# How to Test in Multiple Tabs

Find and interact with elements across multiple browser tabs in Endtest Web Tests: switch tabs, assert on tab state, and close tabs.

Part of the Endtest documentation (Web Tests). Canonical URL: https://endtest.io/docs/web-tests/how-to-test-in-multiple-tabs

---
## Introduction

There are scenarios where you might need to interact with multiple browser tabs in a test.

Any modern testing tool should support testing in multiple browser tabs.

And Endtest is no exception.

## Interact with an element that is in a different browser tab

When a new browser tab gets opened, the test will not switch the focus automatically.

Since the element is in a separate browser tab, we have to tell the test to switch the focus to that browser tab before interacting with the element.

In the `Miscellaneous` action, you have the following methods:

- `Switch to next tab`
- `Switch to previous tab`

Use `Switch to next tab` when you need to switch focus to the next tab.

When you're done interacting with the elements from that browser tab, you can use `Switch to previous tab` to switch the focus back to the original browser tab.

As of February 2025, the logic for switching browser tabs has been updated.

Please be aware that some existing tests may rely on workarounds that function only with the previous method. To manage these situations, we have introduced the `Switch Browser Tabs` setting in the `Advanced Settings` section of Web Tests:

- `Standard`: uses the updated switching logic.
- `Legacy`: continues to use the previous logic.

The `Legacy` option is slated for deprecation. We recommend using the `Standard` option for future-proofing your tests.

## Opening a new tab

You may encounter scenarios where you need to open a new browser tab.

For example, in a Sign Up test, you might need to fetch the activation code from the [Endtest Mailbox](https://endtest.io/docs/web-tests/how-to-test-emails) in a different browser tab.

You can use the `Open new tab` method from the `Miscellaneous` action.

When using that action, the test will automatically switch focus to the new tab.

Or you can add an [Execute JavaScript](https://endtest.io/docs/web-tests/execute-javascript) step, with the following JavaScript code:

```javascript
window.open('');
```

And you can even provide the URL directly in the JavaScript code:

```javascript
window.open('https://app.endtest.io/mailbox?email={{$email}}');
```

When using JavaScript to open a new tab, the test will not automatically switch focus to that new tab.

That's why you need to add a `Switch to next tab` step after that.

## Closing a tab

Normally, you don't have to close browser tabs in a test.

The browser tabs get closed automatically when the test execution is finished.

But if you have a scenario where you need to do that, you can use the `Close tab` method from the `Miscellaneous` action.

When using that action, the test will automatically switch focus to the previous tab.

The `Switch to next tab` and `Switch to previous tab` actions are using the `switch_to_window` method from Selenium WebDriver. You should never remove the `target="_blank"` attribute from link elements during your test. That is a bad practice, since it modifies the web application that's being tested. We strongly advise against using that method.