, so most steps need no screenshot. Nothing moves: it uses the same Chrome, the same profiles, and the same logins. You can leave the Claude in Chrome extension installed.

Switch in two steps

Run setup

npx -y @predotdev/mcp setup

It signs you in to pre.dev, or creates a free account, adds the server as predev to Claude Code and every other coding agent on your Mac, and connects to Chrome. The first time, turn on remote debugging at chrome://inspect/#remote-debugging when it asks, then click Allow when Chrome asks Allow remote debugging?. You need macOS, Google Chrome, and Node.js 22 or later.

Turn Claude in Chrome off in Claude Code

In Claude Code, run /chrome and turn off Enabled by default. If you start Claude Code with claude --chrome, drop the flag. To turn it off for one session, start with claude --no-chrome.Restart Claude Code and try:

List my Chrome profiles and the tabs I have open.

Or let Claude Code do it. Paste this into Claude Code:

Run `npx -y @predotdev/mcp setup` with a 10 minute timeout and tell me what to click.

In the pre.dev CLI

Install the pre.dev CLI:

curl -fsSL https://pre.dev/install | bash

Then type /chrome. It uses your CLI login, so there is nothing else to sign in to. If the CLI was already installed when you ran setup, it has the Chrome tools already.

Keep both

If you keep Claude in Chrome on, tell your agent which one to use. Add a line like this to your CLAUDE.md, or AGENTS.md for other agents:

For browser work, use the predev chrome_* tools. Use Claude in Chrome only to read console logs or network requests, or to record a GIF.

Skip the permission prompts

Claude Code asks before it runs a tool from an MCP server unless you allow it. To let every pre.dev tool run without asking, add mcp__predev to the allow list in ~/.claude/settings.json:

{
  "permissions": {
    "allow": ["mcp__predev"]
  }
}

That includes chrome_eval, which runs JavaScript in your pages, and the cloud tools, which use credits. Read Safety first.

Tool by tool

Claude in Chrome works in the tabs of its own tab group. The pre.dev tools work in any tab of any Chrome profile, and a snapshot names the profile each tab belongs to.

Claude in Chrome	pre.dev MCP
`tabs_context_mcp`	`chrome_tabs` lists open tabs in every profile; `chrome_profiles` lists the profiles
`tabs_create_mcp`	`chrome_open`, in any profile, in the background by default
`tabs_close_mcp`	`chrome_close`
`navigate`	`chrome_navigate`, including back, forward, and reload
`read_page`	`chrome_snapshot`: the interactive elements as refs (`[e1]`, `[e2]`, …), plus headings and any open dialog
`get_page_text`	`chrome_read`
`find`	`chrome_act` with `action: "find"` reports the element you describe; without it, `chrome_act` clicks or types into it in one call
`computer`: `left_click`, `double_click`	`chrome_click` by ref, CSS selector, visible text, or coordinates; `double: true` for a double click
`computer`: `type`	`chrome_type`, or `chrome_act` with `action: "type"`
`computer`: `key`	`chrome_press`
`computer`: `scroll`, `scroll_to`	`chrome_scroll`
`computer`: `screenshot`	`chrome_screenshot`, the visible area or the full page
`computer`: `wait`	`chrome_wait` for text, a CSS selector, a URL, or a plain-words condition
`form_input`	`chrome_type` for inputs, text areas, rich editors, and dropdowns; `chrome_click` for checkboxes
`javascript_tool`	`chrome_eval`
`file_upload`	`chrome_upload`
`list_connected_browsers`, `select_browser`, `switch_browser`	Not needed: every Chrome profile is available at once. Pass `profile` to `chrome_open`
`browser_batch`	No batch tool. Each call is one step
`upload_image`	No equivalent. `chrome_upload` attaches files from your computer
`computer`: `right_click`, `triple_click`, `hover`, `left_click_drag`, `zoom`	No equivalent yet
`read_console_messages`, `read_network_requests`	No equivalent yet
`resize_window`	No equivalent yet
`gif_creator`	No equivalent yet
`shortcuts_list`, `shortcuts_execute`	No equivalent

Two tools have no Claude in Chrome counterpart: chrome_show brings a tab to the front so you can watch or take over, and chrome_wait with a plain-words condition waits until a statement about the page is true.

What else changes

Chrome asks once per start. Chrome shows Allow remote debugging? once each time it starts, and again after an update. Click Allow.
Plain-words actions use credits. chrome_act and chrome_wait conditions use your pre.dev account; every other Chrome tool runs on your computer and is free. See Credits.
It works in every agent. Codex, Cursor, Hermes, Pi, and the other agents setup finds get the same tools. See Browser Agents Local for every agent and for agents without MCP.
macOS is tested. Linux and Windows are not tested yet. See Platform support.

API

Specs (Architect)

Browser Agents

AI Gateway

SDKs

MCP

Switch from Claude in Chrome

Switch in two steps

In the pre.dev CLI

Keep both

Skip the permission prompts

Tool by tool

What else changes

​Switch in two steps

​In the pre.dev CLI

​Keep both

​Skip the permission prompts

​Tool by tool

​What else changes

Switch in two steps

In the pre.dev CLI

Keep both

Skip the permission prompts

Tool by tool

What else changes