- name
- wechat-browser-reader
- description
- Read WeChat Official Account articles (mp.weixin.qq.com) via Chrome DevTools browser automation. Use when user provides a WeChat article URL and other extractors fail due to captcha, JS encryption, or anti-scraping. Requires Chrome remote debugging (port 9222) to be running. Handles captcha verification, JS content decryption, and content extraction.
WeChat Browser Reader
Read WeChat articles via Chrome DevTools when HTTP-based extractors fail.
Prerequisites
- Chrome with remote debugging enabled:
google-chrome --no-first-run --remote-debugging-port=9222 --user-data-dir=/tmp/chrome-debug-profile - OpenClaw browser tools available (navigate_page, evaluate_script, etc.)
Workflow
1. Navigate
navigate_page(url=<article_url>)2. Handle Captcha (if present)
If the page shows "环境异常" / "去验证":
take_snapshot() # find the "去验证" element
click(uid=<verify_button_uid>)If the page shows "轻触查看原文" (non-WeChat container):
evaluate_script(() => document.querySelector('.wx_expand_article_button_wrap')?.click())3. Wait for Content
WeChat articles use JS encryption. Content may take 3-5 seconds to decrypt after page load.
wait_for(text=["activity-name", "js_content"], timeout=15000)4. Extract Content
evaluate_script(() => {
const title = document.getElementById('activity-name')?.innerText || '';
const author = document.getElementById('js_name')?.innerText || '';
const content = document.getElementById('js_content')?.innerText || '';
return { title, author, contentLength: content.length, content };
})If activity-name is empty but js_content exists, content is loaded — just extract it.
If both are empty after 10+ seconds, try:
evaluate_script(() => new Promise(resolve => {
setTimeout(() => {
const el = document.getElementById('js_content');
resolve({ exists: !!el, htmlLen: el?.innerHTML?.length || 0, text: el?.innerText || '' });
}, 5000);
}))5. Return to User
Summarize or present the article content. Key fields:
- title: article title
- author: account name
- content: full article text
Common Issues
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "环境异常" | Captcha triggered | Click "去验证", wait for redirect |
| "轻触查看原文" | Non-WeChat browser | Click the button or use JS click |
| Empty content after load | JS decryption not complete | Wait 3-5 seconds, retry extraction |
| Chrome not connected | Remote debugging not running | Start Chrome with --remote-debugging-port=9222 |
| Page stuck on loading | Network or rendering issue | Reload page, check network conditions |
Tips
- Always use
evaluate_scriptwithsetTimeout(3-5s) for reliable content extraction — WeChat's JS decryption is async - If captcha keeps appearing, the IP may be rate-limited — wait a few minutes
- The approach works because a real Chrome browser executes WeChat's decryption scripts, unlike HTTP-only fetchers