What causes "Element is not enabled." in dotnet/wpf?

Enable the control before invoking: linkLabel.Enabled = true.

dotnet/wpf · error · ElementNotEnabledException

Element is not enabled.

Error message

Element is not enabled.

What it means

WindowsFormsLinkLabel's Invoke pattern first verifies the underlying Win32 control is enabled via IsWindowEnabled; if not, it throws ElementNotEnabledException to comply with the UIA Invoke pattern contract.

Solutions

Enable the control before invoking: linkLabel.Enabled = true.
Check the element's IsEnabled property (via AutomationElement) and skip or wait until it is true.
Catch ElementNotEnabledException around Invoke() and retry after enabling.
If the control is disabled because a parent container is disabled, enable the container first.

Example fix

// before
invokePattern.Invoke();
// after
if (element.Current.IsEnabled)
{
    invokePattern.Invoke();
}
else
{
    // enable or wait
}

Defensive patterns

Strategy: try-catch

Validate before calling

bool canInvoke = element.Current.IsEnabled;
if (!canInvoke) { /* enable via app state or abort */ }

Type guard

static bool IsInvokable(AutomationElement e) => (bool)e.GetCurrentValue(InvokePattern.IsEnabledProperty) && e.TryGetCurrentPattern(InvokePattern.Pattern, out _);

Try / catch

try { invokePattern.Invoke(); }
catch (ElementNotEnabledException) { /* enable control or surface state error */ }

Prevention

Check AutomationElement.IsEnabledProperty before Invoke
Wait for the enabling condition rather than invoking immediately
Ensure parent containers are not disabling the control
Design automation flows to include state-assertion steps

When it happens

Trigger: Calling Invoke() on a LinkLabel automation element while the control's Enabled property is false (control disabled in code, designer, or because its container is disabled).

Common situations: Forms with disabled controls pending validation or prerequisite state; automation scripts running before the form finishes enabling controls; disabled LinkLabels used as visual placeholders.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of dotnet/wpf@81131a70a4 (2026-09-14). Data as JSON: /api/errors/06c56a99603586e3. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at src/Microsoft.DotNet.Wpf/src/UIAutomation/UIAutomationClientSideProviders/MS/Internal/AutomationProxies/WindowsFormsLinkLabel.cs:110

            return true;
        }

        #endregion ProxySimple Interface

        #region Invoke Pattern

        // Same as clicking on an hyperlink
        void IInvokeProvider.Invoke()
        {
            // Check that button can be clicked.
            //
            // This state could change anytime.
            //

            // Make sure that the control is enabled
            if (!SafeNativeMethods.IsWindowEnabled(_hwnd))
            {
                throw new ElementNotEnabledException();
            }

            if (!SafeNativeMethods.IsWindowVisible(_hwnd))
            {
                throw new InvalidOperationException(SR.OperationCannotBePerformed);
            }

            Misc.SetFocus(_hwnd);

            NativeMethods.Win32Point pt = new NativeMethods.Win32Point();
            if (GetClickablePoint(out pt, false))
            {
                Misc.MouseClick(pt.x, pt.y);
            }
        }

        #endregion Invoke Pattern
   }

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