Selenium gives "selenium.common.exceptions.WebDriverException: Message: unknown error: cannot find Chrome binary" on Mac

Question

Trying to get selenium to work with Python 3 for web scraping purposes:

from selenium import webdriver
chrome_path = r"/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.6/bin/chromedriver"
driver = webdriver.Chrome(chrome_path)

I get the following error message:

selenium.common.exceptions.WebDriverException: Message: unknown error: cannot find Chrome binary

A similar question was addressed here, but what is baffling to me is that Chrome is already installed on my system. The other asker apparently didn't have it on their computer. I'm running latest version of Mac OS.

Which version of chrome are you using ? Please attach a screenshot of the version with your question — Tarun Lalwani, Sep 03 '17 at 19:30

score 61 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 03 '17 at 20:24

61

The issue is that chromedriver also needs to know where chrome is. In your case it is at a non-default path. So you need to specify the complete path to the Google Chrome binary.

options = webdriver.ChromeOptions()
options.binary_location = "/Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome"
chrome_driver_binary = "/usr/local/bin/chromedriver"
driver = webdriver.Chrome(chrome_driver_binary, chrome_options=options)

Above code is what you should use

answered Sep 03 '17 at 20:24

Tarun Lalwani

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Do not miss that the path does not end with `..../chrome.app` The path should include `contents/macos/` – a-c-sreedhar-reddy Apr 24 '22 at 17:48
If I code in Google Colab, How to get the binary location? – Berlian Mar 13 '23 at 03:47
good day dear Tarun - many thanks: well what can i do if i am facing this issue in google-colab. Well that is a bit special i think: Can i do a workaround there too!? - see my thread here: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/76401453/gathering-data-from-clutch-io-some-issues-with-bs4-while-working-on-colab - look forward to hear from you. Regards – malaga Jun 05 '23 at 17:32

score 9 · Answer 2 · answered May 19 '18 at 19:24

9

I have met this annoying problem when I am lerning selenium. This is my solution: (MacOS 10.13.4)

uninstall my chrome
use homebrew to install chromedriver: brew cask install chromedriver
use homebrew to install chrome: brew cask install google-chrome

Thanks to homebrew now chrome and chromedriver are installed in the same folder and this problem will be automatically solved.

answered May 19 '18 at 19:24

EckoTan

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In 2021, just `brew install google-chrome` will do. – Joseph Apr 25 '21 at 09:35
goof day dear joseph - many thanks: well what can i do if i am facing this issue in google-colab. Can i do a workaround there too!? - see my thread here: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/76401453/gathering-data-from-clutch-io-some-issues-with-bs4-while-working-on-colab - look forward to hear from you. Regards – malaga Jun 05 '23 at 17:30

score 7 · Answer 3 · edited May 10 '20 at 17:47

If anyone is getting the same error on a linux machine, then you are missing google chrome installation as one of the steps needed for chrome driver to work.

Follow this link to install Google chrome on Linux.

Now, check code

driver = webdriver.Chrome(executable_path='/usr/bin/chromedriver', options=chrome_options, service_args=['--verbose', '--log-path=/tmp/chromedriver.log'])

For me it worked.

Max Kleiner · Answer 4 · 2019-06-17T12:24:27.703

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It is important on Win to set the name of chrome.exe otherwise it fail to create a process (see below):

  from selenium import webdriver
  from webdriver_manager.chrome import ChromeDriverManager

  options = webdriver.ChromeOptions()
  options.binary_location = r"C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"
  chrome_driver_binary = r"C:/Users/Max/.wdm/chromedriver/75.0.3770.8/win32/chromedriver.exe"
  driver = webdriver.Chrome(chrome_driver_binary, chrome_options=options)
  driver.get('http://web.whatsapp.com')

selenium.common.exceptions.WebDriverException: Message: unknown error: Failed to create a Chrome process.

For Firefox (download driver https://github.com/mozilla/geckodriver/releases):

  options = webdriver.FirefoxOptions()
  #options.add_argument('-headless')
  #options.binary_location = r"C:\maxbook\maxboxpython\geckodriver-v0.24.0-win64\geckodriver.exe"
  options.binary_location = r"C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe"
  firefox_driver_binary = r"C:\maxbook\maxboxpython\geckodriver-v0.24.0-win64\\"
  driver = webdriver.Firefox(firefox_driver_binary, options=options)

edited Jun 17 '19 at 12:24

answered Jun 12 '19 at 15:03

Max Kleiner

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good evening dear Max - well i wonder how to get this fix included in google-colab!? It is important for me to get a solution in google colab. How to do that!? – malaga Jun 05 '23 at 17:34
in colab you can use download as well with wget (with ! at the begin): !wget https://github.com/maxkleiner/maXbox4/releases/download/V4.2.4.80/maxbox4.zip #!sudo apt-get install unzip !unzip maxbox4.zip !ls -l – Max Kleiner Jun 06 '23 at 20:26
dear Max - many thanks for the answer and all your hints - i try to get the things up and running - see here: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/76401453/gathering-data-from-clutch-io-some-issues-with-bs4-while-working-on-colab - but untill now - still struggle with all my approaches - look forward to hear from yiou. Regards – malaga Jun 07 '23 at 00:56

score 3 · Answer 5 · answered Mar 28 '18 at 14:55

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options = webdriver.ChromeOptions()
options.binary_location = r"<YOUR_CHROME_PATH>\chrome.exe"
chrome_driver_path = r"<PATH_TO_CHROME_DRIVER>\chromedriver.exe>"

browser = webdriver.Chrome(chrome_driver_path, chrome_options=options)

answered Mar 28 '18 at 14:55

adrian filipescu

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More explanation would be helpful for the OP. – Kyle Mar 28 '18 at 20:05
@Kyle Mar see bellow please. – adrian filipescu Apr 11 '18 at 07:28

score 3 · Answer 6 · answered Feb 16 '21 at 12:12

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In my case, I install the Chrome browser then it's not throwing an error.

answered Feb 16 '21 at 12:12

kamran kausar

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Hi there - many thanks for the hint. I am trying to do so – malaga Jun 05 '23 at 17:35

score 2 · Answer 7 · answered Sep 05 '17 at 11:16

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If your chromedriver is located within /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.6/bin/ directory the following code block should be working for you:

from selenium import webdriver

chrome_path = r'/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.6/bin/chromedriver'
driver = webdriver.Chrome(executable_path=chrome_path)
driver.get('https://www.google.co.in')

answered Sep 05 '17 at 11:16

undetected Selenium

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well dear undeteched Selenium - many thanks - i am trying to get this solution working for me. – malaga Jun 05 '23 at 17:36
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@malaga Great, let me know how it goes. – undetected Selenium Jun 05 '23 at 19:48
hello dear undetected Selenium - first of all many many thanks for your ciontinued help in all that things: dear u. Selenium: again many thanks for the answer and all your hints - i try to get the things up and running - see here: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/76401453/gathering-data-from-clutch-io-some-issues-with-bs4-while-working-on-colab - but untill now - still struggle with all my approaches - look forward to hear from yiou. Regards – malaga Jun 07 '23 at 00:57

score 1 · Answer 8 · answered May 11 '21 at 14:46

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all you need is download latest version of chrome and chromedriver and install it

answered May 11 '21 at 14:46

Milad Saeedi

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score 0 · Answer 9 · answered May 05 '21 at 21:43

This article gives the full breakdown on what is happening. Installing the latest web driver should fix the problem rather than changing the code.

Basically version 85 of chrome was installed in a different location, however this only affected new installations so it wasn't noticeable for most people.

The latest web driver understands about the new location so getting an updated driver is the easiest solution - that is of course unless you specifically need to test an older version.

Location of drivers.

score 0 · Answer 10 · answered Dec 30 '22 at 23:51

I recently solved this issue by simply downloading the Chrome Browser. Download it and to download latest version of chrome driver by using this code

from selenium import webdriver
from webdriver_manager.chrome import ChromeDriverManager

driver = webdriver.Chrome(ChromeDriverManager().install())

score 0 · Answer 11 · answered May 11 '23 at 15:06

Create file main.py has content

from selenium import webdriver

options = webdriver.ChromeOptions()
options.binary_location = r"C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"
chrome_driver_binary = r"C:/Users/firerose/Downloads/chromedriver_win32/chromedriver.exe"
driver = webdriver.Chrome(chrome_driver_binary, options=options)
driver.get('https://golangnow.com')

Notice: New keyword is options .

Releated links

score -1 · Answer 12 · answered Jan 09 '23 at 14:19

For mac: Note space between Chrome and .app

options = webdriver.ChromeOptions()
options.binary_location = "/Applications/Google Chrome .app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome"
chrome_driver_binary = "/usr/local/bin/chromedriver"
driver = webdriver.Chrome(chrome_driver_binary, chrome_options=options)

Selenium gives "selenium.common.exceptions.WebDriverException: Message: unknown error: cannot find Chrome binary" on Mac

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