I receive this question frequently enough that I should consider it an FAQ. So "Why does Selenium not work with my Alert?" or "Why can't Selenium handle the alert in my application?" There is an FAQ answer on the Selenium wiki that shows the Alerts API http://code.google.com/p/selenium/wiki/FrequentlyAskedQuestions#Q:_Does_WebDriver_support_Javascript_alerts_and_prompts? But that typically doesn't answer the question because the person asking the question has used the alerts API. The answer I have given, in every single instance, takes the form "The thing you think is an alert, is not an alert"

1. “Why Does Selenium Not
Work With My Alert?
Alan Richardson
www.SeleniumSimplified.com

2. Why Can’t Selenium
Handle the Alert in my
Application?

3. The Answer:
Because it is not an alert

4. If you can “Inspect
Element” on it, then it is
not an alert

5. These Are Alerts:
http://www.w3schools.com/js/js_popup.asp
http://www.w3schools.com/js/tryit.asp?
filename=tryjs_alert
http://www.w3schools.com/js/tryit.asp?
filename=tryjs_confirm

6. These are not Alerts
http://jquerytools.
org/demos/overlay/modal-dialog.html
http://tympanus.
net/Development/ModalWindowEffects/
http://www.zkoss.
org/zkdemo/window/modal_dialog

7. More Info
YouTube Video on this topic
● http://youtu.be/hiN6ugscUco
Blog Post
● http://seleniumsimplified.com/?p=666
http://seleniumsimplified.com/2013/10/02/faq-why-does-selenium-not-work-with-this-alert/

8. Alan Richardson
uk.linkedin.com/in/eviltester
Independent Test Consultant based in
the UK. He offers training and
consultancy in Selenium WebDriver,
Exploratory and Technical web testing.
Contact Alan for training and
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http://compendiumdev.co.uk/contact
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