Selenium won't open a new URL in a new tab (Python & Chrome)

Here is a simple way, platform independent:

Code:

driver.execute_script("window.open('http://google.com', 'new_window')")

Switching back to the original tab:

Code:

driver.switch_to_window(driver.window_handles[0])

Checking the current title to be sure you are on the right page:

Code:

driver.title

For everything else, have fun!

There is a bug in ChromeDriver that prevents ctrl/command+T from working:

• I can´t open new tab in ChromeDriver

What you can do, as a workaround, is to open a link in a new tab and then switch to a new window using the switch_to.window(). Working sample:

from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver import ActionChains
from selenium.webdriver.common.keys import Keys

driver = webdriver.Chrome()
driver.get("https://www.google.com")

# open a link in a new window
actions = ActionChains(driver)
about = driver.find_element_by_link_text('About')
actions.key_down(Keys.CONTROL).click(about).key_up(Keys.CONTROL).perform()

driver.switch_to.window(driver.window_handles[-1])
driver.get("https://stackoverflow.com")

Now the last driver.get() would be performed in a newly opened tab.

An alternative way to open a new window is to use JavaScript and the window handler to switch between them.

driver = webdriver.Chrome()

# Open a new window
# This does not change focus to the new window for the driver.
driver.execute_script("window.open('');")

# Switch to the new window
driver.switch_to.window(driver.window_handles[1])
driver.get("http://stackoverflow.com")

# close the active tab
driver.close()

# Switch back to the first tab
driver.switch_to.window(driver.window_handles[0])
driver.get("http://google.se")

# Close the only tab, will also close the browser.
driver.close()

If you look at your browser while you're executing it will look like the new window has focus, but to the webdriver, it doesn't. Don't be fooled by the visual. Also remember to select a new window handler when you close a tab as it will set the driver.current_window_handle to

selenium.common.exceptions.NoSuchWindowException: 
    Message: no such window: target window already closed from unknown error: web view not found
  (Session info: chrome=<Your version of chrome>)
  (Driver info: chromedriver=<Your chrome driver version> (<string of numbers>),platform=<Your OS>)

on .close() and it will throw that error if you try to do stuff with the driver at that stage.