How to automate the android phone back button using appium

Question

I am working on test automation for a hybrid mobile application on Android using Appium(python client library). I haven't been able to figure out any means to automate or create a gesture for using the Phone back button to go back to the previous page of the app. Is there any driver function that can be used? I tried my luck with self.driver.navigate().back() [hoping this would simulate the same behaviour as in Selenium to navigate to the previous URL] but to no avail. Can anyone suggest a way out?

possible its this issue https://github.com/appium/appium/issues/4742 it recommends setting unicodeKeyboard to False — Roman A. Taycher, Jul 30 '15 at 09:16

score 14 · Answer 1 · edited Jan 10 '22 at 14:00

14

Yes,try the driver.back(), it simulates the system back function.

edited Jan 10 '22 at 14:00

Matt Seymour

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answered Jul 29 '15 at 18:04

Ying Ma

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score 13 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 11 '16 at 10:40

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I guess maybe it depends on what version of the client library are you using because in Java driver.navigate().back() works well.

answered Nov 11 '16 at 10:40

Kristaps Mežavilks

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Yes, it works well. Thanks Kristaps Mezavilks – Ripon Al Wasim Apr 19 '21 at 16:50

score 6 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 07 '16 at 09:53

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Recently I was automating one of the Native application where I had to click on back button.

I tried below code and it worked for me.

Code for Android back button.

driver.pressKeyCode(AndroidKeyCode.BACK);

This will click on back button

answered Apr 07 '16 at 09:53

Mukesh otwani

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score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Dec 01 '19 at 07:20

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I used a KeyEvent.

import io.appium.java_client.android.AndroidDriver;
import io.appium.java_client.android.nativekey.AndroidKey;

driver.pressKey(new KeyEvent().withKey(AndroidKey.BACK));

answered Dec 01 '19 at 07:20

kklw

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score 1 · Answer 5 · answered May 28 '18 at 04:00

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For appium-python-client, to go back you should call this method:

driver.press_keycode(4)

answered May 28 '18 at 04:00

Sajid Manzoor

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score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Jul 13 '16 at 13:26

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driver.sendKeyEvent(AndroidKeyCode.BACK);

does the job in Java

answered Jul 13 '16 at 13:26

Santosh Pillai

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There is no such method in Java – Kristaps Mežavilks Nov 11 '16 at 10:38

score 0 · Answer 7 · edited Jan 12 '20 at 15:10

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It may be late but useful To click android device back button following line will help you.

helper.driver.pressKeyCode(AndroidKeyCode.BACK);

To click android recent apps button following line will help you.

helper.driver.pressKeyCode(187);

edited Jan 12 '20 at 15:10

Hamed Baziyad

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answered Jan 12 '20 at 09:50

moddu saibalaji

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score 0 · Answer 8 · answered Mar 21 '23 at 11:30

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By using back(),

self.driver.back()

answered Mar 21 '23 at 11:30

RAHUL GUPTA

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score 0 · Answer 9 · edited Jun 30 '23 at 20:18

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you use this code for python.

driver.press_keycode(AndroidKeyCode.BACK)

edited Jun 30 '23 at 20:18

Roll no1

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answered Jun 25 '23 at 07:00

farzane

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score -1 · Answer 10 · edited Dec 21 '16 at 15:33

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Use this one it works 100%

driver.pressKeyCode(4);

as "4" is the key note for Back press on Android

edited Dec 21 '16 at 15:33

matsjoyce

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answered Dec 21 '16 at 13:51

Nitin Shinde

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The question is for an appium-python client. – HibernatedGuy Jun 23 '17 at 12:00

How to automate the android phone back button using appium

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