chrome.runtime

Description

Use the chrome.runtime API to retrieve the service worker, return details about the manifest, and listen for and respond to events in the extension lifecycle. You can also use this API to convert the relative path of URLs to fully-qualified URLs.

Overview

The Runtime API provides methods to support a number of areas of functionality that your extensions can use:

Message passing
Your extension can communicate with different contexts within your extension and also with other extensions using these methods and events: connect(), onConnect, onConnectExternal, sendMessage(), onMessage and onMessageExternal. In addition, your extension can pass messages to native applications on the user's device using connectNative() and sendNativeMessage().
Accessing extension and platform metadata
These methods let you retrieve several specific pieces of metadata about the extension and the platform. Methods in this category include getManifest(), and getPlatformInfo().
Managing extension lifecycle and options
These properties let you perform some meta-operations on the extension, and display the options page. Methods and events in this category include onInstalled, onStartup, openOptionsPage(), reload(), requestUpdateCheck(), and setUninstallURL().
Helper utilities
These methods provide utility such as the conversion of internal resource representations to external formats. Methods in this category include getURL().
Kiosk mode utilities
These methods are available only on ChromeOS, and exist mainly to support kiosk implementations. Methods in this category include restart and restartAfterDelay.

Permissions

Most methods on the Runtime API do not require any permission, except for sendNativeMessage and connectNative, which require the nativeMessaging permission.

Manifest

The following example shows how to declare the nativeMessaging permission in the manifest:

manifest.json:

{
  "name": "My extension",
  ...
  "permissions": [
    "nativeMessaging"
  ],
  ...
}

Use cases

Add an image to a web page

For a web page to access an asset hosted on another domain, it must specify the resource's full URL (e.g. <img src="https://example.com/logo.png">). The same is true to include an extension asset on a web page. The two differences are that the extension's assets must be exposed as web accessible resources and that typically content scripts are responsible for injecting extension assets.

In this example, the extension will add logo.png to the page that the content script is being injected into by using runtime.getURL() to create a fully-qualified URL. But first, the asset must be declared as a web accessible resource in the manifest.

manifest.json:

{
  ...
  "web_accessible_resources": [
    {
      "resources": [ "logo.png" ],
      "matches": [ "https://*/*" ]
    }
  ],
  ...
}

content.js:

{ // Block used to avoid setting global variables
  const img = document.createElement('img');
  img.src = chrome.runtime.getURL('logo.png');
  document.body.append(img);
}

Send data from the service worker to a content script

Its common for an extension's content scripts to need data managed by another part of the extension, like the service worker. Much like two browser windows opened to the same web page, these two contexts cannot directly access each other's values. Instead, the extension can use message passing to coordinate across these different contexts.

In this example, the content script needs some data from the extension's service worker to initialize its UI. To get this data, it passes a get-user-data message to the service worker, and it responds with a copy of the user's information.

content.js:

// 1. Send a message to the service worker requesting the user's data
chrome.runtime.sendMessage('get-user-data', (response) => {
  // 3. Got an asynchronous response with the data from the service worker
  console.log('received user data', response);
  initializeUI(response);
});

background.js:

// Example of a simple user data object
const user = {
  username: 'demo-user'
};

chrome.runtime.onMessage.addListener((message, sender, sendResponse) => {
  // 2. A page requested user data, respond with a copy of `user`
  if (message === 'get-user-data') {
    sendResponse(user);
  }
});

Gather feedback on uninstall

Many extensions use post-uninstall surveys to understand how the extension could better serve its users and improve retention. The following example shows how to add this functionality.

background.js:

chrome.runtime.onInstalled.addListener(details => {
  if (details.reason === chrome.runtime.OnInstalledReason.INSTALL) {
    chrome.runtime.setUninstallURL('https://example.com/extension-survey');
  }
});

Extension examples

See the Manifest V3 - Web Accessible Resources demo for more Runtime API examples.

Types

ContextFilter

Chrome 114+

A filter to match against certain extension contexts. Matching contexts must match all specified filters; any filter that is not specified matches all available contexts. Thus, a filter of `{}` will match all available contexts.

Properties

  • contextIds

    string[] optional

  • contextTypes

    ContextType[] optional

  • documentIds

    string[] optional

  • documentOrigins

    string[] optional

  • documentUrls

    string[] optional

  • frameIds

    number[] optional

  • incognito

    boolean optional

  • tabIds

    number[] optional

  • windowIds

    number[] optional

ContextType

Chrome 114+

Enum

"TAB"
Specifies the context type as a tab

"POPUP"
Specifies the context type as an extension popup window

"BACKGROUND"
Specifies the context type as a service worker.

"OFFSCREEN_DOCUMENT"
Specifies the context type as an offscreen document.

"SIDE_PANEL"
Specifies the context type as a side panel.

"DEVELOPER_TOOLS"
Specifies the context type as developer tools.

ExtensionContext

Chrome 114+

A context hosting extension content.

Properties

  • contextId

    string

    A unique identifier for this context

  • contextType

    ContextType

    The type of context this corresponds to.

  • documentId

    string optional

    A UUID for the document associated with this context, or undefined if this context is hosted not in a document.

  • documentOrigin

    string optional

    The origin of the document associated with this context, or undefined if the context is not hosted in a document.

  • documentUrl

    string optional

    The URL of the document associated with this context, or undefined if the context is not hosted in a document.

  • frameId

    number

    The ID of the frame for this context, or -1 if this context is not hosted in a frame.

  • incognito

    boolean

    Whether the context is associated with an incognito profile.

  • tabId

    number

    The ID of the tab for this context, or -1 if this context is not hosted in a tab.

  • windowId

    number

    The ID of the window for this context, or -1 if this context is not hosted in a window.

MessageSender

An object containing information about the script context that sent a message or request.

Properties

  • documentId

    string optional

    Chrome 106+

    A UUID of the document that opened the connection.

  • documentLifecycle

    string optional

    Chrome 106+

    The lifecycle the document that opened the connection is in at the time the port was created. Note that the lifecycle state of the document may have changed since port creation.

  • frameId

    number optional

    The frame that opened the connection. 0 for top-level frames, positive for child frames. This will only be set when tab is set.

  • id

    string optional

    The ID of the extension that opened the connection, if any.

  • nativeApplication

    string optional

    Chrome 74+

    The name of the native application that opened the connection, if any.

  • origin

    string optional

    Chrome 80+

    The origin of the page or frame that opened the connection. It can vary from the url property (e.g., about:blank) or can be opaque (e.g., sandboxed iframes). This is useful for identifying if the origin can be trusted if we can't immediately tell from the URL.

  • tab

    Tab optional

    The tabs.Tab which opened the connection, if any. This property will only be present when the connection was opened from a tab (including content scripts), and only if the receiver is an extension, not an app.

  • tlsChannelId

    string optional

    The TLS channel ID of the page or frame that opened the connection, if requested by the extension, and if available.

  • url

    string optional

    The URL of the page or frame that opened the connection. If the sender is in an iframe, it will be iframe's URL not the URL of the page which hosts it.

OnInstalledReason

Chrome 44+

The reason that this event is being dispatched.

Enum

"install"
Specifies the event reason as an installation.

"update"
Specifies the event reason as an extension update.

"chrome_update"
Specifies the event reason as a Chrome update.

"shared_module_update"
Specifies the event reason as an update to a shared module.

OnRestartRequiredReason

Chrome 44+

The reason that the event is being dispatched. 'app_update' is used when the restart is needed because the application is updated to a newer version. 'os_update' is used when the restart is needed because the browser/OS is updated to a newer version. 'periodic' is used when the system runs for more than the permitted uptime set in the enterprise policy.

Enum

"app_update"
Specifies the event reason as an update to the app.

"os_update"
Specifies the event reason as an update to the operating system.

"periodic"
Specifies the event reason as a periodic restart of the app.

PlatformArch

Chrome 44+

The machine's processor architecture.

Enum

"arm"
Specifies the processer architecture as arm.

"arm64"
Specifies the processer architecture as arm64.

"x86-32"
Specifies the processer architecture as x86-32.

"x86-64"
Specifies the processer architecture as x86-64.

"mips"
Specifies the processer architecture as mips.

"mips64"
Specifies the processer architecture as mips64.

PlatformInfo

An object containing information about the current platform.

Properties

  • The machine's processor architecture.

  • nacl_arch

    PlatformNaclArch

    The native client architecture. This may be different from arch on some platforms.

  • The operating system Chrome is running on.

PlatformNaclArch

Chrome 44+

The native client architecture. This may be different from arch on some platforms.

Enum

"arm"
Specifies the native client architecture as arm.

"x86-32"
Specifies the native client architecture as x86-32.

"x86-64"
Specifies the native client architecture as x86-64.

"mips"
Specifies the native client architecture as mips.

"mips64"
Specifies the native client architecture as mips64.

PlatformOs

Chrome 44+

The operating system Chrome is running on.

Enum

"mac"
Specifies the MacOS operating system.

"win"
Specifies the Windows operating system.

"android"
Specifies the Android operating system.

"cros"
Specifies the Chrome operating system.

"linux"
Specifies the Linux operating system.

"openbsd"
Specifies the OpenBSD operating system.

"fuchsia"
Specifies the Fuchsia operating system.

Port

An object which allows two way communication with other pages. See Long-lived connections for more information.

Properties

  • name

    string

    The name of the port, as specified in the call to runtime.connect.

  • onDisconnect

    Event<functionvoidvoid>

    Fired when the port is disconnected from the other end(s). runtime.lastError may be set if the port was disconnected by an error. If the port is closed via disconnect, then this event is only fired on the other end. This event is fired at most once (see also Port lifetime).

    The onDisconnect.addListener function looks like: 

    (callback: function) => {...}

    • callback

      function

      The callback parameter looks like: 

      (port: Port) => void

  • onMessage

    Event<functionvoidvoid>

    This event is fired when postMessage is called by the other end of the port.

    The onMessage.addListener function looks like: 

    (callback: function) => {...}

    • callback

      function

      The callback parameter looks like: 

      (message: any, port: Port) => void

      • message

        any

      • port

        Port

  • sender

    MessageSender optional

    This property will only be present on ports passed to onConnect / onConnectExternal / onConnectNative listeners.

  • disconnect

    void

    Immediately disconnect the port. Calling disconnect() on an already-disconnected port has no effect. When a port is disconnected, no new events will be dispatched to this port.

    The disconnect function looks like: 

    () => {...}

  • postMessage

    void

    Send a message to the other end of the port. If the port is disconnected, an error is thrown.

    The postMessage function looks like: 

    (message: any) => {...}

    • message

      any

      Chrome 52+

      The message to send. This object should be JSON-ifiable.

RequestUpdateCheckStatus

Chrome 44+

Result of the update check.

Enum

"throttled"
Specifies that the status check has been throttled. This can occur after repeated checks within a short amount of time.

"no_update"
Specifies that there are no available updates to install.

"update_available"
Specifies that there is an available update to install.

Properties

id

The ID of the extension/app.

Type

string

lastError

Populated with an error message if calling an API function fails; otherwise undefined. This is only defined within the scope of that function's callback. If an error is produced, but runtime.lastError is not accessed within the callback, a message is logged to the console listing the API function that produced the error. API functions that return promises do not set this property.

Type

object

Properties

  • message

    string optional

    Details about the error which occurred.

Methods

connect()

chrome.runtime.connect(
  extensionId?: string,
  connectInfo?: object,
)

Attempts to connect listeners within an extension (such as the background page), or other extensions/apps. This is useful for content scripts connecting to their extension processes, inter-app/extension communication, and web messaging. Note that this does not connect to any listeners in a content script. Extensions may connect to content scripts embedded in tabs via tabs.connect.

Parameters

  • extensionId

    string optional

    The ID of the extension to connect to. If omitted, a connection will be attempted with your own extension. Required if sending messages from a web page for web messaging.

  • connectInfo

    object optional

    • includeTlsChannelId

      boolean optional

      Whether the TLS channel ID will be passed into onConnectExternal for processes that are listening for the connection event.

    • name

      string optional

      Will be passed into onConnect for processes that are listening for the connection event.

Returns

  • Port through which messages can be sent and received. The port's onDisconnect event is fired if the extension does not exist.

connectNative()

chrome.runtime.connectNative(
  application: string,
)

Connects to a native application in the host machine. This method requires the "nativeMessaging" permission. See Native Messaging for more information.

Parameters

  • application

    string

    The name of the registered application to connect to.

Returns

  • Port through which messages can be sent and received with the application

getBackgroundPage()

Promise Foreground only Deprecated
chrome.runtime.getBackgroundPage(
  callback?: function,
)

Background pages do not exist in MV3 extensions.

Retrieves the JavaScript 'window' object for the background page running inside the current extension/app. If the background page is an event page, the system will ensure it is loaded before calling the callback. If there is no background page, an error is set.

Parameters

  • callback

    function optional

    The callback parameter looks like: 

    (backgroundPage?: Window) => void

    • backgroundPage

      Window optional

      The JavaScript 'window' object for the background page.

Returns

  • Promise<Window | undefined>

    Chrome 99+

    Promises are only supported for Manifest V3 and later, other platforms need to use callbacks.

getManifest()

chrome.runtime.getManifest()

Returns details about the app or extension from the manifest. The object returned is a serialization of the full manifest file.

Returns

  • object

    The manifest details.

getPackageDirectoryEntry()

Promise Foreground only 
chrome.runtime.getPackageDirectoryEntry(
  callback?: function,
)

Returns a DirectoryEntry for the package directory.

Parameters

  • callback

    function optional

    The callback parameter looks like: 

    (directoryEntry: DirectoryEntry) => void

    • directoryEntry

      DirectoryEntry

Returns

  • Promise<DirectoryEntry>

    Chrome 122+

    Promises are only supported for Manifest V3 and later, other platforms need to use callbacks.

getPlatformInfo()

Promise 
chrome.runtime.getPlatformInfo(
  callback?: function,
)

Returns information about the current platform.

Parameters

  • callback

    function optional

    The callback parameter looks like: 

    (platformInfo: PlatformInfo) => void

Returns

  • Promise<PlatformInfo>

    Chrome 99+

    Promises are only supported for Manifest V3 and later, other platforms need to use callbacks.

getURL()

chrome.runtime.getURL(
  path: string,
)

Converts a relative path within an app/extension install directory to a fully-qualified URL.

Parameters

  • path

    string

    A path to a resource within an app/extension expressed relative to its install directory.

Returns

  • string

    The fully-qualified URL to the resource.

openOptionsPage()

Promise 
chrome.runtime.openOptionsPage(
  callback?: function,
)

Open your Extension's options page, if possible.

The precise behavior may depend on your manifest's options_ui or options_page key, or what Chrome happens to support at the time. For example, the page may be opened in a new tab, within chrome://extensions, within an App, or it may just focus an open options page. It will never cause the caller page to reload.

If your Extension does not declare an options page, or Chrome failed to create one for some other reason, the callback will set lastError.

Parameters

  • callback

    function optional

    The callback parameter looks like: 

    () => void

Returns

  • Promise<void>

    Chrome 99+

    Promises are only supported for Manifest V3 and later, other platforms need to use callbacks.

reload()

chrome.runtime.reload()

Reloads the app or extension. This method is not supported in kiosk mode. For kiosk mode, use chrome.runtime.restart() method.

requestUpdateCheck()

Promise 
chrome.runtime.requestUpdateCheck(
  callback?: function,
)

Requests an immediate update check be done for this app/extension.

Important: Most extensions/apps should not use this method, since Chrome already does automatic checks every few hours, and you can listen for the runtime.onUpdateAvailable event without needing to call requestUpdateCheck.

This method is only appropriate to call in very limited circumstances, such as if your extension talks to a backend service, and the backend service has determined that the client extension version is very far out of date and you'd like to prompt a user to update. Most other uses of requestUpdateCheck, such as calling it unconditionally based on a repeating timer, probably only serve to waste client, network, and server resources.

Note: When called with a callback, instead of returning an object this function will return the two properties as separate arguments passed to the callback.

Parameters

  • callback

    function optional

    The callback parameter looks like: 

    (result: object) => void

    • result

      object

      Chrome 109+

      RequestUpdateCheckResult object that holds the status of the update check and any details of the result if there is an update available

      • Result of the update check.

      • version

        string optional

        If an update is available, this contains the version of the available update.

Returns

  • Promise<object>

    Chrome 109+

    Promises are only supported for Manifest V3 and later, other platforms need to use callbacks.

restart()

chrome.runtime.restart()

Restart the ChromeOS device when the app runs in kiosk mode. Otherwise, it's no-op.

restartAfterDelay()

Promise Chrome 53+ 
chrome.runtime.restartAfterDelay(
  seconds: number,
  callback?: function,
)

Restart the ChromeOS device when the app runs in kiosk mode after the given seconds. If called again before the time ends, the reboot will be delayed. If called with a value of -1, the reboot will be cancelled. It's a no-op in non-kiosk mode. It's only allowed to be called repeatedly by the first extension to invoke this API.

Parameters

  • seconds

    number

    Time to wait in seconds before rebooting the device, or -1 to cancel a scheduled reboot.

  • callback

    function optional

    The callback parameter looks like: 

    () => void

Returns

  • Promise<void>

    Chrome 99+

    Promises are only supported for Manifest V3 and later, other platforms need to use callbacks.

sendMessage()

Promise 
chrome.runtime.sendMessage(
  extensionId?: string,
  message: any,
  options?: object,
  callback?: function,
)

Sends a single message to event listeners within your extension or a different extension/app. Similar to runtime.connect but only sends a single message, with an optional response. If sending to your extension, the runtime.onMessage event will be fired in every frame of your extension (except for the sender's frame), or runtime.onMessageExternal, if a different extension. Note that extensions cannot send messages to content scripts using this method. To send messages to content scripts, use tabs.sendMessage.

Parameters

  • extensionId

    string optional

    The ID of the extension to send the message to. If omitted, the message will be sent to your own extension/app. Required if sending messages from a web page for web messaging.

  • message

    any

    The message to send. This message should be a JSON-ifiable object.

  • options

    object optional

    • includeTlsChannelId

      boolean optional

      Whether the TLS channel ID will be passed into onMessageExternal for processes that are listening for the connection event.

  • callback

    function optional

    Chrome 99+

    The callback parameter looks like: 

    (response: any) => void

    • response

      any

      The JSON response object sent by the handler of the message. If an error occurs while connecting to the extension, the callback will be called with no arguments and runtime.lastError will be set to the error message.

Returns

  • Promise<any>

    Chrome 99+

    Promises are only supported for Manifest V3 and later, other platforms need to use callbacks.

sendNativeMessage()

Promise 
chrome.runtime.sendNativeMessage(
  application: string,
  message: object,
  callback?: function,
)

Send a single message to a native application. This method requires the "nativeMessaging" permission.

Parameters

  • application

    string

    The name of the native messaging host.

  • message

    object

    The message that will be passed to the native messaging host.

  • callback

    function optional

    Chrome 99+

    The callback parameter looks like: 

    (response: any) => void

    • response

      any

      The response message sent by the native messaging host. If an error occurs while connecting to the native messaging host, the callback will be called with no arguments and runtime.lastError will be set to the error message.

Returns

  • Promise<any>

    Chrome 99+

    Promises are only supported for Manifest V3 and later, other platforms need to use callbacks.

setUninstallURL()

Promise 
chrome.runtime.setUninstallURL(
  url: string,
  callback?: function,
)

Sets the URL to be visited upon uninstallation. This may be used to clean up server-side data, do analytics, and implement surveys. Maximum 1023 characters.

Parameters

  • url

    string

    URL to be opened after the extension is uninstalled. This URL must have an http: or https: scheme. Set an empty string to not open a new tab upon uninstallation.

  • callback

    function optional

    Chrome 45+

    The callback parameter looks like: 

    () => void

Returns

  • Promise<void>

    Chrome 99+

    Promises are only supported for Manifest V3 and later, other platforms need to use callbacks.

Events

onBrowserUpdateAvailable

Deprecated
chrome.runtime.onBrowserUpdateAvailable.addListener(
  callback: function,
)

Please use runtime.onRestartRequired.

Fired when a Chrome update is available, but isn't installed immediately because a browser restart is required.

Parameters

  • callback

    function

    The callback parameter looks like: 

    () => void

onConnect

chrome.runtime.onConnect.addListener(
  callback: function,
)

Fired when a connection is made from either an extension process or a content script (by runtime.connect).

Parameters

  • callback

    function

    The callback parameter looks like: 

    (port: Port) => void

onConnectExternal

chrome.runtime.onConnectExternal.addListener(
  callback: function,
)

Fired when a connection is made from another extension (by runtime.connect), or from an externally connectable web site.

Parameters

  • callback

    function

    The callback parameter looks like: 

    (port: Port) => void

onConnectNative

Chrome 76+ 
chrome.runtime.onConnectNative.addListener(
  callback: function,
)

Fired when a connection is made from a native application. This event requires the "nativeMessaging" permission. It is only supported on Chrome OS.

Parameters

  • callback

    function

    The callback parameter looks like: 

    (port: Port) => void

onInstalled

chrome.runtime.onInstalled.addListener(
  callback: function,
)

Fired when the extension is first installed, when the extension is updated to a new version, and when Chrome is updated to a new version.

Parameters

  • callback

    function

    The callback parameter looks like: 

    (details: object) => void

    • details

      object

      • id

        string optional

        Indicates the ID of the imported shared module extension which updated. This is present only if 'reason' is 'shared_module_update'.

      • previousVersion

        string optional

        Indicates the previous version of the extension, which has just been updated. This is present only if 'reason' is 'update'.

      • The reason that this event is being dispatched.

onMessage

chrome.runtime.onMessage.addListener(
  callback: function,
)

Fired when a message is sent from either an extension process (by runtime.sendMessage) or a content script (by tabs.sendMessage).

Parameters

  • callback

    function

    The callback parameter looks like: 

    (message: any, sender: MessageSender, sendResponse: function) => boolean | undefined

    • message

      any

    • sender

      MessageSender

    • sendResponse

      function

      The sendResponse parameter looks like: 

      () => void

    • returns

      boolean | undefined

onMessageExternal

chrome.runtime.onMessageExternal.addListener(
  callback: function,
)

Fired when a message is sent from another extension (by runtime.sendMessage). Cannot be used in a content script.

Parameters

  • callback

    function

    The callback parameter looks like: 

    (message: any, sender: MessageSender, sendResponse: function) => boolean | undefined

    • message

      any

    • sender

      MessageSender

    • sendResponse

      function

      The sendResponse parameter looks like: 

      () => void

    • returns

      boolean | undefined

onRestartRequired

chrome.runtime.onRestartRequired.addListener(
  callback: function,
)

Fired when an app or the device that it runs on needs to be restarted. The app should close all its windows at its earliest convenient time to let the restart to happen. If the app does nothing, a restart will be enforced after a 24-hour grace period has passed. Currently, this event is only fired for Chrome OS kiosk apps.

Parameters

onStartup

chrome.runtime.onStartup.addListener(
  callback: function,
)

Fired when a profile that has this extension installed first starts up. This event is not fired when an incognito profile is started, even if this extension is operating in 'split' incognito mode.

Parameters

  • callback

    function

    The callback parameter looks like: 

    () => void

onSuspend

chrome.runtime.onSuspend.addListener(
  callback: function,
)

Sent to the event page just before it is unloaded. This gives the extension opportunity to do some clean up. Note that since the page is unloading, any asynchronous operations started while handling this event are not guaranteed to complete. If more activity for the event page occurs before it gets unloaded the onSuspendCanceled event will be sent and the page won't be unloaded.

Parameters

  • callback

    function

    The callback parameter looks like: 

    () => void

onSuspendCanceled

chrome.runtime.onSuspendCanceled.addListener(
  callback: function,
)

Sent after onSuspend to indicate that the app won't be unloaded after all.

Parameters

  • callback

    function

    The callback parameter looks like: 

    () => void

onUpdateAvailable

chrome.runtime.onUpdateAvailable.addListener(
  callback: function,
)

Fired when an update is available, but isn't installed immediately because the app is currently running. If you do nothing, the update will be installed the next time the background page gets unloaded, if you want it to be installed sooner you can explicitly call chrome.runtime.reload(). If your extension is using a persistent background page, the background page of course never gets unloaded, so unless you call chrome.runtime.reload() manually in response to this event the update will not get installed until the next time Chrome itself restarts. If no handlers are listening for this event, and your extension has a persistent background page, it behaves as if chrome.runtime.reload() is called in response to this event.

Parameters

  • callback

    function

    The callback parameter looks like: 

    (details: object) => void

    • details

      object

      • version

        string

        The version number of the available update.