microsoft · Andrew-Chen-Wang · Jun 12, 2026 · Jun 12, 2026
diff --git a/docs/src/api/class-browsertype.md b/docs/src/api/class-browsertype.md
@@ -322,6 +322,14 @@ describes some differences for Linux users.
 ### option: BrowserType.launch.ignoreAllDefaultArgs = %%-csharp-java-browser-option-ignorealldefaultargs-%%
 * since: v1.9
 
+### option: BrowserType.launch.createPagesInBackground
+* since: v1.62
+- `createPagesInBackground` <[boolean]>
+
+When set to `true`, new pages are created in the background, so that the headed browser window does not activate and
+steal the OS focus from the user. Pages still behave as focused ones. Use [`method: Page.bringToFront`] to activate
+the browser window when needed. Currently only implemented for headed Chromium. Defaults to `false`.
+
 ## async method: BrowserType.launchPersistentContext
 * since: v1.8
 - returns: <[BrowserContext]>

diff --git a/packages/playwright-client/types/types.d.ts b/packages/playwright-client/types/types.d.ts
@@ -23283,6 +23283,14 @@ export interface LaunchOptions {
    */
   chromiumSandbox?: boolean;
 
+  /**
+   * When set to `true`, new pages are created in the background, so that the headed browser window does not activate
+   * and steal the OS focus from the user. Pages still behave as focused ones. Use
+   * [page.bringToFront()](https://playwright.dev/docs/api/class-page#page-bring-to-front) to activate the browser
+   * window when needed. Currently only implemented for headed Chromium. Defaults to `false`.
+   */
+  createPagesInBackground?: boolean;
+
   /**
    * If specified, accepted downloads are downloaded into this directory. Otherwise, temporary directory is created and
    * is deleted when browser is closed. In either case, the downloads are deleted when the browser context they were

diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/src/protocol/validator.ts b/packages/playwright-core/src/protocol/validator.ts
@@ -982,6 +982,7 @@ scheme.BrowserTypeLaunchParams = tObject({
   tracesDir: tOptional(tString),
   artifactsDir: tOptional(tString),
   chromiumSandbox: tOptional(tBoolean),
+  createPagesInBackground: tOptional(tBoolean),
   firefoxUserPrefs: tOptional(tAny),
   cdpPort: tOptional(tInt),
   slowMo: tOptional(tFloat),
@@ -1011,6 +1012,7 @@ scheme.BrowserTypeLaunchPersistentContextParams = tObject({
   tracesDir: tOptional(tString),
   artifactsDir: tOptional(tString),
   chromiumSandbox: tOptional(tBoolean),
+  createPagesInBackground: tOptional(tBoolean),
   firefoxUserPrefs: tOptional(tAny),
   cdpPort: tOptional(tInt),
   noDefaultViewport: tOptional(tBoolean),

diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/src/server/chromium/crBrowser.ts b/packages/playwright-core/src/server/chromium/crBrowser.ts
@@ -370,7 +370,9 @@ export class CRBrowserContext extends BrowserContext<CREventsMap> {
   }
 
   override async doCreateNewPage(): Promise<Page> {
-    const { targetId } = await this._browser._session.send('Target.createTarget', { url: 'about:blank', browserContextId: this._browserContextId });
+    // The `background` parameter is not supported by the headless shell or Android.
+    const background = this._browser.options.originalLaunchOptions?.createPagesInBackground && this._browser.options.headful && this._browser.options.name !== 'clank' ? true : undefined;
+    const { targetId } = await this._browser._session.send('Target.createTarget', { url: 'about:blank', browserContextId: this._browserContextId, background });
     return this._browser._crPages.get(targetId)!._page;
   }
 

diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/types/types.d.ts b/packages/playwright-core/types/types.d.ts
@@ -23283,6 +23283,14 @@ export interface LaunchOptions {
    */
   chromiumSandbox?: boolean;
 
+  /**
+   * When set to `true`, new pages are created in the background, so that the headed browser window does not activate
+   * and steal the OS focus from the user. Pages still behave as focused ones. Use
+   * [page.bringToFront()](https://playwright.dev/docs/api/class-page#page-bring-to-front) to activate the browser
+   * window when needed. Currently only implemented for headed Chromium. Defaults to `false`.
+   */
+  createPagesInBackground?: boolean;
+
   /**
    * If specified, accepted downloads are downloaded into this directory. Otherwise, temporary directory is created and
    * is deleted when browser is closed. In either case, the downloads are deleted when the browser context they were

diff --git a/packages/protocol/spec/mixins.yml b/packages/protocol/spec/mixins.yml
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ LaunchOptions:
     tracesDir: string?
     artifactsDir: string?
     chromiumSandbox: boolean?
+    createPagesInBackground: boolean?
     firefoxUserPrefs: json?
     cdpPort: int?
 

diff --git a/packages/protocol/src/channels.d.ts b/packages/protocol/src/channels.d.ts
@@ -1838,6 +1838,7 @@ export type BrowserTypeLaunchParams = {
   tracesDir?: string,
   artifactsDir?: string,
   chromiumSandbox?: boolean,
+  createPagesInBackground?: boolean,
   firefoxUserPrefs?: any,
   cdpPort?: number,
   slowMo?: number,
@@ -1863,6 +1864,7 @@ export type BrowserTypeLaunchOptions = {
   tracesDir?: string,
   artifactsDir?: string,
   chromiumSandbox?: boolean,
+  createPagesInBackground?: boolean,
   firefoxUserPrefs?: any,
   cdpPort?: number,
   slowMo?: number,
@@ -1892,6 +1894,7 @@ export type BrowserTypeLaunchPersistentContextParams = {
   tracesDir?: string,
   artifactsDir?: string,
   chromiumSandbox?: boolean,
+  createPagesInBackground?: boolean,
   firefoxUserPrefs?: any,
   cdpPort?: number,
   noDefaultViewport?: boolean,
@@ -1980,6 +1983,7 @@ export type BrowserTypeLaunchPersistentContextOptions = {
   tracesDir?: string,
   artifactsDir?: string,
   chromiumSandbox?: boolean,
+  createPagesInBackground?: boolean,
   firefoxUserPrefs?: any,
   cdpPort?: number,
   noDefaultViewport?: boolean,

diff --git a/tests/library/headful.spec.ts b/tests/library/headful.spec.ts
@@ -232,6 +232,30 @@ it('Page.bringToFront should work', async ({ browser }) => {
   await page2.close();
 });
 
+it('pages created in background should be focused and interactable', {
+  annotation: { type: 'issue', description: 'https://github.com/microsoft/playwright/issues/4822' },
+}, async ({ browserType }) => {
+  // With createPagesInBackground, pages do not activate the browser window;
+  // emulated focus should make them behave as foreground.
+  const browser = await browserType.launch({ createPagesInBackground: true });
+  const page1 = await browser.newPage();
+  await page1.setContent('<input id=i>');
+  const page2 = await browser.newPage();
+  await page2.setContent('<input id=i>');
+
+  expect(await page1.evaluate('document.visibilityState')).toBe('visible');
+  expect(await page2.evaluate('document.visibilityState')).toBe('visible');
+  expect(await page1.evaluate('document.hasFocus()')).toBe(true);
+  expect(await page2.evaluate('document.hasFocus()')).toBe(true);
+
+  await page1.fill('#i', 'page1');
+  await page2.fill('#i', 'page2');
+  expect(await page1.inputValue('#i')).toBe('page1');
+  expect(await page2.inputValue('#i')).toBe('page2');
+
+  await browser.close();
+});
+
 it('should click in OOPIF', async ({ browserName, launchPersistent, server }) => {
   server.setRoute('/empty.html', (req, res) => {
     res.writeHead(200, { 'Content-Type': 'text/html' });