diff --git a/docs/src/api/class-locatorassertions.md b/docs/src/api/class-locatorassertions.md
index d7b4463265..26b487d0ff 100644
--- a/docs/src/api/class-locatorassertions.md
+++ b/docs/src/api/class-locatorassertions.md
@@ -2263,13 +2263,13 @@ assertThat(page.locator("body")).matchesAriaSnapshot("""
 
 Asserts that the target element matches the given [accessibility snapshot](../aria-snapshots.md).
 
-Snapshot is stored in a separate `.yml` file in a location configured by `expect.toMatchAriaSnapshot.pathTemplate` and/or `snapshotPathTemplate` properties in the configuration file.
+Snapshot is stored in a separate `.snapshot.yml` file in a location configured by `expect.toMatchAriaSnapshot.pathTemplate` and/or `snapshotPathTemplate` properties in the configuration file.
 
 **Usage**
 
 ```js
 await expect(page.locator('body')).toMatchAriaSnapshot();
-await expect(page.locator('body')).toMatchAriaSnapshot({ name: 'body.yml' });
+await expect(page.locator('body')).toMatchAriaSnapshot({ name: 'body.snapshot.yml' });
 ```
 
 ### option: LocatorAssertions.toMatchAriaSnapshot#2.name
diff --git a/docs/src/aria-snapshots.md b/docs/src/aria-snapshots.md
index 25b05164ad..0467cf3878 100644
--- a/docs/src/aria-snapshots.md
+++ b/docs/src/aria-snapshots.md
@@ -339,10 +339,10 @@ npx playwright test --update-snapshots --update-source-mode=3way
 
 #### Snapshots as separate files
 
-To store your snapshots in a separate file, use the `toMatchAriaSnapshot` method with the `name` option, specifying a `.yml` file extension.
+To store your snapshots in a separate file, use the `toMatchAriaSnapshot` method with the `name` option, specifying a `.snapshot.yml` file extension.
 
 ```js
-await expect(page.getByRole('main')).toMatchAriaSnapshot({ name: 'main-snapshot.yml' });
+await expect(page.getByRole('main')).toMatchAriaSnapshot({ name: 'main.snapshot.yml' });
 ```
 
 By default, snapshots from a test file `example.spec.ts` are placed in the `example.spec.ts-snapshots` directory. As snapshots should be the same across browsers, only one snapshot is saved even if testing with multiple browsers. Should you wish, you can customize the [snapshot path template](./api/class-testconfig#test-config-snapshot-path-template) using the following configuration:
diff --git a/packages/playwright/src/matchers/toMatchAriaSnapshot.ts b/packages/playwright/src/matchers/toMatchAriaSnapshot.ts
index ad1855a88e..0c76a97c68 100644
--- a/packages/playwright/src/matchers/toMatchAriaSnapshot.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright/src/matchers/toMatchAriaSnapshot.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import { escapeTemplateString, isString, sanitizeForFilePath } from 'playwright-
 
 import {  kNoElementsFoundError, matcherHint } from './matcherHint';
 import { EXPECTED_COLOR } from '../common/expectBundle';
-import { callLogText, sanitizeFilePathBeforeExtension, trimLongString } from '../util';
+import { callLogText, fileExistsAsync, sanitizeFilePathBeforeExtension, trimLongString } from '../util';
 import { printReceivedStringContainExpectedSubstring } from './expect';
 import { currentTestInfo } from '../common/globals';
 
@@ -70,7 +70,8 @@ export async function toMatchAriaSnapshot(
     timeout = options.timeout ?? this.timeout;
   } else {
     if (expectedParam?.name) {
-      expectedPath = testInfo._resolveSnapshotPath(pathTemplate, defaultTemplate, [sanitizeFilePathBeforeExtension(expectedParam.name)]);
+      const ext = expectedParam.name!.endsWith('.snapshot.yml') ? '.snapshot.yml' : undefined;
+      expectedPath = testInfo._resolveSnapshotPath(pathTemplate, defaultTemplate, [sanitizeFilePathBeforeExtension(expectedParam.name, ext)]);
     } else {
       let snapshotNames = (testInfo as any)[snapshotNamesSymbol] as SnapshotNames;
       if (!snapshotNames) {
@@ -78,7 +79,14 @@ export async function toMatchAriaSnapshot(
         (testInfo as any)[snapshotNamesSymbol] = snapshotNames;
       }
       const fullTitleWithoutSpec = [...testInfo.titlePath.slice(1), ++snapshotNames.anonymousSnapshotIndex].join(' ');
-      expectedPath = testInfo._resolveSnapshotPath(pathTemplate, defaultTemplate, [sanitizeForFilePath(trimLongString(fullTitleWithoutSpec)) + '.yml']);
+      expectedPath = testInfo._resolveSnapshotPath(pathTemplate, defaultTemplate, [sanitizeForFilePath(trimLongString(fullTitleWithoutSpec))], '.snapshot.yml');
+      // in 1.51, we changed the default template to use .snapshot.yml extension
+      // for backwards compatibility, we check for the legacy .yml extension
+      if (!(await fileExistsAsync(expectedPath))) {
+        const legacyPath = testInfo._resolveSnapshotPath(pathTemplate, defaultTemplate, [sanitizeForFilePath(trimLongString(fullTitleWithoutSpec))], '.yml');
+        if (await fileExistsAsync(legacyPath))
+          expectedPath = legacyPath;
+      }
     }
     expected = await fs.promises.readFile(expectedPath, 'utf8').catch(() => '');
     timeout = expectedParam?.timeout ?? this.timeout;
diff --git a/packages/playwright/src/util.ts b/packages/playwright/src/util.ts
index 53760970bd..c992313e06 100644
--- a/packages/playwright/src/util.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright/src/util.ts
@@ -206,8 +206,8 @@ export function addSuffixToFilePath(filePath: string, suffix: string): string {
   return base + suffix + ext;
 }
 
-export function sanitizeFilePathBeforeExtension(filePath: string): string {
-  const ext = path.extname(filePath);
+export function sanitizeFilePathBeforeExtension(filePath: string, ext?: string): string {
+  ext ??= path.extname(filePath);
   const base = filePath.substring(0, filePath.length - ext.length);
   return sanitizeForFilePath(base) + ext;
 }
@@ -391,6 +391,15 @@ function fileExists(resolved: string) {
   return fs.statSync(resolved, { throwIfNoEntry: false })?.isFile();
 }
 
+export async function fileExistsAsync(resolved: string) {
+  try {
+    const stat = await fs.promises.stat(resolved);
+    return stat.isFile();
+  } catch {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
 function dirExists(resolved: string) {
   return fs.statSync(resolved, { throwIfNoEntry: false })?.isDirectory();
 }
diff --git a/packages/playwright/src/worker/testInfo.ts b/packages/playwright/src/worker/testInfo.ts
index 2a0557d0b8..72bb9fb025 100644
--- a/packages/playwright/src/worker/testInfo.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright/src/worker/testInfo.ts
@@ -452,9 +452,11 @@ export class TestInfoImpl implements TestInfo {
     return sanitizeForFilePath(trimLongString(fullTitleWithoutSpec));
   }
 
-  _resolveSnapshotPath(template: string | undefined, defaultTemplate: string, pathSegments: string[]) {
+  _resolveSnapshotPath(template: string | undefined, defaultTemplate: string, pathSegments: string[], extension?: string) {
     const subPath = path.join(...pathSegments);
-    const parsedSubPath = path.parse(subPath);
+    const dir = path.dirname(subPath);
+    const ext = extension ?? path.extname(subPath);
+    const name = path.basename(subPath, ext);
     const relativeTestFilePath = path.relative(this.project.testDir, this._requireFile);
     const parsedRelativeTestFilePath = path.parse(relativeTestFilePath);
     const projectNamePathSegment = sanitizeForFilePath(this.project.name);
@@ -470,8 +472,8 @@ export class TestInfoImpl implements TestInfo {
         .replace(/\{(.)?testName\}/g, '$1' + this._fsSanitizedTestName())
         .replace(/\{(.)?testFileName\}/g, '$1' + parsedRelativeTestFilePath.base)
         .replace(/\{(.)?testFilePath\}/g, '$1' + relativeTestFilePath)
-        .replace(/\{(.)?arg\}/g, '$1' + path.join(parsedSubPath.dir, parsedSubPath.name))
-        .replace(/\{(.)?ext\}/g, parsedSubPath.ext ? '$1' + parsedSubPath.ext : '');
+        .replace(/\{(.)?arg\}/g, '$1' + path.join(dir, name))
+        .replace(/\{(.)?ext\}/g, ext ? '$1' + ext : '');
 
     return path.normalize(path.resolve(this._configInternal.configDir, snapshotPath));
   }
diff --git a/packages/playwright/types/test.d.ts b/packages/playwright/types/test.d.ts
index 76d2b31ffd..8653327f0e 100644
--- a/packages/playwright/types/test.d.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright/types/test.d.ts
@@ -8791,14 +8791,14 @@ interface LocatorAssertions {
   /**
    * Asserts that the target element matches the given [accessibility snapshot](https://playwright.dev/docs/aria-snapshots).
    *
-   * Snapshot is stored in a separate `.yml` file in a location configured by `expect.toMatchAriaSnapshot.pathTemplate`
-   * and/or `snapshotPathTemplate` properties in the configuration file.
+   * Snapshot is stored in a separate `.snapshot.yml` file in a location configured by
+   * `expect.toMatchAriaSnapshot.pathTemplate` and/or `snapshotPathTemplate` properties in the configuration file.
    *
    * **Usage**
    *
    * ```js
    * await expect(page.locator('body')).toMatchAriaSnapshot();
-   * await expect(page.locator('body')).toMatchAriaSnapshot({ name: 'body.yml' });
+   * await expect(page.locator('body')).toMatchAriaSnapshot({ name: 'body.snapshot.yml' });
    * ```
    *
    * @param options
diff --git a/tests/playwright-test/aria-snapshot-file.spec.ts b/tests/playwright-test/aria-snapshot-file.spec.ts
index c121d623d1..f02ae3b26b 100644
--- a/tests/playwright-test/aria-snapshot-file.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/playwright-test/aria-snapshot-file.spec.ts
@@ -22,14 +22,14 @@ test.describe.configure({ mode: 'parallel' });
 
 test('should match snapshot with name', async ({ runInlineTest }, testInfo) => {
   const result = await runInlineTest({
-    'a.spec.ts-snapshots/test.yml': `
+    'a.spec.ts-snapshots/test.snapshot.yml': `
       - heading "hello world"
     `,
     'a.spec.ts': `
       import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
       test('test', async ({ page }) => {
         await page.setContent(\`<h1>hello world</h1>\`);
-        await expect(page.locator('body')).toMatchAriaSnapshot({ name: 'test.yml' });
+        await expect(page.locator('body')).toMatchAriaSnapshot({ name: 'test.snapshot.yml' });
       });
     `
   });
@@ -43,66 +43,66 @@ test('should generate multiple missing', async ({ runInlineTest }, testInfo) =>
       import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
       test('test', async ({ page }) => {
         await page.setContent(\`<h1>hello world</h1>\`);
-        await expect(page.locator('body')).toMatchAriaSnapshot({ name: 'test-1.yml' });
+        await expect(page.locator('body')).toMatchAriaSnapshot({ name: 'test-1.snapshot.yml' });
         await page.setContent(\`<h1>hello world 2</h1>\`);
-        await expect(page.locator('body')).toMatchAriaSnapshot({ name: 'test-2.yml' });
+        await expect(page.locator('body')).toMatchAriaSnapshot({ name: 'test-2.snapshot.yml' });
       });
     `
   });
 
   expect(result.exitCode).toBe(1);
-  expect(result.output).toContain(`A snapshot doesn't exist at a.spec.ts-snapshots${path.sep}test-1.yml, writing actual`);
-  expect(result.output).toContain(`A snapshot doesn't exist at a.spec.ts-snapshots${path.sep}test-2.yml, writing actual`);
-  const snapshot1 = await fs.promises.readFile(testInfo.outputPath('a.spec.ts-snapshots/test-1.yml'), 'utf8');
+  expect(result.output).toContain(`A snapshot doesn't exist at a.spec.ts-snapshots${path.sep}test-1.snapshot.yml, writing actual`);
+  expect(result.output).toContain(`A snapshot doesn't exist at a.spec.ts-snapshots${path.sep}test-2.snapshot.yml, writing actual`);
+  const snapshot1 = await fs.promises.readFile(testInfo.outputPath('a.spec.ts-snapshots/test-1.snapshot.yml'), 'utf8');
   expect(snapshot1).toBe('- heading "hello world" [level=1]');
-  const snapshot2 = await fs.promises.readFile(testInfo.outputPath('a.spec.ts-snapshots/test-2.yml'), 'utf8');
+  const snapshot2 = await fs.promises.readFile(testInfo.outputPath('a.spec.ts-snapshots/test-2.snapshot.yml'), 'utf8');
   expect(snapshot2).toBe('- heading "hello world 2" [level=1]');
 });
 
 test('should rebaseline all', async ({ runInlineTest }, testInfo) => {
   const result = await runInlineTest({
-    'a.spec.ts-snapshots/test-1.yml': `
+    'a.spec.ts-snapshots/test-1.snapshot.yml': `
       - heading "foo"
     `,
-    'a.spec.ts-snapshots/test-2.yml': `
+    'a.spec.ts-snapshots/test-2.snapshot.yml': `
       - heading "bar"
     `,
     'a.spec.ts': `
       import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
       test('test', async ({ page }) => {
         await page.setContent(\`<h1>hello world</h1>\`);
-        await expect(page.locator('body')).toMatchAriaSnapshot({ name: 'test-1.yml' });
+        await expect(page.locator('body')).toMatchAriaSnapshot({ name: 'test-1.snapshot.yml' });
         await page.setContent(\`<h1>hello world 2</h1>\`);
-        await expect(page.locator('body')).toMatchAriaSnapshot({ name: 'test-2.yml' });
+        await expect(page.locator('body')).toMatchAriaSnapshot({ name: 'test-2.snapshot.yml' });
       });
     `
   }, { 'update-snapshots': 'all' });
 
   expect(result.exitCode).toBe(0);
-  expect(result.output).toContain(`A snapshot is generated at a.spec.ts-snapshots${path.sep}test-1.yml`);
-  expect(result.output).toContain(`A snapshot is generated at a.spec.ts-snapshots${path.sep}test-2.yml`);
-  const snapshot1 = await fs.promises.readFile(testInfo.outputPath('a.spec.ts-snapshots/test-1.yml'), 'utf8');
+  expect(result.output).toContain(`A snapshot is generated at a.spec.ts-snapshots${path.sep}test-1.snapshot.yml`);
+  expect(result.output).toContain(`A snapshot is generated at a.spec.ts-snapshots${path.sep}test-2.snapshot.yml`);
+  const snapshot1 = await fs.promises.readFile(testInfo.outputPath('a.spec.ts-snapshots/test-1.snapshot.yml'), 'utf8');
   expect(snapshot1).toBe('- heading "hello world" [level=1]');
-  const snapshot2 = await fs.promises.readFile(testInfo.outputPath('a.spec.ts-snapshots/test-2.yml'), 'utf8');
+  const snapshot2 = await fs.promises.readFile(testInfo.outputPath('a.spec.ts-snapshots/test-2.snapshot.yml'), 'utf8');
   expect(snapshot2).toBe('- heading "hello world 2" [level=1]');
 });
 
 test('should not rebaseline matching', async ({ runInlineTest }, testInfo) => {
   const result = await runInlineTest({
-    'a.spec.ts-snapshots/test.yml': `
+    'a.spec.ts-snapshots/test.snapshot.yml': `
       - heading "hello world"
     `,
     'a.spec.ts': `
       import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
       test('test', async ({ page }) => {
         await page.setContent(\`<h1>hello world</h1>\`);
-        await expect(page.locator('body')).toMatchAriaSnapshot({ name: 'test.yml' });
+        await expect(page.locator('body')).toMatchAriaSnapshot({ name: 'test.snapshot.yml' });
       });
     `
   }, { 'update-snapshots': 'changed' });
 
   expect(result.exitCode).toBe(0);
-  const snapshot1 = await fs.promises.readFile(testInfo.outputPath('a.spec.ts-snapshots/test.yml'), 'utf8');
+  const snapshot1 = await fs.promises.readFile(testInfo.outputPath('a.spec.ts-snapshots/test.snapshot.yml'), 'utf8');
   expect(snapshot1.trim()).toBe('- heading "hello world"');
 });
 
@@ -120,14 +120,32 @@ test('should generate snapshot name', async ({ runInlineTest }, testInfo) => {
   });
 
   expect(result.exitCode).toBe(1);
-  expect(result.output).toContain(`A snapshot doesn't exist at a.spec.ts-snapshots${path.sep}test-name-1.yml, writing actual`);
-  expect(result.output).toContain(`A snapshot doesn't exist at a.spec.ts-snapshots${path.sep}test-name-2.yml, writing actual`);
-  const snapshot1 = await fs.promises.readFile(testInfo.outputPath('a.spec.ts-snapshots/test-name-1.yml'), 'utf8');
+  expect(result.output).toContain(`A snapshot doesn't exist at a.spec.ts-snapshots${path.sep}test-name-1.snapshot.yml, writing actual`);
+  expect(result.output).toContain(`A snapshot doesn't exist at a.spec.ts-snapshots${path.sep}test-name-2.snapshot.yml, writing actual`);
+  const snapshot1 = await fs.promises.readFile(testInfo.outputPath('a.spec.ts-snapshots/test-name-1.snapshot.yml'), 'utf8');
   expect(snapshot1).toBe('- heading "hello world" [level=1]');
-  const snapshot2 = await fs.promises.readFile(testInfo.outputPath('a.spec.ts-snapshots/test-name-2.yml'), 'utf8');
+  const snapshot2 = await fs.promises.readFile(testInfo.outputPath('a.spec.ts-snapshots/test-name-2.snapshot.yml'), 'utf8');
   expect(snapshot2).toBe('- heading "hello world 2" [level=1]');
 });
 
+test('backwards compat with .yml extension', async ({ runInlineTest }) => {
+  const result = await runInlineTest({
+    'a.spec.ts-snapshots/test-1.yml': `
+      - heading "hello old world"
+    `,
+    'a.spec.ts': `
+      import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
+      test('test', async ({ page }) => {
+        await page.setContent(\`<h1>hello new world</h1>\`);
+        await expect(page.locator('body')).toMatchAriaSnapshot();
+      });
+    `
+  }, { 'update-snapshots': 'changed' });
+
+  expect(result.exitCode).toBe(0);
+  expect(result.output).toContain(`A snapshot is generated at a.spec.ts-snapshots${path.sep}test-1.yml.`);
+});
+
 for (const updateSnapshots of ['all', 'changed', 'missing', 'none']) {
   test(`should update snapshot with the update-snapshots=${updateSnapshots} (config)`, async ({ runInlineTest }, testInfo) => {
     const result = await runInlineTest({
@@ -143,13 +161,13 @@ for (const updateSnapshots of ['all', 'changed', 'missing', 'none']) {
           await expect(page.locator('body')).toMatchAriaSnapshot({ timeout: 1 });
         });
       `,
-      'a.spec.ts-snapshots/test-1.yml': '- heading "Old content" [level=1]',
+      'a.spec.ts-snapshots/test-1.snapshot.yml': '- heading "Old content" [level=1]',
     });
 
     const rebase = updateSnapshots === 'all' || updateSnapshots === 'changed';
     expect(result.exitCode).toBe(rebase ? 0 : 1);
     if (rebase) {
-      const snapshotOutputPath = testInfo.outputPath('a.spec.ts-snapshots/test-1.yml');
+      const snapshotOutputPath = testInfo.outputPath('a.spec.ts-snapshots/test-1.snapshot.yml');
       expect(result.output).toContain(`A snapshot is generated at`);
       const data = fs.readFileSync(snapshotOutputPath);
       expect(data.toString()).toBe('- heading "New content" [level=1]');
@@ -169,7 +187,7 @@ test('should respect timeout', async ({ runInlineTest }, testInfo) => {
         await expect(page.locator('body')).toMatchAriaSnapshot({ timeout: 1 });
       });
     `,
-    'a.spec.ts-snapshots/test-1.yml': '- heading "new world" [level=1]',
+    'a.spec.ts-snapshots/test-1.snapshot.yml': '- heading "new world" [level=1]',
   });
 
   expect(result.exitCode).toBe(1);
@@ -183,14 +201,14 @@ test('should respect config.snapshotPathTemplate', async ({ runInlineTest }, tes
         snapshotPathTemplate: 'my-snapshots/{testFilePath}/{arg}{ext}',
       };
     `,
-    'my-snapshots/dir/a.spec.ts/test.yml': `
+    'my-snapshots/dir/a.spec.ts/test.snapshot.yml': `
       - heading "hello world"
     `,
     'dir/a.spec.ts': `
       import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
       test('test', async ({ page }) => {
         await page.setContent(\`<h1>hello world</h1>\`);
-        await expect(page.locator('body')).toMatchAriaSnapshot({ name: 'test.yml' });
+        await expect(page.locator('body')).toMatchAriaSnapshot({ name: 'test.snapshot.yml' });
       });
     `
   });
@@ -210,17 +228,17 @@ test('should respect config.expect.toMatchAriaSnapshot.pathTemplate', async ({ r
         },
       };
     `,
-    'my-snapshots/dir/a.spec.ts/test.yml': `
+    'my-snapshots/dir/a.spec.ts/test.snapshot.yml': `
       - heading "wrong one"
     `,
-    'actual-snapshots/dir/a.spec.ts/test.yml': `
+    'actual-snapshots/dir/a.spec.ts/test.snapshot.yml': `
       - heading "hello world"
     `,
     'dir/a.spec.ts': `
       import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
       test('test', async ({ page }) => {
         await page.setContent(\`<h1>hello world</h1>\`);
-        await expect(page.locator('body')).toMatchAriaSnapshot({ name: 'test.yml' });
+        await expect(page.locator('body')).toMatchAriaSnapshot({ name: 'test.snapshot.yml' });
       });
     `
   });