chrome.extension

Description

The chrome.extension API has utilities that can be used by any extension page. It includes support for exchanging messages between an extension and its content scripts or between extensions, as described in detail in Message Passing.

Types

ViewType

Chrome 44+

The type of extension view.

Enum

"tab"

"popup"

Properties

inIncognitoContext

True for content scripts running inside incognito tabs, and for extension pages running inside an incognito process. The latter only applies to extensions with 'split' incognito_behavior.

Type

boolean

Methods

getBackgroundPage()

Foreground only 
chrome.extension.getBackgroundPage()

Returns the JavaScript 'window' object for the background page running inside the current extension. Returns null if the extension has no background page.

Returns

  • Window | undefined

getViews()

Foreground only 
chrome.extension.getViews(
  fetchProperties?: object,
)

Returns an array of the JavaScript 'window' objects for each of the pages running inside the current extension.

Parameters

  • fetchProperties

    object optional

    • tabId

      number optional

      Chrome 54+

      Find a view according to a tab id. If this field is omitted, returns all views.

    • type

      ViewType optional

      The type of view to get. If omitted, returns all views (including background pages and tabs).

    • windowId

      number optional

      The window to restrict the search to. If omitted, returns all views.

Returns

  • Window[]

    Array of global objects

isAllowedFileSchemeAccess()

Promise 
chrome.extension.isAllowedFileSchemeAccess(
  callback?: function,
)

Retrieves the state of the extension's access to the 'file://' scheme. This corresponds to the user-controlled per-extension 'Allow access to File URLs' setting accessible via the chrome://extensions page.

Parameters

  • callback

    function optional

    The callback parameter looks like: 

    (isAllowedAccess: boolean) => void

    • isAllowedAccess

      boolean

      True if the extension can access the 'file://' scheme, false otherwise.

Returns

  • Promise<boolean>

    Chrome 99+

    Promises are supported in Manifest V3 and later, but callbacks are provided for backward compatibility. You cannot use both on the same function call. The promise resolves with the same type that is passed to the callback.

isAllowedIncognitoAccess()

Promise 
chrome.extension.isAllowedIncognitoAccess(
  callback?: function,
)

Retrieves the state of the extension's access to Incognito-mode. This corresponds to the user-controlled per-extension 'Allowed in Incognito' setting accessible via the chrome://extensions page.

Parameters

  • callback

    function optional

    The callback parameter looks like: 

    (isAllowedAccess: boolean) => void

    • isAllowedAccess

      boolean

      True if the extension has access to Incognito mode, false otherwise.

Returns

  • Promise<boolean>

    Chrome 99+

    Promises are supported in Manifest V3 and later, but callbacks are provided for backward compatibility. You cannot use both on the same function call. The promise resolves with the same type that is passed to the callback.

setUpdateUrlData()

chrome.extension.setUpdateUrlData(
  data: string,
)

Sets the value of the ap CGI parameter used in the extension's update URL. This value is ignored for extensions that are hosted in the Chrome Extension Gallery.

Parameters

  • data

    string

Events