Mouse actions

A representation of any pointer device for interacting with a web page.

There are only 3 actions that can be accomplished with a mouse: pressing down on a button, releasing a pressed button, and moving the mouse. Selenium provides convenience methods that combine these actions in the most common ways.

Click and hold

This method combines moving the mouse to the center of an element with pressing the left mouse button. This is useful for focusing a specific element:

        WebElement clickable = driver.findElement(By.id("clickable"));
        new Actions(driver)
                .clickAndHold(clickable)
                .perform();
View full example on GitHub
    clickable = driver.find_element(By.ID, "clickable")
    ActionChains(driver) \
        .click_and_hold(clickable) \
        .perform()
View full example on GitHub
            IWebElement clickable = driver.FindElement(By.Id("clickable"));
            new Actions(driver)
                .ClickAndHold(clickable)
                .Perform();
View full example on GitHub
    clickable = driver.find_element(id: 'clickable')
    driver.action
          .click_and_hold(clickable)
          .perform
View full example on GitHub
    let clickable = driver.findElement(By.id("clickable"));
    const actions = driver.actions({async: true});
    await actions.move({origin: clickable}).press().perform();
View full example on GitHub
        val clickable = driver.findElement(By.id("clickable"))
        Actions(driver)
                .clickAndHold(clickable)
                .perform()
View full example on GitHub

Click and release

This method combines moving to the center of an element with pressing and releasing the left mouse button. This is otherwise known as “clicking”:

        WebElement clickable = driver.findElement(By.id("click"));
        new Actions(driver)
                .click(clickable)
                .perform();
View full example on GitHub
    clickable = driver.find_element(By.ID, "click")
    ActionChains(driver) \
        .click(clickable) \
        .perform()
View full example on GitHub
            IWebElement clickable = driver.FindElement(By.Id("click"));
            new Actions(driver)
                .Click(clickable)
                .Perform();
View full example on GitHub
    clickable = driver.find_element(id: 'click')
    driver.action
          .click(clickable)
          .perform
View full example on GitHub
    let click = driver.findElement(By.id("click"));
    const actions = driver.actions({async: true});
    await actions.move({origin: click}).click().perform();
View full example on GitHub
        val clickable = driver.findElement(By.id("click"))
        Actions(driver)
                .click(clickable)
                .perform()
View full example on GitHub

Alternate Button Clicks

There are a total of 5 defined buttons for a Mouse:

  • 0 — Left Button (the default)
  • 1 — Middle Button (currently unsupported)
  • 2 — Right Button
  • 3 — X1 (Back) Button
  • 4 — X2 (Forward) Button

Context Click

This method combines moving to the center of an element with pressing and releasing the right mouse button (button 2). This is otherwise known as “right-clicking”:

        WebElement clickable = driver.findElement(By.id("clickable"));
        new Actions(driver)
                .contextClick(clickable)
                .perform();
View full example on GitHub
    clickable = driver.find_element(By.ID, "clickable")
    ActionChains(driver) \
        .context_click(clickable) \
        .perform()
View full example on GitHub
            IWebElement clickable = driver.FindElement(By.Id("clickable"));
            new Actions(driver)
                .ContextClick(clickable)
                .Perform();
View full example on GitHub
      clickable = driver.find_element(id: 'clickable')
      driver.action
            .context_click(clickable)
            .perform
View full example on GitHub
    const clickable = driver.findElement(By.id("clickable"));
    const actions = driver.actions({async: true});
    await actions.contextClick(clickable).perform();
View full example on GitHub
        val clickable = driver.findElement(By.id("clickable"))
        Actions(driver)
                .contextClick(clickable)
                .perform()
View full example on GitHub

Back Click

There is no convenience method for this, it is just pressing and releasing mouse button 3

        PointerInput mouse = new PointerInput(PointerInput.Kind.MOUSE, "default mouse");

        Sequence actions = new Sequence(mouse, 0)
                .addAction(mouse.createPointerDown(PointerInput.MouseButton.BACK.asArg()))
                .addAction(mouse.createPointerUp(PointerInput.MouseButton.BACK.asArg()));

        ((RemoteWebDriver) driver).perform(Collections.singletonList(actions));
View full example on GitHub

Selenium v4.2

    action = ActionBuilder(driver)
    action.pointer_action.pointer_down(MouseButton.BACK)
    action.pointer_action.pointer_up(MouseButton.BACK)
    action.perform()
View full example on GitHub

Selenium v4.2

            ActionBuilder actionBuilder = new ActionBuilder();
            PointerInputDevice mouse = new PointerInputDevice(PointerKind.Mouse, "default mouse");
            actionBuilder.AddAction(mouse.CreatePointerDown(MouseButton.Back));
            actionBuilder.AddAction(mouse.CreatePointerUp(MouseButton.Back));
            ((IActionExecutor)driver).PerformActions(actionBuilder.ToActionSequenceList());
View full example on GitHub

Selenium v4.2

      driver.action
            .pointer_down(:back)
            .pointer_up(:back)
            .perform
View full example on GitHub

Selenium v4.5.0

    const actions = driver.actions({async: true});
    await actions.press(Button.BACK).release(Button.BACK).perform()
View full example on GitHub
        val mouse = PointerInput(PointerInput.Kind.MOUSE, "default mouse")

        val actions = Sequence(mouse, 0)
                .addAction(mouse.createPointerDown(PointerInput.MouseButton.BACK.asArg()))
                .addAction(mouse.createPointerUp(PointerInput.MouseButton.BACK.asArg()))

        (driver as RemoteWebDriver).perform(Collections.singletonList(actions))
View full example on GitHub

Forward Click

There is no convenience method for this, it is just pressing and releasing mouse button 4

        PointerInput mouse = new PointerInput(PointerInput.Kind.MOUSE, "default mouse");

        Sequence actions = new Sequence(mouse, 0)
                .addAction(mouse.createPointerDown(PointerInput.MouseButton.FORWARD.asArg()))
                .addAction(mouse.createPointerUp(PointerInput.MouseButton.FORWARD.asArg()));

        ((RemoteWebDriver) driver).perform(Collections.singletonList(actions));
View full example on GitHub

Selenium v4.2

    action = ActionBuilder(driver)
    action.pointer_action.pointer_down(MouseButton.FORWARD)
    action.pointer_action.pointer_up(MouseButton.FORWARD)
    action.perform()
View full example on GitHub

Selenium v4.2

            ActionBuilder actionBuilder = new ActionBuilder();
            PointerInputDevice mouse = new PointerInputDevice(PointerKind.Mouse, "default mouse");
            actionBuilder.AddAction(mouse.CreatePointerDown(MouseButton.Forward));
            actionBuilder.AddAction(mouse.CreatePointerUp(MouseButton.Forward));
            ((IActionExecutor)driver).PerformActions(actionBuilder.ToActionSequenceList());
View full example on GitHub

Selenium v4.2

      driver.action
            .pointer_down(:forward)
            .pointer_up(:forward)
            .perform
View full example on GitHub

Selenium v4.5.0

    const actions = driver.actions({async: true});
    await actions.press(Button.FORWARD).release(Button.FORWARD).perform()
View full example on GitHub
        val mouse = PointerInput(PointerInput.Kind.MOUSE, "default mouse")

        val actions = Sequence(mouse, 0)
                .addAction(mouse.createPointerDown(PointerInput.MouseButton.FORWARD.asArg()))
                .addAction(mouse.createPointerUp(PointerInput.MouseButton.FORWARD.asArg()))

        (driver as RemoteWebDriver).perform(Collections.singletonList(actions))
View full example on GitHub

Double click

This method combines moving to the center of an element with pressing and releasing the left mouse button twice.

        WebElement clickable = driver.findElement(By.id("clickable"));
        new Actions(driver)
                .doubleClick(clickable)
                .perform();
View full example on GitHub
    clickable = driver.find_element(By.ID, "clickable")
    ActionChains(driver) \
        .double_click(clickable) \
        .perform()
View full example on GitHub
            IWebElement clickable = driver.FindElement(By.Id("clickable"));
            new Actions(driver)
                .DoubleClick(clickable)
                .Perform();
View full example on GitHub
    clickable = driver.find_element(id: 'clickable')
    driver.action
          .double_click(clickable)
          .perform
View full example on GitHub
    const clickable = driver.findElement(By.id("clickable"));
    const actions = driver.actions({async: true});
    await actions.doubleClick(clickable).perform();
View full example on GitHub
        val clickable = driver.findElement(By.id("clickable"))
        Actions(driver)
                .doubleClick(clickable)
                .perform()
View full example on GitHub

Move to element

This method moves the mouse to the in-view center point of the element. This is otherwise known as “hovering.” Note that the element must be in the viewport or else the command will error.

        WebElement hoverable = driver.findElement(By.id("hover"));
        new Actions(driver)
                .moveToElement(hoverable)
                .perform();
View full example on GitHub
    hoverable = driver.find_element(By.ID, "hover")
    ActionChains(driver) \
        .move_to_element(hoverable) \
        .perform()
View full example on GitHub
            IWebElement hoverable = driver.FindElement(By.Id("hover"));
            new Actions(driver)
                .MoveToElement(hoverable)
                .Perform();
View full example on GitHub
    hoverable = driver.find_element(id: 'hover')
    driver.action
          .move_to(hoverable)
          .perform
View full example on GitHub
    const hoverable = driver.findElement(By.id("hover"));
    const actions = driver.actions({async: true});
    await actions.move({origin: hoverable}).perform();
View full example on GitHub
        val hoverable = driver.findElement(By.id("hover"))
        Actions(driver)
                .moveToElement(hoverable)
                .perform()
View full example on GitHub

Move by offset

These methods first move the mouse to the designated origin and then by the number of pixels in the provided offset. Note that the position of the mouse must be in the viewport or else the command will error.

Offset from Element

This method moves the mouse to the in-view center point of the element, then moves by the provided offset.

        WebElement tracker = driver.findElement(By.id("mouse-tracker"));
        new Actions(driver)
                .moveToElement(tracker, 8, 0)
                .perform();
View full example on GitHub
    mouse_tracker = driver.find_element(By.ID, "mouse-tracker")
    ActionChains(driver) \
        .move_to_element_with_offset(mouse_tracker, 8, 0) \
        .perform()
View full example on GitHub
            IWebElement tracker = driver.FindElement(By.Id("mouse-tracker"));
            new Actions(driver)
                .MoveToElement(tracker, 8, 0)
                .Perform();
View full example on GitHub
      mouse_tracker = driver.find_element(id: 'mouse-tracker')
      driver.action
            .move_to(mouse_tracker, 8, 11)
            .perform
View full example on GitHub
    const mouseTracker = driver.findElement(By.id("mouse-tracker"));
    const actions = driver.actions({async: true});
    await actions.move({x: 8, y: 0, origin: mouseTracker}).perform();
View full example on GitHub
        val tracker = driver.findElement(By.id("mouse-tracker"))
        Actions(driver)
                .moveToElement(tracker, 8, 0)
                .perform()
View full example on GitHub

Offset from Viewport

This method moves the mouse from the upper left corner of the current viewport by the provided offset.

        PointerInput mouse = new PointerInput(PointerInput.Kind.MOUSE, "default mouse");

        Sequence actions = new Sequence(mouse, 0)
                .addAction(mouse.createPointerMove(Duration.ZERO, PointerInput.Origin.viewport(), 8, 12));

        ((RemoteWebDriver) driver).perform(Collections.singletonList(actions));
View full example on GitHub
    action = ActionBuilder(driver)
    action.pointer_action.move_to_location(8, 0)
    action.perform()
View full example on GitHub
            ActionBuilder actionBuilder = new ActionBuilder();
            PointerInputDevice mouse = new PointerInputDevice(PointerKind.Mouse, "default mouse");
            actionBuilder.AddAction(mouse.CreatePointerMove(CoordinateOrigin.Viewport,
                8, 0, TimeSpan.Zero));
            ((IActionExecutor)driver).PerformActions(actionBuilder.ToActionSequenceList());
View full example on GitHub
      driver.action
            .move_to_location(8, 12)
            .perform
View full example on GitHub
    const actions = driver.actions({async: true});
    await actions.move({x: 8, y: 0}).perform();
View full example on GitHub
        val mouse = PointerInput(PointerInput.Kind.MOUSE, "default mouse")

        val actions = Sequence(mouse, 0)
                .addAction(mouse.createPointerMove(Duration.ZERO, PointerInput.Origin.viewport(), 8, 12))

        (driver as RemoteWebDriver).perform(Collections.singletonList(actions))
View full example on GitHub

Offset from Current Pointer Location

This method moves the mouse from its current position by the offset provided by the user. If the mouse has not previously been moved, the position will be in the upper left corner of the viewport. Note that the pointer position does not change when the page is scrolled.

Note that the first argument X specifies to move right when positive, while the second argument Y specifies to move down when positive. So moveByOffset(30, -10) moves right 30 and up 10 from the current mouse position.

        new Actions(driver)
                .moveByOffset(13, 15)
                .perform();
View full example on GitHub
    ActionChains(driver) \
        .move_by_offset(13, 15) \
        .perform()
View full example on GitHub
            new Actions(driver)
                .MoveByOffset(13, 15)
                .Perform();
View full example on GitHub
      driver.action
            .move_by(13, 15)
            .perform
View full example on GitHub
    await actions.move({x: 13, y: 15, origin: Origin.POINTER}).perform()
View full example on GitHub
        Actions(driver)
                .moveByOffset(13, 15)
                .perform()
View full example on GitHub

Drag and Drop on Element

This method firstly performs a click-and-hold on the source element, moves to the location of the target element and then releases the mouse.

        WebElement draggable = driver.findElement(By.id("draggable"));
        WebElement droppable = driver.findElement(By.id("droppable"));
        new Actions(driver)
                .dragAndDrop(draggable, droppable)
                .perform();
View full example on GitHub
    draggable = driver.find_element(By.ID, "draggable")
    droppable = driver.find_element(By.ID, "droppable")
    ActionChains(driver) \
        .drag_and_drop(draggable, droppable) \
        .perform()
View full example on GitHub
            IWebElement draggable = driver.FindElement(By.Id("draggable"));
            IWebElement droppable = driver.FindElement(By.Id("droppable"));
            new Actions(driver)
                .DragAndDrop(draggable, droppable)
                .Perform();
View full example on GitHub
    draggable = driver.find_element(id: 'draggable')
    droppable = driver.find_element(id: 'droppable')
    driver.action
          .drag_and_drop(draggable, droppable)
          .perform
View full example on GitHub
    const draggable = driver.findElement(By.id("draggable"));
    const droppable = await driver.findElement(By.id("droppable"));
    const actions = driver.actions({async: true});
    await actions.dragAndDrop(draggable, droppable).perform();
View full example on GitHub
        val draggable = driver.findElement(By.id("draggable"))
        val droppable = driver.findElement(By.id("droppable"))
        Actions(driver)
                .dragAndDrop(draggable, droppable)
                .perform()
View full example on GitHub

Drag and Drop by Offset

This method firstly performs a click-and-hold on the source element, moves to the given offset and then releases the mouse.

        WebElement draggable = driver.findElement(By.id("draggable"));
        Rectangle start = draggable.getRect();
        Rectangle finish = driver.findElement(By.id("droppable")).getRect();
        new Actions(driver)
                .dragAndDropBy(draggable, finish.getX() - start.getX(), finish.getY() - start.getY())
                .perform();
View full example on GitHub
    draggable = driver.find_element(By.ID, "draggable")
    start = draggable.location
    finish = driver.find_element(By.ID, "droppable").location
    ActionChains(driver) \
        .drag_and_drop_by_offset(draggable, finish['x'] - start['x'], finish['y'] - start['y']) \
        .perform()
View full example on GitHub
            IWebElement draggable = driver.FindElement(By.Id("draggable"));
            Point start = draggable.Location;
            Point finish = driver.FindElement(By.Id("droppable")).Location;
            new Actions(driver)
                .DragAndDropToOffset(draggable, finish.X - start.X, finish.Y - start.Y)
                .Perform();
View full example on GitHub
    draggable = driver.find_element(id: 'draggable')
    start = draggable.rect
    finish = driver.find_element(id: 'droppable').rect
    driver.action
          .drag_and_drop_by(draggable, finish.x - start.x, finish.y - start.y)
          .perform
View full example on GitHub
    const draggable = driver.findElement(By.id("draggable"));
    let start = await draggable.getRect();
    let finish = await driver.findElement(By.id("droppable")).getRect();
    const actions = driver.actions({async: true});
    await actions.dragAndDrop(draggable, {x: finish.x - start.x, y: finish.y - start.y}).perform();
View full example on GitHub
        val draggable = driver.findElement(By.id("draggable"))
        val start = draggable.getRect()
        val finish = driver.findElement(By.id("droppable")).getRect()
        Actions(driver)
                .dragAndDropBy(draggable, finish.getX() - start.getX(), finish.getY() - start.getY())
                .perform()
View full example on GitHub
Last modified November 5, 2024: Add examples for Drivers HTTP Client in Java and Python (#2041) (2ce6752bfc8)