How to Handle Popup in Selenium Java?

Handling popups in Selenium Java depends on the popup type: JavaScript alerts/prompts/confirms, browser window popups (like authentication or file pickers), or newly opened window/tabs. Here’s how you can handle each scenario with best practices and sample code:

1. Handling JavaScript Alerts, Confirmation, and Prompt Popups

When a JavaScript alert, confirmation box, or prompt appears, use driver.switchTo().alert() to take control, then interact using the Alert interface methods like accept(), dismiss(), getText(), or sendKeys().

Example: Handling a Simple Alert

import org.openqa.selenium.Alert;
import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;

public class AlertPopupHandler {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();
        driver.get("https://the-internet.herokuapp.com/javascript_alerts");

        // Assume a button click triggers the alert
        driver.findElement(By.cssSelector("button[onclick='jsAlert()']")).click();

        // Switch to alert
        Alert alert = driver.switchTo().alert();

        // Read and print alert text (optional)
        System.out.println("Alert text: " + alert.getText());

        // Accept the alert (click OK)
        alert.accept();

        driver.quit();
    }
}

• Use alert.dismiss() to cancel/close.
• Use alert.sendKeys("your input") for prompt dialogs needing input.

2. Handling Browser Window Popups (Multiple Windows or Tabs)

For popups that open in a new tab/window, use getWindowHandles() to grab all open windows, then loop through and switch control as needed.

Example: Switching to and Closing a New Popup Window

// Store the parent window handle
String mainWindow = driver.getWindowHandle();

// Code that triggers popup, e.g., driver.findElement(By.id("popup-link")).click();

Set<String> allWindows = driver.getWindowHandles();
for (String windowHandle : allWindows) {
    if (!windowHandle.equals(mainWindow)) {
        driver.switchTo().window(windowHandle);
        // Now interact with popup elements, for example:
        driver.close(); // Close the popup window
    }
}
// Switch back to the parent window
driver.switchTo().window(mainWindow);

3. Handling Permission or Notification Popups

Browser-level permission popups (like notifications) usually require customizing browser settings before launching the driver, since Selenium cannot interact with OS-level or browser UI popups.

Example: Disabling Chrome Notification Popups

import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeOptions;
import java.util.HashMap;
import java.util.Map;

ChromeOptions options = new ChromeOptions();
Map<String, Object> prefs = new HashMap<>();
prefs.put("profile.default_content_setting_values.notifications", 2); // 1: Allow, 2: Block
options.setExperimentalOption("prefs", prefs);

WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver(options);

4. Handling OS-level Dialogs

Selenium cannot handle OS-level (native) dialogs directly, such as file uploads or system-level alerts. Use external tools like AutoIT, Robot class, or third-party libraries for automation in such scenarios.

5. Key Points and Best Practices

• Always switch back to the main window after interacting with popups.
• Use explicit waits where needed to ensure popups have appeared before interacting.
• For JavaScript popups, driver.switchTo().alert() is always the entrypoint.
• For window/tab popups, loop and switch using getWindowHandles() and switchTo().window().

Types of popups you can handle with Selenium:

• JavaScript alerts (accept, dismiss, fetch text, send input)
• New browser windows or tabs
• Modal HTML popups (interact with elements as usual)
• Permission dialogs (with browser options before start)

Selenium WebDriver provides robust methods for browser-based alerts and popups—but not OS-level native dialogs, which need supplemental tools.