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Sh-ui/!Selenium_Python_Windows_Setup_Guide.md

Created September 4, 2025 02:06
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Selenium + Python setup guide for Windows with backup plans, locators cheat sheet, and demo scripts.
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!Selenium_Python_Windows_Setup_Guide.md

Getting Selenium Running on Windows (setup notes)

Setup notes for getting Selenium working with Python on Windows. Validate with a small smoke test and use the backups if something fails.

main setup

This is the “happy path” I use now for Selenium in Python on Windows. Do it in a fresh project folder.

Step 0: check Python

python --version
  • If you see Python 3.x → good.
  • If you get “not recognized” → install Python 3, and check the box to “Add Python to PATH” during install.
  • If multiple Pythons are installed and PATH is messy, pin the launcher:
py -3 --version

You can use py -3 in later steps if needed.

Step 1: create a clean virtual environment

python -m venv venv
venv\Scripts\activate
  • You should see (venv) appear in your prompt. That means you’re in the sandbox.
  • If activation fails in PowerShell due to policy restrictions:
Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope Process -ExecutionPolicy Bypass
venv\Scripts\activate

Step 2: upgrade the basic tooling

python -m pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel

Step 3: install Selenium + WebDriver manager

pip install selenium webdriver-manager

Why WebDriver manager? Because manually downloading and PATH-ing chromedriver.exe is how 90% of people get stuck. This helper grabs the matching driver for the installed browser automatically.

Step 4: make sure the browser you’ll test is present

  • Default assumption: Chrome.
  • Alternative: Edge or Firefox work too (notes below), but let’s keep the first pass simple with Chrome.
  • Make sure the browser is up to date. Auto-update is fine.

Step 5: first smoke test

Create test_selenium.py in your project folder with this:

from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver.common.by import By
from selenium.webdriver.common.keys import Keys
from selenium.webdriver.chrome.service import Service
from webdriver_manager.chrome import ChromeDriverManager

# Launch browser
driver = webdriver.Chrome(service=Service(ChromeDriverManager().install()))
driver.get("https://www.google.com")

# Do a simple search
box = driver.find_element(By.NAME, "q")
box.send_keys("QA training with Selenium")
box.send_keys(Keys.RETURN)

print(driver.title)
driver.quit()

Run it:

python test_selenium.py

Expected: Chrome opens → Google loads → search runs → title prints → window closes.

Step 6: sanity checklist

  • (venv) visible in your prompt → you’re in the right Python.
  • pip list shows selenium and webdriver-manager.
  • The script runs without a “driver not found” error.

Step 7: you’re ready for QA training

You’ve proven the plumbing. Next topics to learn (in this order):

  • Locators: By.ID, By.NAME, By.XPATH, By.CSS_SELECTOR.
  • Waits: WebDriverWait + expected conditions (pages are async, waits are your best friend).
  • Test structure: pytest or unittest.
  • Maintainability: Page Object Model (POM).
  • Running headless for CI.

when things go sideways (fast fixes)

These are the “don’t panic, do this” checks for the most common failures.

“chromedriver not found” or driver mismatch

  • You’re probably not using WebDriver manager, or it didn’t install correctly.
  • Fix:
pip install --upgrade webdriver-manager
  • Make sure your script uses it (see the Service(ChromeDriverManager().install()) line in the smoke test).

Browser opens then closes immediately

  • That’s normal; the script calls driver.quit() at the end.
  • Comment it out while you’re experimenting if you want the window to stay open.

Timeout errors when loading pages

  • Check your internet connection or firewalls.
  • Try a simpler site:
driver.get("https://example.com")
  • Add an explicit wait for elements before interacting.

Activation policy blocks the venv

  • Use a temporary bypass just for the current shell:
Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope Process -ExecutionPolicy Bypass

PATH mystery: multiple Pythons installed

  • Use the launcher explicitly:
py -3 -m venv venv
venv\Scripts\activate
py -3 -m pip install --upgrade pip

clean-room reset (when the environment feels cursed)

Sometimes the fastest route is to start over clean, without touching the global machine state.

# from your project folder
rmdir /s /q venv
python -m venv venv
venv\Scripts\activate
pip install selenium webdriver-manager

Now rerun the smoke test.

alternatives: Edge and Firefox

If your training or project uses a different browser, swap the driver manager import and the webdriver constructor.

Microsoft Edge

from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver.edge.service import Service
from webdriver_manager.microsoft import EdgeChromiumDriverManager

driver = webdriver.Edge(service=Service(EdgeChromiumDriverManager().install()))

Firefox

from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver.firefox.service import Service
from webdriver_manager.firefox import GeckoDriverManager

driver = webdriver.Firefox(service=Service(GeckoDriverManager().install()))

Everything else (locators, waits, test structure) stays the same.

tiny cheatsheet (copy/paste fuel)

  • Create + enter venv
python -m venv venv
venv\Scripts\activate
  • Install deps
pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel
pip install selenium webdriver-manager
  • Run the test
python test_selenium.py
  • Nuke and recreate venv
rmdir /s /q venv
python -m venv venv

final notes

  • Keep your browser updated. If it auto-updates and something suddenly breaks, re-run with WebDriver manager. It will fetch a compatible driver.
  • Use waits early. Flaky tests are usually just “clicked before it existed.”
  • Don’t be afraid to start fresh in a new venv. It’s a feature, not a failure.

If you like this pragmatic format, it’s the same spirit I used when tweaking my terminal setup: iterate, measure, and keep what works.

extras

  • Locators cheatsheet: see locators_cheatsheet.md
  • Second demo script with waits: run python test_selenium_waits.py
Raw
locators-cheatsheet.md

Selenium Locators: Quick Reference

  • Use these in find_element or find_elements.
  • Prefer stable, unique attributes. Keep selectors simple.

common choices

  • By.ID: reliable when the id is unique
  • By.NAME: handy for form fields
  • By.CSS_SELECTOR: fast and flexible
  • By.XPATH: powerful for tricky DOMs, use sparingly

examples

from selenium.webdriver.common.by import By

# ID
el = driver.find_element(By.ID, "search")

# NAME
el = driver.find_element(By.NAME, "q")

# CSS
el = driver.find_element(By.CSS_SELECTOR, "input[name='q']")

# XPath
el = driver.find_element(By.XPATH, "//input[@name='q']")

tips

  • Start with ID. If not available, try CSS.
  • Avoid brittle selectors that depend on layout-only classes.
  • Use explicit waits before interacting with elements that load asynchronously.
Raw
test-selenium-waits.py
from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver.common.by import By
from selenium.webdriver.chrome.service import Service
from selenium.webdriver.support.ui import WebDriverWait
from selenium.webdriver.support import expected_conditions as EC
from webdriver_manager.chrome import ChromeDriverManager
# Launch Chrome with webdriver-manager
_driver_service = Service(ChromeDriverManager().install())
driver = webdriver.Chrome(service=_driver_service)
try:
driver.get("https://duckduckgo.com/")
wait = WebDriverWait(driver, 10)
# Wait for the search box, then search
search_box = wait.until(EC.presence_of_element_located((By.NAME, "q")))
search_box.send_keys("selenium python waits")
search_box.submit()
# Wait for the results title to include the query
wait.until(EC.title_contains("selenium python waits"))
print(driver.title)
finally:
driver.quit()
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