When setting up browser automation in Python or Node.js, Playwright is often the tool of choice for its speed and reliable automation APIs. However, developers running older distributions or variants based on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (such as Linux Mint 20.x releases) often run into a frustrating roadblock when executing playwright install:

Failed to install browsers  
Error: ERROR: Playwright does not support chromium on ubuntu20.04-x64

If you encounter this error while installing Playwright, don't worry. Below, we break down why this issue happens and explore several actionable solutions to get your tests and automation scripts running.

Why Does This Error Happen?

Recent releases of Playwright have officially dropped support for Ubuntu 20.04 (Focal Fossa) and its derivatives. The modern browser builds distributed by the Playwright team depend on newer versions of system libraries (particularly glibc and graphics dependencies) that are not available in the Ubuntu 20.04 ecosystem.

Even though you might have a modern version of Python (such as Python 3.12 or 3.13) compiled on your system, the underlying OS distribution information reported by your Linux Mint install triggers Playwright's compatibility check and halts the browser download process.

Solution 1: Downgrade Playwright to a Supported Version (Quickest Fix)

If you cannot update your operating system immediately, the quickest way to resolve this is to downgrade to a version of Playwright that still provided browser builds compiled for Ubuntu 20.04. Playwright maintained Ubuntu 20.04 support up to version 1.43.0.

Uninstall your current Playwright package and pin it to version 1.43.0:

# Activate your virtual environment first if you use one
pip uninstall playwright -y
pip install "playwright<=1.43.0"

# Now install the browser binaries and dependencies
playwright install
playwright install-deps

Solution 2: Use System Browsers Instead of Bundled Binaries

Playwright allows you to connect to an existing, locally installed browser instead of relying on the pre-compiled builds downloaded via playwright install. You can install Google Chrome or Chromium via your system package manager or from official sources, and configure Playwright to launch it directly.

Install Google Chrome or Chromium:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y chromium-browser

Then, instruct Playwright to use the system executable or specified channel in your Python script:

from playwright.sync_api import sync_playwright

with sync_playwright() as p:
    # Option A: Use the installed Chrome channel
    browser = p.chromium.launch(channel="chrome", headless=True)
    
    # Option B: Or specify the explicit executable path
    # browser = p.chromium.launch(executable_path="/usr/bin/chromium-browser", headless=True)
    
    page = browser.new_page()
    page.goto("https://example.com")
    print(page.title())
    browser.close()

Solution 3: Run Playwright Inside Docker

If you need the latest Playwright features but cannot update your host Linux Mint installation, running your scripts within the official Playwright Docker container is the cleanest and most robust approach. The container uses a modern Ubuntu base (Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04) and includes all required browser binaries and dependencies out of the box.

docker run -v $(pwd):/work -w /work -it --rm mcr.microsoft.com/playwright/python:v1.49.0-noble bash

Inside the container, you can run your scripts without encountering any OS compatibility warnings or missing binary errors.

Solution 4: Upgrade Your Operating System (Recommended Long-Term)

Ubuntu 20.04 LTS entered the end of standard support in April 2025. Running an older operating system base will lead to recurring compatibility issues across other modern packages, libraries, and runtimes.

Consider upgrading to a newer Linux Mint release based on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (Linux Mint 21 "Vanessa/Vera/Victoria/Virginia") or Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Linux Mint 22 "Wilma"). On these newer bases, the latest versions of Playwright will install and function seamlessly without extra configuration.

Summary

If you encounter Playwright does not support chromium on ubuntu20.04-x64 on Linux Mint:

  • For an immediate fix: Pin your installation with pip install "playwright<=1.43.0".
  • To use the latest Playwright without updating your OS: Launch a system-installed browser via channel="chrome" or run your tests inside the official Docker container.
  • For long-term stability: Upgrade your Linux Mint version to a release based on Ubuntu 22.04 or newer.