browser_reload
Reload the current page. Optionally bypass the browser cache for a hard reload that fetches all resources fresh from the server. Useful when testing changes or clearing stale cached content.
When to use browser_reload
Use browser_reload when you need to drive page navigation and browser history in an automation flow. It is part of Owl Browser's Navigation toolset and runs inside a self-hosted, source-level stealth engine, so every call inherits the same undetectable browser fingerprint as the rest of your automation — no separate anti-detect setup required.
Usage Example
Parameters
Required
context_idstringrequiredThe unique identifier of the browser context (e.g., 'ctx_000001')
Optional
ignore_cachebooleanWhen true, performs a hard reload that bypasses the browser cache and fetches all resources from the server. Equivalent to Ctrl+Shift+R. Default: false (normal reload using cache)
wait_untilenumloaddomcontentloadednetworkidle+1 moreWhen to consider reload complete: 'load' (wait for load event, default; '' is treated as 'load'), 'domcontentloaded' (wait for DOMContentLoaded), 'networkidle' (wait for network to be idle), 'fullscroll' (scroll full page to trigger lazy loading, then scroll back to top)
timeoutintegerMaximum time to wait for reload in milliseconds. Only used when wait_until is set. Default: 30000 (30 seconds)
Response
Returns a JSON object with the operation result.
{
"success": true,
"result": <value>
}Frequently Asked Questions
What does browser_reload do?
Reload the current page. Optionally bypass the browser cache for a hard reload that fetches all resources fresh from the server. Useful when testing changes or clearing stale cached content. It belongs to Owl Browser's Navigation category and is available through the REST API, the Python SDK (browser.reload()), the Node.js SDK, and the MCP server.
What parameters does browser_reload accept?
browser_reload accepts 1 required parameter (context_id) and 3 optional parameters. All parameters are sent as JSON in a POST request to /api/execute/browser_reload.
Is browser_reload detectable by anti-bot systems like Cloudflare or DataDome?
No. browser_reload executes inside Owl Browser's Chromium engine, which applies fingerprint spoofing at the C++ source level rather than through JavaScript patches. Every tool call shares the same consistent, human-like fingerprint, so anti-bot systems such as Cloudflare, DataDome, and Akamai see an ordinary browser.
Related Tools
goOne-shot browser navigation. Creates context, navigates, extracts HTML, closes context.
browser_navigateNavigate the browser to a specified URL. This is a non-blocking operation that starts navigation and returns immediately. Use browser_wait_for_network_idle or browser_wait_for_selector to wait for the page to fully load. Supports HTTP, HTTPS, file, and data URLs. When wait_until is set (load, networkidle, fullscroll, domcontentloaded) and the page declares WebMCP tools, the response includes a webmcp_tools array containing the full tool definitions (name, description, inputSchema). Use browser_webmcp_call_tool to execute any of these tools directly.
browser_go_backNavigate back to the previous page in the browser's history stack. Equivalent to clicking the browser's back button. Does nothing if there is no previous page in history.
browser_go_forwardNavigate forward to the next page in the browser's history stack. Equivalent to clicking the browser's forward button. Only works after using browser_go_back. Does nothing if there is no forward history.
browser_can_go_backCheck if navigation back is possible. Returns true if there is a previous page in the browser history, false otherwise. Use before calling browser_go_back to avoid no-op calls.
browser_can_go_forwardCheck if navigation forward is possible. Returns true if there is a next page in the browser history (after going back), false otherwise. Use before calling browser_go_forward.