Checking element state (displayed, enabled, selected) in Selenium Python

Introduction

We check if elements are visible, clickable, or selected to make sure our tests interact with the right parts of a webpage.

Before clicking a button, check if it is enabled to avoid errors.

Verify if a checkbox is selected before submitting a form.

Confirm that a popup or message is displayed before reading its content.

Ensure a link is visible before trying to click it.

Check if a radio button is selected to validate user choices.

Syntax

Selenium Python

element.is_displayed()
element.is_enabled()
element.is_selected()

is_displayed() returns True if the element is visible on the page.

is_enabled() returns True if the element can be interacted with (not disabled).

is_selected() returns True if the element is selected (mainly for checkboxes, radio buttons, and options).

Examples

Check if the submit button is enabled before clicking.

Selenium Python

button = driver.find_element(By.ID, "submit")
print(button.is_enabled())

Check if the subscribe checkbox is selected.

Selenium Python

checkbox = driver.find_element(By.NAME, "subscribe")
print(checkbox.is_selected())

Check if a popup message is visible on the page.

Selenium Python

popup = driver.find_element(By.CLASS_NAME, "popup-message")
print(popup.is_displayed())

Sample Program

This script opens a webpage with a checkbox, checks if it is visible, enabled, and selected before and after clicking it.

Selenium Python

from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver.common.by import By
import time

# Setup driver (make sure chromedriver is in PATH)
driver = webdriver.Chrome()
driver.get("https://www.w3schools.com/howto/howto_css_custom_checkbox.asp")

# Find checkbox element
checkbox = driver.find_element(By.CSS_SELECTOR, "input[type='checkbox']")

# Check if checkbox is displayed
print(f"Checkbox displayed: {checkbox.is_displayed()}")

# Check if checkbox is enabled
print(f"Checkbox enabled: {checkbox.is_enabled()}")

# Check if checkbox is selected
print(f"Checkbox selected before click: {checkbox.is_selected()}")

# Click the checkbox to select it
checkbox.click()

# Check if checkbox is selected after click
print(f"Checkbox selected after click: {checkbox.is_selected()}")

# Close the browser
driver.quit()

Important Notes

Always wait for elements to load before checking their state to avoid errors.

Use explicit waits in real tests to handle dynamic pages.

is_selected() works mainly for checkboxes, radio buttons, and options.

Summary

Use is_displayed() to check if an element is visible.

Use is_enabled() to check if an element can be interacted with.

Use is_selected() to check if checkboxes or radio buttons are selected.

Practice

1. Which Selenium method checks if a web element is visible on the page?

easy

A. is_enabled()

B. is_visible()

C. is_selected()

D. is_displayed()

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the purpose of is_displayed()

   This method returns True if the element is visible to the user on the page.

2. Step 2: Compare with other methods

   is_enabled() checks if the element can be interacted with, is_selected() checks selection state, and is_visible() is not a valid Selenium method.

3. Final Answer:

   is_displayed() -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Visibility check = is_displayed() [OK]

Hint: Visible? Use is_displayed() method [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing is_enabled() with visibility
• Using is_selected() for visibility
• Assuming is_visible() exists in Selenium

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to check if a checkbox element is selected in Selenium Python?

easy

A. checkbox.is_selected()

B. checkbox.selected()

C. checkbox.isSelected()

D. checkbox.selected

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall Selenium Python method names

   In Selenium Python, the method to check selection is is_selected() with underscores and parentheses.

2. Step 2: Identify incorrect syntax

   selected() and selected are invalid; isSelected() is Java style, not Python.

3. Final Answer:

   checkbox.is_selected() -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Check selected? Use is_selected() [OK]

Hint: Use is_selected() with parentheses for selection check [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using Java method style isSelected() in Python
• Omitting parentheses after method name
• Using property 'selected' instead of method

3. Given the following code snippet, what will be the output if the button is visible but disabled?

button = driver.find_element(By.ID, 'submit')
print(button.is_displayed())
print(button.is_enabled())

medium

A. True\nFalse

B. False\nTrue

C. True\nTrue

D. False\nFalse

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand is_displayed() output

   Since the button is visible, is_displayed() returns True.

2. Step 2: Understand is_enabled() output

   The button is disabled, so is_enabled() returns False.

3. Final Answer:

   True\nFalse -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Visible = True, Enabled = False [OK]

Hint: Visible True, Enabled False if button disabled [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming disabled means not visible
• Mixing up is_displayed() and is_enabled() results
• Expecting both to be True for visible button

4. You wrote this code to check if a checkbox is selected:

checkbox = driver.find_element(By.NAME, 'agree')
if checkbox.selected():
    print('Selected')
else:
    print('Not selected')

What is the error here?

medium

A. Print statements should be inside quotes

B. Missing parentheses after find_element

C. selected() is not a valid method; should use is_selected()

D. Checkbox element locator is incorrect

Solution

1. Step 1: Check method name for selection

   The correct method to check selection in Selenium Python is is_selected(), not selected().

2. Step 2: Verify other code parts

   Parentheses after find_element are correct, locator looks valid, and print statements are properly quoted.

3. Final Answer:

   selected() is not a valid method; should use is_selected() -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Use is_selected() method for checkbox state [OK]

Hint: Use is_selected(), not selected() method [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using selected() instead of is_selected()
• Confusing method names with Java syntax
• Ignoring method parentheses

5. You want to write a test that clicks a button only if it is visible and enabled. Which code snippet correctly checks these conditions before clicking?

button = driver.find_element(By.ID, 'save')

hard

A. if button.is_displayed() or button.is_enabled():
button.click()

B. if button.is_displayed() and button.is_enabled():
button.click()

C. if button.is_selected() and button.is_enabled():
button.click()

D. if button.is_enabled():
button.click()

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify conditions for clicking

   The button must be visible (is_displayed()) and enabled (is_enabled()) to be safely clicked.

2. Step 2: Analyze each option

   if button.is_displayed() and button.is_enabled(): button.click() uses both conditions with 'and', which is correct. if button.is_selected() and button.is_enabled(): button.click() wrongly uses is_selected() which is for checkboxes/radios. if button.is_displayed() or button.is_enabled(): button.click() uses 'or' which may click if only one condition is true. if button.is_enabled(): button.click() checks only enabled, ignoring visibility.

3. Final Answer:

   if button.is_displayed() and button.is_enabled():\n button.click() -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Click only if visible AND enabled [OK]

Hint: Use and with is_displayed() and is_enabled() before click [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using or instead of and for conditions
• Checking is_selected() for buttons
• Ignoring visibility check before clicking