browser-cookie3 is a Python library that loads cookies from various web browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, Opera, Brave, etc.) into a `cookiejar` object. This enables Python programs, often used for web scraping or automation, to download content as seen in a web browser without needing to re-authenticate. The library is actively maintained, with frequent updates to support new browser versions and address changes in cookie storage mechanisms.
pip install browser-cookie3Verified import paths — ran on the pinned version, not inferred.
This quickstart demonstrates how to load cookies from a specific browser (e.g., Chrome) and then use them with the popular `requests` library to access a website as if you were logged in. The `domain_name` argument is optional but recommended for performance and security. Replace 'example.com' with the target domain.
Check the GitHub repository's issues for reported compatibility problems and potential workarounds. Update `browser-cookie3` to the latest version. Consider using `cj = browser_cookie3.load()` to try all supported browsers if one fails.
Adapt web scraping strategies to rely less on third-party cookies. Be aware that sites may implement new anti-bot or privacy measures that impact automated access even with first-party cookies.
Provide detailed environment information (OS, browser, browser version, Python version) when reporting issues on GitHub. Test with different browsers or on different operating systems if possible. Ensure your browser profile is not locked or inaccessible.
Ensure `dbus-python` and `jeepney` are installed. On Debian/Ubuntu, try `sudo apt-get install python3-dbus` in addition to `pip install browser-cookie3`.
If encountering segfaults with Python 3.14+, consider using an earlier Python version (e.g., 3.11, 3.12, 3.13) or a non-free-threaded build. Monitor the GitHub repository for updates addressing this compatibility issue.
Ensure the package is correctly installed in your active Python environment: `pip install browser-cookie3` or `pip3 install browser-cookie3`.
Update `browser-cookie3` to its latest version (`pip install --upgrade browser-cookie3`), as new versions often include fixes for updated browser encryption. If the issue persists, consider alternative methods for cookie extraction, such as using Selenium. On macOS, ensuring your terminal/IDE has 'Full Disk Access' might also resolve related decryption issues.
Close all instances of the browser before running the script. Update `browser-cookie3` to the latest version (`pip install --upgrade browser-cookie3`). If issues persist, you might need to manually specify the `cookie_file` path, especially if using non-default browser profiles (e.g., `cj = browser_cookie3.chrome(cookie_file='/path/to/your/Cookies')`).
Grant 'Full Disk Access' to the terminal application (e.g., Terminal, iTerm) or the IDE (e.g., VS Code, PyCharm) that is executing the Python script. This setting can be found in macOS System Settings > Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access.