---
title: "Files & Clipboard"
description: "Browser automation CLI for AI agents"
canonical_url: "https://agent-browser.dev/files"
---

# Files & Clipboard

agent-browser can upload files, capture downloads, read local files through `file://` URLs, write PDFs and screenshots, and interact with the browser clipboard.

## Upload files

```bash
agent-browser snapshot -i
agent-browser upload @e4 ./invoice.pdf
agent-browser upload @e4 ./front.png ./back.png
```

The selector must resolve to a file input. Multiple file paths are accepted for multi-file inputs.

## Downloads

```bash
agent-browser download @e5 ./report.csv
agent-browser wait --download ./archive.zip --timeout 30000
```

Use `download` when a specific element triggers the download. Use `wait --download` when another action starts the download and you need to wait for completion.

Set a default download directory for browser-initiated downloads:

```bash
agent-browser --download-path ./downloads open https://app.example.com
```

Without `--download-path`, downloads go to a temporary directory that is cleaned up when the browser closes.

## Screenshots and PDFs

```bash
agent-browser screenshot ./page.png
agent-browser screenshot --full ./page-full.png
agent-browser screenshot --if-changed
agent-browser screenshot --threshold 0.01
agent-browser screenshot --screenshot-format jpeg --screenshot-quality 80 ./page.jpg
agent-browser pdf ./page.pdf
```

Prefer `--if-changed` for repeated captures: skipping unchanged images is the most token-efficient option. History is per tab and capture scope. The first capture returns a path; later unchanged captures omit it. JSON includes `changed`, `revision`, and `pixelChangeRatio`. `--threshold <0-1>` implies `--if-changed` and treats changes at or below that ratio as unchanged.

Screenshot defaults can also be configured with:

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr><th>Setting</th><th>Description</th></tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr><td><code>--screenshot-dir</code> / <code>AGENT_BROWSER_SCREENSHOT_DIR</code></td><td>Default screenshot output directory</td></tr>
    <tr><td><code>--screenshot-format</code> / <code>AGENT_BROWSER_SCREENSHOT_FORMAT</code></td><td><code>png</code> or <code>jpeg</code></td></tr>
    <tr><td><code>--screenshot-quality</code> / <code>AGENT_BROWSER_SCREENSHOT_QUALITY</code></td><td>JPEG quality from 0 to 100</td></tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

## Local files

```bash
agent-browser --allow-file-access open file:///Users/me/report.pdf
agent-browser --allow-file-access open file:///path/to/page.html
agent-browser screenshot ./local-file.png
```

`--allow-file-access` is Chromium-only. It allows `file://` pages to load and access other local files through browser APIs such as `fetch` and XHR.

## Clipboard

```bash
agent-browser clipboard read
agent-browser clipboard write "Hello, world"
agent-browser clipboard copy
agent-browser clipboard paste
```

`copy` and `paste` simulate the platform keyboard shortcuts for the current selection or focused element. Use `write` when you want to set clipboard text directly.