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# firstMatch

The first element that matches the query.

```
var firstMatch: XCUIElement { get }
```

## Discussion

Use the [`firstMatch`](/documentation/XCUIAutomation/XCUIElementTypeQueryProvider/firstMatch) property when you know that there can only be one possible match for an element query. When you call [`firstMatch`](/documentation/XCUIAutomation/XCUIElementTypeQueryProvider/firstMatch), the framework stops traversing your app’s accessibility hierarchy as soon as it finds a matching element, speeding up element query resolution.

> Note:
> Only use ``doc://com.apple.xcuiautomation/documentation/XCUIAutomation/XCUIElementTypeQueryProvider/firstMatch`` in cases where you know categorically that a single element matches a query. Accessing the ``doc://com.apple.xcuiautomation/documentation/XCUIAutomation/XCUIElementTypeQueryProvider/firstMatch`` property doesn’t check for multiple conflicting matches in ambiguous cases. Use ``doc://com.apple.xcuiautomation/documentation/XCUIAutomation/XCUIElementQuery``‘s ``doc://com.apple.xcuiautomation/documentation/XCUIAutomation/XCUIElementQuery/element`` property instead if you want to check for multiple matches before using the element, and to fail the test if there isn’t a single unique match.

## See Also

[`element`](/documentation/XCUIAutomation/XCUIElementQuery/element)

The query’s single matching element.


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