restart_browser

Restart the browser; optionally change headed/headless, channel, or user data dir.

SERVERPlaywright MCP Server SOURCEalexrwilliam/playwright-mcp-server

High RISK CLASS

Category Execute

Parameters 00 required

Recommended Rate-limitedsee the rule below

Registry record Grade F, identity unverified Pull the record →

This record as markdown: /tools/alexrwilliam-playwright-mcp-server/restart-browser.md

WHAT IT DOES

What restart_browser does on Playwright MCP Server

AI agents invoke restart_browser to trigger actions in Playwright MCP Server. What it does depends on the arguments the agent supplies, and its effects often reach beyond the immediate call: builds kicked off, notifications sent, workflows started.

RISK

Why restart_browser is rated High

This tool triggers an external operation (browser restart) whose effects depend on the provided arguments (headed/headless mode, channel selection, user data directory). While not destructive in the sense of permanent data loss, it executes a significant state-changing operation on a running system.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'restart_browser' and description 'Restart the browser; optionally change headed/headless, channel, or user data dir' indicates it executes a browser restart operation with configurable parameters that alter browser state and behavior.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs restart_browser safely

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Playwright MCP Server, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For restart_browser, this is the rule to start with:

restart_browser Rate-limited

restart_browser stays usable, but rate-capped: a runaway agent can't fire it dozens of times a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "restart_browser": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "restart_browser_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

RATE-LIMIT THIS TOOL → Instant setup, no code required.

The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Playwright MCP Server, apply this rule, and every restart_browser call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about restart_browser

What does the restart_browser tool do? +

Restart the browser; optionally change headed/headless, channel, or user data dir. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Playwright MCP Server MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on restart_browser? +

Register the Playwright MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for restart_browser: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches Playwright MCP Server. Nothing to install.

What risk level is restart_browser? +

restart_browser is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.

Can I rate-limit restart_browser? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the restart_browser rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.

How do I block restart_browser completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for restart_browser. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.

What MCP server provides restart_browser? +

restart_browser is provided by the Playwright MCP Server MCP server (alexrwilliam/playwright-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

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