diff --git a/.changeset/hide-in-automation.md b/.changeset/hide-in-automation.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1baa8a3bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/hide-in-automation.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@tanstack/devtools': minor
+---
+
+Add the `hideInAutomation` config option. When it is `true`, the devtools do not render in a browser that automation drives (Playwright, Cypress, Selenium), detected by `navigator.webdriver`. This keeps the devtools out of end-to-end test selectors. The default is `false`.
diff --git a/docs/configuration.md b/docs/configuration.md
index a8fe98fff..6240d6162 100644
--- a/docs/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/configuration.md
@@ -71,6 +71,12 @@ type KeyboardKey = ModifierKey | (string & {});
 { requireUrlFlag: boolean }
 ```
 
+- `hideInAutomation` - Does not render the devtools when a browser is driven by automation (Playwright, Cypress, Selenium). This keeps the devtools out of your end-to-end test selectors. The check uses `navigator.webdriver`. The default is `false`.
+
+```ts
+{ hideInAutomation: boolean }
+```
+
 - `triggerImage` - The image used for the dev tools trigger
 
 ```ts
diff --git a/e2e/apps/react-vite/src/main.tsx b/e2e/apps/react-vite/src/main.tsx
index e30abcda6..d7a3c0a84 100644
--- a/e2e/apps/react-vite/src/main.tsx
+++ b/e2e/apps/react-vite/src/main.tsx
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ function App() {
         config={{
           theme: 'dark',
           requireUrlFlag: new URLSearchParams(location.search).has('gated'),
+          hideInAutomation: new URLSearchParams(location.search).has(
+            'automation-hidden',
+          ),
         }}
         plugins={[
           {
diff --git a/e2e/apps/react-vite/tests/hide-in-automation.spec.ts b/e2e/apps/react-vite/tests/hide-in-automation.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b8091d587
--- /dev/null
+++ b/e2e/apps/react-vite/tests/hide-in-automation.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test'
+import { DevtoolsPage } from '@tanstack/devtools-e2e'
+
+// Playwright sets navigator.webdriver to true.
+test.describe('hideInAutomation', () => {
+  test('set → devtools not rendered', async ({ page }) => {
+    const dt = new DevtoolsPage(page)
+    await dt.goto('/?automation-hidden')
+    // Devtools set the theme on <html> when they mount, also when hidden, so
+    // the check below runs after the mount and not before it.
+    await expect(page.locator('html')).toHaveAttribute(
+      'data-tanstack-devtools-theme',
+      'dark',
+    )
+    await expect(page.getByTestId('tanstack_devtools')).toHaveCount(0)
+    await expect(dt.trigger()).toHaveCount(0)
+  })
+
+  test('not set → trigger visible', async ({ page }) => {
+    const dt = new DevtoolsPage(page)
+    await dt.goto('/')
+    await expect(dt.trigger()).toBeVisible()
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/devtools/src/context/devtools-store.ts b/packages/devtools/src/context/devtools-store.ts
index 3aefe9966..abe16070a 100644
--- a/packages/devtools/src/context/devtools-store.ts
+++ b/packages/devtools/src/context/devtools-store.ts
@@ -110,6 +110,13 @@ export type DevtoolsStore = {
      * @default "tanstack-devtools"
      */
     urlFlag: string
+    /**
+     * Whether to not render the dev tools in a browser driven by automation
+     * (Playwright, Cypress, Selenium), detected by `navigator.webdriver`.
+     * Keeps the dev tools out of end-to-end test selectors.
+     * @default false
+     */
+    hideInAutomation: boolean
     /**
      * The theme of the dev tools
      * @default "dark"
@@ -196,6 +203,7 @@ export const initialState: DevtoolsStore = {
     inspectHotkey: ['Shift', 'Alt', 'CtrlOrMeta'],
     requireUrlFlag: false,
     urlFlag: 'tanstack-devtools',
+    hideInAutomation: false,
     theme:
       typeof window !== 'undefined' &&
       typeof window.matchMedia !== 'undefined' &&
diff --git a/packages/devtools/src/devtools.tsx b/packages/devtools/src/devtools.tsx
index 54f01c6f7..1d0da2f11 100644
--- a/packages/devtools/src/devtools.tsx
+++ b/packages/devtools/src/devtools.tsx
@@ -77,6 +77,9 @@ export default function DevTools() {
   const { isCollapsed } = createCollapsed()
   const [showMarketplace, setShowMarketplace] = createSignal(false)
   const themeOwner = Symbol('tanstack-devtools-theme')
+  // Playwright, Cypress, and Selenium set navigator.webdriver.
+  const hiddenInAutomation = () =>
+    settings().hideInAutomation && navigator.webdriver
 
   const updateHeight = (nextHeight: number) => {
     setHeight(nextHeight)
@@ -168,7 +171,8 @@ export default function DevTools() {
     }
     for (const permutation of getHotkeyPermutations(settings().openHotkey)) {
       createShortcut(permutation, () => {
-        if (!isEditableTarget(document.activeElement)) toggleOpen()
+        if (!hiddenInAutomation() && !isEditableTarget(document.activeElement))
+          toggleOpen()
       })
     }
   })
@@ -182,48 +186,50 @@ export default function DevTools() {
 
   return (
     <ThemeContextProvider theme={theme()}>
-      <Portal mount={(pip().pipWindow ?? window).document.body}>
-        <div ref={setRootEl} data-testid={TANSTACK_DEVTOOLS}>
-          <Show
-            when={
-              pip().pipWindow !== null
-                ? true
-                : settings().requireUrlFlag
-                  ? window.location.search.includes(settings().urlFlag)
-                  : true
-            }
-          >
-            <Trigger isOpen={isOpen} setIsOpen={toggleOpen} />
-            <MainPanel
-              isResizing={isResizing}
-              isOpen={isOpen}
-              isCollapsed={isCollapsed}
-              hasSubheader={hasSubheader}
+      <Show when={!hiddenInAutomation()}>
+        <Portal mount={(pip().pipWindow ?? window).document.body}>
+          <div ref={setRootEl} data-testid={TANSTACK_DEVTOOLS}>
+            <Show
+              when={
+                pip().pipWindow !== null
+                  ? true
+                  : settings().requireUrlFlag
+                    ? window.location.search.includes(settings().urlFlag)
+                    : true
+              }
             >
-              <ContentPanel
-                ref={(ref) => (panelRef = ref)}
-                handleDragStart={(event) => handleDragStart(panelRef, event)}
-                handleHeightChange={updateHeight}
+              <Trigger isOpen={isOpen} setIsOpen={toggleOpen} />
+              <MainPanel
+                isResizing={isResizing}
+                isOpen={isOpen}
+                isCollapsed={isCollapsed}
+                hasSubheader={hasSubheader}
               >
-                <WorkbenchHeader
-                  showMarketplace={showMarketplace}
-                  setShowMarketplace={setShowMarketplace}
-                  toggleOpen={toggleOpen}
-                />
-                {/* Stays mounted while folded so it can slide shut. */}
-                <Show when={showsPluginsStrip()}>
-                  <PluginsStrip isOpen={isOpen} />
-                </Show>
-                <TabContent
-                  isOpen={isOpen()}
-                  showMarketplace={showMarketplace()}
-                />
-              </ContentPanel>
-            </MainPanel>
-          </Show>
-          <SourceInspector />
-        </div>
-      </Portal>
+                <ContentPanel
+                  ref={(ref) => (panelRef = ref)}
+                  handleDragStart={(event) => handleDragStart(panelRef, event)}
+                  handleHeightChange={updateHeight}
+                >
+                  <WorkbenchHeader
+                    showMarketplace={showMarketplace}
+                    setShowMarketplace={setShowMarketplace}
+                    toggleOpen={toggleOpen}
+                  />
+                  {/* Stays mounted while folded so it can slide shut. */}
+                  <Show when={showsPluginsStrip()}>
+                    <PluginsStrip isOpen={isOpen} />
+                  </Show>
+                  <TabContent
+                    isOpen={isOpen()}
+                    showMarketplace={showMarketplace()}
+                  />
+                </ContentPanel>
+              </MainPanel>
+            </Show>
+            <SourceInspector />
+          </div>
+        </Portal>
+      </Show>
     </ThemeContextProvider>
   )
 }
diff --git a/packages/devtools/tests/workbench.test.tsx b/packages/devtools/tests/workbench.test.tsx
index 915cf1b79..f7a8334db 100644
--- a/packages/devtools/tests/workbench.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/devtools/tests/workbench.test.tsx
@@ -203,6 +203,56 @@ afterEach(() => {
 })
 
 describe('workbench', { timeout: 30_000 }, () => {
+  describe('hideInAutomation', () => {
+    const devtoolsRoot = () =>
+      document.querySelector('[data-testid="tanstack_devtools"]')
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      // Playwright, Cypress, and Selenium set navigator.webdriver to true.
+      Object.defineProperty(navigator, 'webdriver', {
+        configurable: true,
+        value: true,
+      })
+    })
+
+    afterEach(() => {
+      delete (navigator as { webdriver?: boolean }).webdriver
+    })
+
+    it('does not render in an automated browser when hideInAutomation is set', () => {
+      mountWorkbench([plugin('one')], { hideInAutomation: true })
+
+      expect(devtoolsRoot()).toBeNull()
+      expect(events).toEqual([])
+    })
+
+    it('ignores the open hotkey while hidden in an automated browser', () => {
+      mountWorkbench([plugin('one')], {
+        hideInAutomation: true,
+        defaultOpen: false,
+      })
+
+      document.dispatchEvent(
+        new KeyboardEvent('keydown', {
+          key: '~',
+          ctrlKey: true,
+          bubbles: true,
+        }),
+      )
+
+      const stored = JSON.parse(
+        localStorage.getItem(TANSTACK_DEVTOOLS_STATE) ?? '{}',
+      )
+      expect(stored.persistOpen).not.toBe(true)
+    })
+
+    it('still renders in an automated browser by default', () => {
+      mountWorkbench([plugin('one')])
+
+      expect(devtoolsRoot()?.childElementCount).toBeGreaterThan(0)
+    })
+  })
+
   it('keeps the secondary Plugins bar fixed-height without hover timers', () => {
     vi.useFakeTimers()
     expect({