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

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

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

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));

Selenium v4.2

    action = ActionBuilder(driver)
    action.pointer_action.pointer_down(MouseButton.BACK)
    action.pointer_action.pointer_up(MouseButton.BACK)
    action.perform()

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());

Selenium v4.2

      driver.action
            .pointer_down(:back)
            .pointer_up(:back)
            .perform

Selenium v4.5.0

      const actions = driver.actions({async: true});
      await actions.press(Button.BACK).release(Button.BACK).perform()
        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))

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));

Selenium v4.2

    action = ActionBuilder(driver)
    action.pointer_action.pointer_down(MouseButton.FORWARD)
    action.pointer_action.pointer_up(MouseButton.FORWARD)
    action.perform()

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());

Selenium v4.2

      driver.action
            .pointer_down(:forward)
            .pointer_up(:forward)
            .perform

Selenium v4.5.0

      const actions = driver.actions({async: true});
      await actions.press(Button.FORWARD).release(Button.FORWARD).perform()
        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))

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

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

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();
    mouse_tracker = driver.find_element(By.ID, "mouse-tracker")
    ActionChains(driver)\
        .move_to_element_with_offset(mouse_tracker, 8, 0)\
        .perform()
            IWebElement tracker = driver.FindElement(By.Id("mouse-tracker"));
            new Actions(driver)
                .MoveToElement(tracker, 8, 0)
                .Perform();
      mouse_tracker = driver.find_element(id: 'mouse-tracker')
      driver.action
            .move_to(mouse_tracker, 8, 11)
            .perform
        val tracker = driver.findElement(By.id("mouse-tracker"))
        Actions(driver)
                .moveToElement(tracker, 8, 0)
                .perform()

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));
    action = ActionBuilder(driver)
    action.pointer_action.move_to_location(8, 0)
    action.perform()
            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());
      driver.action
            .move_to_location(8, 12)
            .perform
      const actions = driver.actions({async: true});
      await actions.move({x: 8, y: 0}).perform();
        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))

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

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();
    draggable = driver.find_element(By.ID, "draggable")
    droppable = driver.find_element(By.ID, "droppable")
    ActionChains(driver)\
        .drag_and_drop(draggable, droppable)\
        .perform()
            IWebElement draggable = driver.FindElement(By.Id("draggable"));
            IWebElement droppable = driver.FindElement(By.Id("droppable"));
            new Actions(driver)
                .DragAndDrop(draggable, droppable)
                .Perform();
    draggable = driver.find_element(id: 'draggable')
    droppable = driver.find_element(id: 'droppable')
    driver.action
          .drag_and_drop(draggable, droppable)
          .perform
      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();
        val draggable = driver.findElement(By.id("draggable"))
        val droppable = driver.findElement(By.id("droppable"))
        Actions(driver)
                .dragAndDrop(draggable, droppable)
                .perform()

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();
    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()
            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();
    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
      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();
        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()
Last modified November 17, 2023: Upgrade to Docsy 0 7 2 (#1529) (48f43616907)