** **`return`:** the element's tag name, as a lowercase string
---
# getText
Get the text content from a DOM-element. Make sure the element you want to request the text from [is interactable](http://www.w3.org/TR/webdriver/#interactable) otherwise you will get an empty string as return value. If the element is disabled or not visible and you still want to receive the text content use [getHTML](https://webdriver.io/docs/api/element/getHTML) as a workaround.
## Usage[](#usage "Direct link to Usage")
```
await $(selector).getText()
```
## Examples[](#examples "Direct link to Examples")
index.html
```
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
consetetur sadipscing elitr
I am invisible
```
getText.js
```
it('should demonstrate the getText function', async () => {
const elem = await $('#elem');
console.log(await elem.getText());
// outputs the following:
// "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,consetetur sadipscing elitr"
const span = await $('span');
console.log(await span.getText());
// outputs "" (empty string) since element is not interactable
});
it('get content from table cell', async () => {
await browser.url('http://the-internet.herokuapp.com/tables');
const rows = await $$('#table1 tr');
const columns = await rows[1].$$('td'); // get columns of 2nd row
console.log(await columns[2].getText()); // get text of 3rd column
});
```
## Returns[](#returns "Direct link to Returns")
* **\** **`return`:** content of selected element (all HTML tags are removed)
---
# getValue
Get the value of a `