How to do file upload in Selenium?

Q: How to do file upload in Selenium?

Method 1: sendKeys() — Best approach for HTML file inputs Works when the upload button is a native <input type="file" element: java WebElement uploadInput = driver.findElement(By.id("fileUpload")); uploadInput.sendKeys("C:\\Users\\nagen\\Desktop\\document.pdf"); No need to click the button — just send the file path directly. Method 2: Robot API — for OS-level file dialog java // Click the upload button to open OS dialog driver.findElement(By.id("uploadBtn")).click(); // Copy path to clipboard StringSelection path = new StringSelection("C:\\files\\test.pdf"); Toolkit.getDefaultToolkit().getSyst

For native HTML file inputs, use sendKeys() with the file path. For system dialogs use Robot API, AutoIT, or Sikuli.

Answer

Method 1: sendKeys() — Best approach for HTML file inputs Works when the upload button is a native <input type="file"> element:

Java

WebElement uploadInput = driver.findElement(By.id("fileUpload"));
uploadInput.sendKeys("C:\\Users\\nagen\\Desktop\\document.pdf");

No need to click the button — just send the file path directly.

▸Method 2: Robot API — for OS-level file dialog

Java

// Click the upload button to open OS dialog
driver.findElement(By.id("uploadBtn")).click();

// Copy path to clipboard
StringSelection path = new StringSelection("C:\\files\\test.pdf");
Toolkit.getDefaultToolkit().getSystemClipboard().setContents(path, null);

// Paste and confirm
Robot robot = new Robot();
robot.keyPress(KeyEvent.VK_CONTROL);
robot.keyPress(KeyEvent.VK_V);
robot.keyRelease(KeyEvent.VK_V);
robot.keyRelease(KeyEvent.VK_CONTROL);
robot.keyPress(KeyEvent.VK_ENTER);
robot.keyRelease(KeyEvent.VK_ENTER);

Method 3: AutoIT Compile an AutoIT script to .exe and run it from Selenium:

Java

Runtime.getRuntime().exec("C:\\scripts\\fileUpload.exe");

Method 4: Sikuli Use image-based recognition to click the upload button and type the path:

Java

Screen screen = new Screen();
screen.click("upload_dialog.png");
screen.type("C:\\files\\test.pdf");

Recommended priority:

✓sendKeys() on <input type="file"> — simplest and most reliable
✓Robot API — when sendKeys does not work
✓AutoIT / Sikuli — for complex OS dialogs

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