Coding⏱️ 2 min read📅 2026-05-31

How to Fix: Why does casting int to invalid enum value NOT throw exception?

Casting an int to an enum value outside its range does not throw an exception because the compiler checks for exact matches.

Quick Answer: The compiler will only check if the cast is valid, not if it's a specific value. In this case, 50 is not equal to any of the defined Beer values, so no exception is thrown.

In C#, when you cast an integer to an enum, the compiler will only throw an exception if the integer value is outside of the range defined by the enum. In your example, the enum has values from 10 to 20, so casting an integer that falls outside this range does not result in a compile-time error.

⚠️ Common Causes

  • Enum values are not explicitly defined in the code, but rather are assigned implicitly.

🛠️ Step-by-Step Verified Fixes

Method 1: Enum Validation

  1. Step 1: Add a validation check using the enum's IsDefined method to ensure the integer value falls within the defined range.

Method 2: Use the Enum.IsDefined function

  1. Step 1: Use the Enum.IsDefined function to check if the integer value is defined in the enum.

💡 Conclusion

To avoid unexpected behavior when casting integers to enums, it's essential to validate the integer value using one of these methods. By doing so, you can ensure that only valid enum values are used, preventing potential errors and exceptions.

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