clear text field using DELETE or BACK SPACE key in webdriver

Question

I am trying to clear a text field using this action:

emailField.sendKeys("gmail.com");
emailField.sendKeys(Keys.CONTROL,"a",Keys.DELETE);

In above code, the last line only selects the text, does not delete it, but if I separate the actions it works.

emailField.sendKeys(Keys.CONTROL,"a");
emailField.sendKeys(Keys.DELETE);

Andrew Regan · Answer 1 · 2020-08-04T11:07:22.913

From the JavaDoc for WebElement.clear():

If this element is a text entry element, this will clear the value. Has no effect on other elements. Text entry elements are INPUT and TEXTAREA elements. Note that the events fired by this event may not be as you'd expect. In particular, we don't fire any keyboard or mouse events. If you want to ensure keyboard events are fired, consider using something like sendKeys(CharSequence) with the backspace key. To ensure you get a change event, consider following with a call to sendKeys(CharSequence) with the tab key.

Most likely you simply need to call:

emailField.sendKeys("gmail.com");
emailField.clear();

But if you need the clearing to be done via the keyboard for some reason, use Keys.BACKSPACE.

The backspace key is written as "\b" (from http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6448257/selenium-delete-contents-from-a-textbox/22603085#22603085) — Lucy Bain, Dec 28 '16 at 05:19

score 25 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 11 '17 at 09:40

25

keys.DELETE can not work to delete the input text,you should use keys.BACKSPACE.

emailField.sendKeys(Keys.BACKSPACE)

answered Oct 11 '17 at 09:40

LPhuang

251
3
4

score 8 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 19 '18 at 19:43

8

From the JavaDoc for Keys.chord

chord(java.lang.CharSequence... value) Simulate pressing many keys at once in a "chord".

You should be able to use

emailField.sendKeys(Keys.chord(Keys.CONTROL,"a",Keys.DELETE));

answered Apr 19 '18 at 19:43

Tabatha

103
2
7

tks! `->sendKeys(array(WebDriverKeys::CONTROL,'a',WebDriverKeys::DELETE))->sendKeys(array($title)` – Fábio Zangirolami Jun 25 '20 at 22:31

score 6 · Answer 4 · answered Aug 15 '18 at 00:14

6

Tested in chrome driver

WE.send_keys(' \b')

This will add space then delete it (backspace)

answered Aug 15 '18 at 00:14

Bassem Shahin

656
7
13

score 2 · Answer 5 · answered Apr 17 '20 at 05:50

2

I use in javascript and it's working fine:

await textBox.sendKeys(value);
await textBox.sendKeys(Key.BACK_SPACE);

answered Apr 17 '20 at 05:50

Raisul Islam

21
2

score 0 · Answer 6 · edited Jan 22 '20 at 15:35

0

emailField.sendKeys(Keys.BACKSPACE)

doesn't worked for me .

I used 'Key' instead of 'Keys'

emailField.sendKeys(protractor.Key.BACKSPACE)

edited Jan 22 '20 at 15:35

Gabson

55
12

answered Nov 01 '18 at 16:12

RRR

75
2
11

What is the package of the Key class that you are using – Amit Dec 10 '18 at 17:40
I have used `protractor.Key.BACKSPACE` – RRR Dec 11 '18 at 15:54

score 0 · Answer 7 · answered Apr 14 '22 at 11:29

0

emailField.sendKeys(Keys.CONTROL + "a",Keys.DELETE);

answered Apr 14 '22 at 11:29

Alexander Machulin

1

score 0 · Answer 8 · answered Oct 30 '22 at 07:02

In PHP:

if you use php-webdriver (https://github.com/php-webdriver/php-webdriver) you must:

    use Facebook\WebDriver\WebDriverKeys AS Keys;
    .
    .
    .
    $this->driver->findElement(By::id('demo'))->sendKeys([Keys::BACKSPACE,'Any other text']);

score 0 · Answer 9 · edited Dec 31 '22 at 10:49

Just adding another working C# example using the Google Chrome webdriver.

SendKeys only takes one parameter so created a string with the Crtl + A. This code sequence will select the current text in the field then delete the text.

Code example:

var crtlA = Keys.Control + "a";

driver.FindElement(By.XPath("//div[3]/div[1]/div[2]/div/div[2]/div[2]/div/div/div[1]/div/span/input")).SendKeys(crtlA); Wait(5000); // Select current text
driver.FindElement(By.XPath("//div[3]/div[1]/div[2]/div/div[2]/div[2]/div/div/div[1]/div/span/input")).SendKeys(Keys.Delete); Wait(5000); // Clear current text
driver.FindElement(By.XPath("//div[3]/div[1]/div[2]/div/div[2]/div[2]/div/div/div[1]/div/span/input")).SendKeys(newItemSku); Wait(5000); // Input SKU name

Siva Rajendran · Answer 10 · 2019-07-31T02:30:16.763

1. in WebdriverIO, i tried to edit the text by clear text (which contains special charactes like @, +, _) in text field by below following step. Eventhough it was not successful.

example: text=> abc+1234@gmail.com

step1:browser.clearElement(selector);

step2:browser.execute(function () {
            document.querySelector(>>>Cssselector<<<).value="";
        });

step3: browser.doubleClick(selector);
       browser.keys("Delete");

step4: browser.click(selector);
       browser.keys(['Meta',a]);  
       browser.keys('Meta');   
       browser.keys('Delete');

Note: below step is resolved this issue.

var count= browser.getAttribute(selector, value).length;
for (var i=0;i<count;i++)
{
if (browser.getAttribute(selector, value)=='')
break;
}
else
{
browser.doubleClick(selector);
browser.keys("Delete");
}
browser.pause(200);

// it will clear your text field easily.

Note: You can add the new text now.

clear text field using DELETE or BACK SPACE key in webdriver

10 Answers10