Run your first tests

With a project open and an environment active, you are ready to execute.

Save before you run

By default, Save Before Run is on (Settings → Editor), so pending edits are written when a run starts. You can also save manually with ⌘S / Ctrl+S (File → Save) or Save All.

Quick run from the toolbar

The quiet toolbar keeps the essentials visible:

• Default (or a named run configuration) — execution context for the next run; Default uses the active environment with no extra tags or variables. See Run configurations.
• Run — run the tests in the current open .robot file (F5, or Run → Run File). It does not run a text selection or an Explorer file selection. Parent __init__.robot Suite Setup still runs.
• Play (left of a test name) — run only that test. Same action: Run → Run Test at Cursor.
• Project — run the whole project (menu: Run → Run Project)
• Stop — cancel an in-progress run (Shift+F5)

Live logs stream while tests execute. When a run finishes, Robot Studio stays on your current view and offers a View Report toast so you can open results when you are ready.

Use Tests

1. Open the Tests activity-bar view (View → Tests).
2. Expand a suite to load its children (the tree loads lazily for large projects).
3. Run a single test, a suite, all tests, the current file, or failed tests from a previous run from the tree/toolbar actions.
4. Filter by name or status while the tree is open.

Large project runs ask for confirmation when the estimated count is high (default threshold: 100 tests — change it in Settings → Execution → Large Run Threshold; the UI and backend use the same setting).

After the run

• Open HTML report / log from the run details or toast.
• Use Failed Tests to Jump to Source or Re-run Test for a single failure.
• Clickable run status in the chrome jumps back to Tests when you want the tree again.

When a test fails

1. Open Failed Tests on the Execution view (or the same section on the run in Reports).
2. Read the failure message, then Jump to Source to land on the failing test.
3. Fix the suite or keyword, save (⌘S / Ctrl+S).
4. Re-run Test for that failure, or press Run / F5 for the whole file.
5. Open Reports when you need the HTML log or run history.

Next step

→ Write and edit tests · or skim keyboard shortcuts