How to automate the android phone back button using appium

Question

I am working on test automation for a hybrid mobile application on Android using Appium(python client library). I haven't been able to figure out any means to automate or create a gesture for using the Phone back button to go back to the previous page of the app. Is there any driver function that can be used? I tried my luck with self.driver.navigate().back() [hoping this would simulate the same behaviour as in Selenium to navigate to the previous URL] but to no avail. Can anyone suggest a way out?

Answer 1

Yes,try the driver.back(), it simulates the system back function.

Answer 2

Recently I was automating one of the Native application where I had to click on back button.

I tried below code and it worked for me.

Code for Android back button.

driver.pressKeyCode(AndroidKeyCode.BACK);

This will click on back button

Answer 3

driver.sendKeyEvent(AndroidKeyCode.BACK);

does the job in Java

Answer 4

I guess maybe it depends on what version of the client library are you using because in Java driver.navigate().back() works well.

Answer 5

Use this one it works 100%

driver.pressKeyCode(4);

as "4" is the key note for Back press on Android

Answer 6

For appium-python-client, to go back you should call this method:

driver.press_keycode(4)

Answer 7

I used a KeyEvent.

import io.appium.java_client.android.AndroidDriver;
import io.appium.java_client.android.nativekey.AndroidKey;

driver.pressKey(new KeyEvent().withKey(AndroidKey.BACK));

Answer 8

It may be late but useful To click android device back button following line will help you.

helper.driver.pressKeyCode(AndroidKeyCode.BACK);

To click android recent apps button following line will help you.

helper.driver.pressKeyCode(187);

Answer 9

By using back(),

self.driver.back()

Answer 10

you use this code for python.

driver.press_keycode(AndroidKeyCode.BACK)