diff --git a/test/automation/src/code.ts b/test/automation/src/code.ts
index 6009e7c51f5..b297dd50a65 100644
--- a/test/automation/src/code.ts
+++ b/test/automation/src/code.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ export interface LaunchOptions {
 	readonly remote?: boolean;
 	readonly web?: boolean;
 	readonly tracing?: boolean;
+	snapshots?: boolean;
 	readonly headless?: boolean;
 	readonly browser?: 'chromium' | 'webkit' | 'firefox';
 	readonly quality: Quality;
diff --git a/test/automation/src/playwrightBrowser.ts b/test/automation/src/playwrightBrowser.ts
index e36d070cdc9..3c52d261051 100644
--- a/test/automation/src/playwrightBrowser.ts
+++ b/test/automation/src/playwrightBrowser.ts
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ async function launchServer(options: LaunchOptions) {
 }
 
 async function launchBrowser(options: LaunchOptions, endpoint: string) {
-	const { logger, workspacePath, tracing, headless } = options;
+	const { logger, workspacePath, tracing, snapshots, headless } = options;
 
 	const browser = await measureAndLog(() => playwright[options.browser ?? 'chromium'].launch({
 		headless: headless ?? false,
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ async function launchBrowser(options: LaunchOptions, endpoint: string) {
 
 	if (tracing) {
 		try {
-			await measureAndLog(() => context.tracing.start({ screenshots: true, /* remaining options are off for perf reasons */ }), 'context.tracing.start()', logger);
+			await measureAndLog(() => context.tracing.start({ screenshots: true, snapshots }), 'context.tracing.start()', logger);
 		} catch (error) {
 			logger.log(`Playwright (Browser): Failed to start playwright tracing (${error})`); // do not fail the build when this fails
 		}
diff --git a/test/automation/src/playwrightElectron.ts b/test/automation/src/playwrightElectron.ts
index 660320be235..41eb4ec4150 100644
--- a/test/automation/src/playwrightElectron.ts
+++ b/test/automation/src/playwrightElectron.ts
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ export async function launch(options: LaunchOptions): Promise<{ electronProcess:
 }
 
 async function launchElectron(configuration: IElectronConfiguration, options: LaunchOptions) {
-	const { logger, tracing } = options;
+	const { logger, tracing, snapshots } = options;
 
 	const electron = await measureAndLog(() => playwright._electron.launch({
 		executablePath: configuration.electronPath,
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ async function launchElectron(configuration: IElectronConfiguration, options: La
 
 	if (tracing) {
 		try {
-			await measureAndLog(() => context.tracing.start({ screenshots: true, /* remaining options are off for perf reasons */ }), 'context.tracing.start()', logger);
+			await measureAndLog(() => context.tracing.start({ screenshots: true, snapshots }), 'context.tracing.start()', logger);
 		} catch (error) {
 			logger.log(`Playwright (Electron): Failed to start playwright tracing (${error})`); // do not fail the build when this fails
 		}
diff --git a/test/smoke/src/areas/extensions/extensions.test.ts b/test/smoke/src/areas/extensions/extensions.test.ts
index c78cbe87089..c20700cbc91 100644
--- a/test/smoke/src/areas/extensions/extensions.test.ts
+++ b/test/smoke/src/areas/extensions/extensions.test.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,10 @@ export function setup(logger: Logger) {
 	describe('Extensions', () => {
 
 		// Shared before/after handling
-		installAllHandlers(logger);
+		installAllHandlers(logger, opts => {
+			opts.snapshots = true; // enable network tab in devtools for tracing since we install an extension
+			return opts;
+		});
 
 		it('install and enable vscode-smoketest-check extension', async function () {
 			const app = this.app as Application;
diff --git a/test/smoke/src/areas/workbench/localization.test.ts b/test/smoke/src/areas/workbench/localization.test.ts
index 12e49ce549e..c3ce9b04fc2 100644
--- a/test/smoke/src/areas/workbench/localization.test.ts
+++ b/test/smoke/src/areas/workbench/localization.test.ts
@@ -9,8 +9,12 @@ import { installAllHandlers } from '../../utils';
 export function setup(logger: Logger) {
 
 	describe('Localization', () => {
+
 		// Shared before/after handling
-		installAllHandlers(logger);
+		installAllHandlers(logger, opts => {
+			opts.snapshots = true; // enable network tab in devtools for tracing since we install an extension
+			return opts;
+		});
 
 		it('starts with "DE" locale and verifies title and viewlets text is in German', async function () {
 			const app = this.app as Application;