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appium_find_element

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Find an element by strategy and selector. Pass its ID as elementUUID to interaction tools. Returns driver attributes as JSON.

Instructions

Find an element by strategy and selector. Pass its ID as elementUUID to interaction tools. Returns driver attributes as JSON. For drivers supporting elementResponseAttributes, use appium_driver_settings to configure it with shouldUseCompactResponses=false. Prefer accessibility id > id > platform-native > xpath (last resort: slow/brittle). See strategy for platform-specific guidance. To scroll until a target is found, use appium_gesture action=scroll_to_element with the same strategy and selector, rather than repeatedly calling this tool. Vision fallback: appium_ai action=find_element (if enabled).

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
selectorYesSelector for the strategy. Do not pass natural-language descriptions; use appium_ai action=find_element for vision.
strategyYesaccessibility id: cross-platform, fast and stable. id: Android resource-id; iOS accessibility-id alias. iOS prefer accessibility id > -ios predicate string > -ios class chain; Android prefer accessibility id > id > -android uiautomator. Use xpath last (slow/brittle). name: legacy; class name: broad matches; css selector: webview only.
sessionIdNoSession ID; defaults to the active session.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed2 schema fields changedv1.97.1
    • changedInput schema / properties / selector / description
      Previous value: -"Selector string for the chosen strategy. Do not pass natural-language descriptions of the target here; use appium_ai action=find_element if enabled for vision-based finding."New value: +"Selector for the strategy. Do not pass natural-language descriptions; use appium_ai action=find_element for vision."
    • changedInput schema / properties / strategy / description
      Previous value: -"Locator strategy. Prefer stable identifiers, then platform-native queries; xpath is the last resort.\n- accessibility id: cross-platform, fast and stable when available.\n- id: Android resource-id; an accessibility-id alias on iOS.\n- -ios predicate string: fast native iOS queries on element attributes.\n- -ios class chain: native iOS hierarchy queries.\n- -android uiautomator: native Android queries using UiSelector.\n- xpath: last resort; slow on iOS XCUITest and brittle to layout changes.\n- name: legacy; often aliased on iOS.\n- class name: usually too generic and may match multiple elements.\n- css selector: webview/hybrid web contexts only, not native screens.\niOS prefer accessibility id > -ios predicate string > -ios class chain; Android prefer accessibility id > id > -android uiautomator. Use xpath last on both."New value: +"accessibility id: cross-platform, fast and stable. id: Android resource-id; iOS accessibility-id alias.\niOS prefer accessibility id > -ios predicate string > -ios class chain; Android prefer accessibility id > id > -android uiautomator. Use xpath last (slow/brittle).\nname: legacy; class name: broad matches; css selector: webview only."
  2. Changed3 schema fields changedv1.95.0
    • changedInput schema / properties / selector / description
      Previous value: -"Selector string for the chosen strategy. Do not pass natural-language descriptions of the target here; use appium_ai (action=find_element) for that."New value: +"Selector string for the chosen strategy. Do not pass natural-language descriptions of the target here; use appium_ai action=find_element if enabled for vision-based finding."
    • changedInput schema / properties / sessionId / description
      Previous value: -"Session ID to target. If omitted, uses the active session."New value: +"Session ID; defaults to the active session."
    • changedInput schema / properties / strategy / description
      Previous value: -"Locator strategy. Try in priority order: (1) accessibility id [cross-platform, fastest, most stable], (2) id [Android resource-id; iOS aliases accessibility id], (3) -ios predicate string [iOS native, fast], (4) -ios class chain [iOS native, hierarchy queries], (5) -android uiautomator [Android native, expressive UiSelector], (6) xpath [LAST RESORT — slow on iOS XCUITest, brittle to layout changes], (7) name [legacy; often aliased on iOS], (8) class name [too generic, usually multi-match], (9) css selector [webview/hybrid contexts only]. Platform tips: iOS prefer (1)→(3)→(4); Android prefer (1)→(2)→(5); xpath last on both. For natural-language / vision-based find, use the appium_ai tool (action=find_element), not this one."New value: +"Locator strategy. Prefer stable identifiers, then platform-native queries; xpath is the last resort.\n- accessibility id: cross-platform, fast and stable when available.\n- id: Android resource-id; an accessibility-id alias on iOS.\n- -ios predicate string: fast native iOS queries on element attributes.\n- -ios class chain: native iOS hierarchy queries.\n- -android uiautomator: native Android queries using UiSelector.\n- xpath: last resort; slow on iOS XCUITest and brittle to layout changes.\n- name: legacy; often aliased on iOS.\n- class name: usually too generic and may match multiple elements.\n- css selector: webview/hybrid web contexts only, not native screens.\niOS prefer accessibility id > -ios predicate string > -ios class chain; Android prefer accessibility id > id > -android uiautomator. Use xpath last on both."
  3. First observedv1.92.11

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