How to Handle Multiple Tabs in Selenium: Tutorial

Why Testers Need Multiple Tabs in Selenium

Web applications often rely on multiple tabs for critical flows. Without handling them, test coverage remains incomplete.

Here are the key situations where multiple tabs come into play:

• Payment gateways: Checkout processes often move to a bank or third-party provider in a new tab. Tests must validate both the payment and the return flow.
• OAuth and SSO logins: External logins like Google, Microsoft, or LinkedIn usually open in a new tab. Automation should verify successful authentication and session transfer.
• Third-party integrations: Features such as analytics dashboards, reporting systems, or file viewers may launch in separate tabs. Tests should confirm that integrations load with accurate data.
• Generated reports and documents: Invoices, statements, or PDFs are sometimes rendered in new tabs. Scripts need to check that content is generated and accessible.
• User-triggered actions: Clicking links like “open in new tab” for product details or support pages requires Selenium to follow context correctly.
• Admin or multi-role workflows: Some platforms open different roles or environments in parallel tabs. Automation must handle these transitions to ensure role-based access works.
• Security and compliance flows: Certain apps isolate sensitive steps such as KYC verification or consent forms in a new tab. These must be included in end-to-end test coverage.

How to Open a New Tab in Selenium

Selenium starts with a single tab, but in real-world testing, you'll often need to open additional tabs. Below are methods to achieve this in Selenium, broken down with clear steps.

1. Using JavaScript execution

To open a new tab, you can execute JavaScript directly in the browser using JavascriptExecutor. This method is useful if you need to trigger the opening of a tab without direct user interaction.

Here's how you do it:

• First, use JavascriptExecutor to execute the command window.open(), which will open a new tab.
• Capture the current window handle before the tab is opened, so you can return to it after interacting with the new tab.
• After the new tab is opened, switch the driver’s focus to the new window handle.

Example code:

JavascriptExecutor js = (JavascriptExecutor) driver;

js.executeScript("window.open()");

2. Using keyboard shortcuts

Another way to open a new tab is by simulating the keyboard shortcut for a new tab, Ctrl + t on Windows (or Command + t on Mac). This simulates user behavior and works well when you need to test user-driven actions.

Here's how to do it:

• Create an Actions object that allows you to simulate keyboard actions.
• Use keyDown() to press Ctrl, sendKeys() to press the letter t, and keyUp() to release Ctrl.
• After the tab opens, capture the new window handle and switch to it.

Example code:

Actions action = new Actions(driver);

action.keyDown(Keys.CONTROL).sendKeys("t").keyUp(Keys.CONTROL).perform();

3. Clicking links that open in new tabs

Many web applications use the target="_blank" attribute in links to open them in new tabs. Selenium can click on such links, but you need to make sure you capture the new tab's handle and switch to it afterward.

Here’s the process:

• Identify and click the link that opens in a new tab.
• After clicking, use the getWindowHandles() method to retrieve all the window handles.
• Switch to the newly opened tab by selecting the new window handle.

Example code:

driver.findElement(By.linkText("Open Link")).click(); // Click the link

Set<String> windowHandles = driver.getWindowHandles(); // Get all handles

for (String handle : windowHandles) {

    driver.switchTo().window(handle); // Switch to the new tab

}

How to Close Tabs in Selenium

Once you’ve opened multiple tabs during a test, closing them correctly is crucial to avoid leaving unused tabs open, which can lead to test failures or performance issues. Selenium provides straightforward ways to close tabs, either individually or all at once.

1. Closing the current tab

If you need to close the tab you're currently working on, the simplest method is to call driver.close(). This will close the tab in focus, but keep the browser open.

Here's how it works:

• After performing actions on a tab, call driver.close() to close it.
• If you need to continue testing on another tab, switch to it using the window handle before closing the current tab.

Example code:

driver.close(); // Closes the current tab

2. Closing all tabs and quitting the driver

If your test ends and you want to close all tabs and quit the browser, use driver.quit(). This closes all open tabs and shuts down the browser session entirely.

Here's the process:

• When you're finished with the test, use driver.quit() to close the entire session.
• This ensures no leftover processes run in the background after the test ends.

Example code:

driver.quit(); // Closes all tabs and quits the driver

3. Closing a specific tab

If you want to close a specific tab while keeping others open, switch to the desired tab first and then close it.

Here's how:

• Identify the window handle of the tab you want to close.
• Switch to the tab using driver.switchTo().window(handle).
• Call driver.close() to close that tab.

Example code:

String specificTabHandle = "window_handle_of_tab_to_close";

driver.switchTo().window(specificTabHandle);

driver.close(); // Close the specific tab

When to Close Tabs During Selenium Tests

Knowing when to close tabs is just as important as knowing how to do it. Closing tabs at the wrong time can cause errors or lead to incomplete test coverage. Here are key moments when closing a tab is essential:

• After completing a specific action: If a tab was opened for a specific task, such as completing a payment or submitting a form, it’s best to close it once that task is complete. This keeps your testing environment clean.
• When switching to another tab: If you need to move to a different tab and no longer need the current one, it’s a good idea to close it. This avoids confusion and ensures the test script focuses on the right tab.
• When the tab is no longer needed: Some tabs may open temporarily, such as for authentication or data generation. Once that process is finished, close the tab to avoid clutter and prevent future interactions with the wrong tab.
• At the end of the test session: To clean up the testing environment and prevent lingering processes from affecting future tests, close all tabs when the test session ends. This ensures your browser remains in a clean state.

How to Handle Multiple Tabs in Selenium

Handling multiple tabs in Selenium requires managing the browser’s window handles and knowing how to switch between them effectively. Here’s how to navigate between tabs and ensure your tests stay on track.

1. Identify all window handles

Each tab or window in the browser has a unique identifier called a "window handle." Use driver.getWindowHandles() to retrieve a list of all open windows and tabs.

Example:

Set<String> windowHandles = driver.getWindowHandles();

2. Switch to a specific window

Once you have the window handles, use driver.switchTo().window(handle) to switch between them. Make sure you switch to the correct tab before interacting with it.

Example:

for (String handle : windowHandles) {

    driver.switchTo().window(handle); // Switch to each tab

}

3. Switch back to the original tab

If you need to return to the initial tab after performing actions on another one, switch back using the original window handle.

Example:

String originalHandle = driver.getWindowHandle();

driver.switchTo().window(originalHandle); // Switch back to the original tab

4. Close the tab and switch back

If you’ve completed testing in one tab and want to close it, close the tab and switch back to the remaining open tab.

Example:

driver.close(); // Close the current tab

driver.switchTo().window(originalHandle); // Switch back to the original tab

Using Window Handles for Tab Management in Selenium

Window handles are essential when managing multiple tabs in Selenium. These unique identifiers allow you to switch between and interact with different tabs or windows without confusion. Here’s how to use window handles effectively in your tests:

• Getting all window handles: Selenium allows you to retrieve a set of all open window handles using driver.getWindowHandles(). This method returns a collection of handles for every open tab or window in the browser. You can then loop through these handles to identify and switch to the tab you need.
• Switching to a specific window: To interact with a specific tab, you need to switch to it by selecting the appropriate window handle. Once switched, you can continue with your actions on that tab. It’s crucial to ensure you’re interacting with the correct tab, especially when multiple tabs are open.
• Returning to the original window: If you’ve switched to a new tab and need to go back to the original, store the initial window handle before switching. This way, you can always return to the first tab when needed.
• Closing a specific window: When you’re done with a particular tab, use driver.close() to close it. After closing, you’ll want to switch back to the remaining open tab, typically the original one, to continue your test without interruption.

Switching Between Browser Tabs and Windows in Selenium

Switching between browser tabs and windows is an essential part of managing multiple tabs during tests. Selenium provides several ways to handle this, allowing you to navigate between different contexts and perform actions in the correct tab.

• Switching to a new tab: When a new tab opens, whether through a link, JavaScript, or a keyboard shortcut, the focus remains on the current tab by default. To interact with the new tab, you must explicitly switch to it using the appropriate window handle.
• Handling popups and new windows: In addition to tabs, browser popups (like alerts) and new windows can also affect the flow of your test. You can switch between browser windows and popups by identifying the corresponding window handles. For popups, you’ll often need to manage alert boxes using driver.switchTo().alert().
• Switching back to the main window: After interacting with a new tab or popup, it’s common to switch back to the original window. You can achieve this by storing the window handle of the main tab before switching to other windows, ensuring you can return to it after completing the necessary steps in the other tabs or windows.
• Handling browser-specific quirks: Some browsers might behave slightly differently when switching between tabs, such as preserving focus or requiring manual intervention. Always verify that your switching logic works across different browsers and configurations to ensure consistent test results.

Common Errors in Selenium Multiple Tab Handling

Working with multiple tabs in Selenium can lead to several common errors that disrupt test execution. These errors often stem from window handle management, focus switching, or improper sequencing of actions. Below are some frequent mistakes and how to avoid them:

• Not capturing window handles before switching: A common error is not saving the initial window handle before switching to a new tab. Without this, switching back to the original tab becomes impossible, leading to an incomplete test flow. Always capture the initial window handle as soon as the test begins.
• Attempting actions before switching to the correct tab: Actions like clicking elements, sending keys, or verifying content will fail if they’re performed on the wrong tab. Ensure you’ve switched to the correct tab using its window handle before interacting with it.
• Closing the wrong tab: If your script closes a tab without switching back to the main one, the test may continue on a closed tab, causing errors in subsequent actions. Always ensure you're on the correct tab before closing any window.
• Forgetting to switch to the main tab after closing a new tab: Once a new tab is closed, the focus should be returned to the main tab. If this step is skipped, the next actions may be performed on a non-existent tab or a tab that was already closed.
• Inconsistent behavior across browsers: Some browsers handle tab switching differently. For example, Chrome and Firefox may react to window switching commands with slight delays or inconsistencies. Always validate the behavior on different browsers to catch edge cases.

Conclusion

Handling multiple tabs in Selenium is crucial for accurately testing modern web applications. From managing dynamic redirects to verifying multi-step workflows, the ability to open, switch, and close tabs ensures that your tests cover all aspects of user interactions. Without proper tab management, testers risk missing critical steps, leading to incomplete or unreliable test results.

When combined with BrowserStack, Selenium testing reaches a new level of efficiency. BrowserStack provides real devices on cloud-based testing environments, enabling testers to run cross-browser tests across multiple tabs on real devices. This ensures accurate, real-world testing, free from the limitations of local setups.