Why is My Selenium WebDriver Failing to Start Chrome?

Selenium: WebDriverException: Chrome Failed to Start

Introduction

When attempting to launch Chrome with Selenium, users may encounter the error "WebDriverException: Chrome failed to start: crashed." This issue can arise due to various causes, including incompatibilities between the Chrome version and ChromeDriver. Let's explore potential solutions.

Solution 1: Use the Latest ChromeDriver

In some cases, an outdated ChromeDriver may cause this error. Ensure that you're using the most recent ChromeDriver version compatible with your browser. This can be downloaded from the official Chromium website (https://sites.google.com/chromium.org/driver/).

Solution 2: Enable Headless Mode

If the error persists, try using Headless Mode. This mode launches Chrome without displaying the GUI, reducing resource usage and potential crashes. To do so, add the following options to your WebDriver initialization:

chrome_options = Options()
chrome_options.add_argument('--headless')

Solution 3: Disable Sandbox

Enabling the '--no-sandbox' option disables the Chrome sandbox environment, which can sometimes resolve the error. Append the following argument to your WebDriver initialization:

chrome_options.add_argument('--no-sandbox')

Solution 4: Disable Shared Memory Usage

Adding the '--disable-dev-shm-usage' argument can prevent Chrome from using shared memory, potentially resolving this issue. Append this to your WebDriver initialization:

chrome_options.add_argument('--disable-dev-shm-usage')

Additional Considerations

If the above solutions do not resolve the issue, consider the following:

• Check if Chrome is installed and accessible on your system.
• Ensure that you have the correct permissions to launch Chrome (try using 'sudo' if necessary).
• If you're using a virtual environment, ensure Selenium and ChromeDriver are installed within it.
• Try launching Chrome outside of Selenium to verify if it crashes independently.

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