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

Enum

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.

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

  Theframe that opened the connection. 0 for top-level frames, positive for child frames. This will only be set whentab 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

  Thetabs.Tab which opened the connection, if any. This property willonly be present when the connection was opened from a tab (including content scripts), andonly 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.

The reason that this event is being dispatched.

Enum

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

The machine's processor architecture.

Enum

An object containing information about the current platform.

Properties

• arch

  PlatformArch

  The machine's processor architecture.

• nacl_arch

  PlatformNaclArch

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

• os

  PlatformOs

  The operating system Chrome is running on.

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

Enum

The operating system Chrome is running on.

Enum

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

Properties

• name

  string

  The name of the port, as specified in the call toruntime.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 viadisconnect, then this event isonly fired on the other end. This event is fired at most once (see alsoPort lifetime).

  TheonDisconnect.addListener function looks like:

  (callback: function) => {...}

  • callback

    function

    Thecallback parameter looks like:

    (port: Port) => void

    • port

      Port

• onMessage

  Event<functionvoidvoid>

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

  TheonMessage.addListener function looks like:

  (callback: function) => {...}

  • callback

    function

    Thecallback parameter looks like:

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

    • message

      any

    • port

      Port

• sender

  MessageSender optional

  This property willonly be present on ports passed toonConnect /onConnectExternal /onConnectNative listeners.

• disconnect

  void

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

  Thedisconnect function looks like:

  () => {...}

• postMessage

  void

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

  ThepostMessage function looks like:

  (message: any) => {...}

  • message

    any

    Chrome 52+

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

Result of the update check.

Enum

The ID of the extension/app.

Type

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, butruntime.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

Properties

• message

  string optional

  Details about the error which occurred.

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, andweb messaging. Note that this does not connect to any listeners in a content script. Extensions may connect to content scripts embedded in tabs viatabs.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 forweb 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

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

chrome.runtime.connectNative(
  application: string,
)

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

Parameters

• application

  string

  The name of the registered application to connect to.

Returns

• Port

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

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

  Thecallback 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 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.

chrome.runtime.getContexts(
  filter: ContextFilter,
  callback?: function,
)

Fetches information about active contexts associated with this extension

Parameters

• filter

  ContextFilter

  A filter to find matching contexts. A context matches if it matches all specified fields in the filter. Any unspecified field in the filter matches all contexts.

• callback

  function optional

  Thecallback parameter looks like:

  (contexts: ExtensionContext[]) => void

  • contexts

    ExtensionContext[]

    The matching contexts, if any.

Returns

• Promise<ExtensionContext[]>

  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.

chrome.runtime.getManifest()

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

Returns

• object

  The manifest details.

chrome.runtime.getPackageDirectoryEntry(
  callback?: function,
)

Returns a DirectoryEntry for the package directory.

Parameters

• callback

  function optional

  Thecallback parameter looks like:

  (directoryEntry: DirectoryEntry) => void

  • directoryEntry

    DirectoryEntry

Returns

• Promise<DirectoryEntry>

  Chrome 122+

  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.

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

Returns information about the current platform.

Parameters

• callback

  function optional

  Thecallback parameter looks like:

  (platformInfo: PlatformInfo) => void

  • platformInfo

    PlatformInfo

Returns

• Promise<PlatformInfo>

  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.

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.

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

Open your Extension's options page, if possible.

The precise behavior may depend on your manifest'soptions_ui oroptions_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 setlastError.

Parameters

• callback

  function optional

  Thecallback parameter looks like:

  () => void

Returns

• Promise<void>

  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.

chrome.runtime.reload()

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

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

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

Important: Most extensions/apps shouldnot use this method, since Chrome already does automatic checks every few hours, and you can listen for theruntime.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

  Thecallback 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

    • status

      RequestUpdateCheckStatus

      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 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.

chrome.runtime.restart()

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

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

  Thecallback parameter looks like:

  () => void

Returns

• Promise<void>

  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.

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 toruntime.connect but only sends a single message, with an optional response. If sending to your extension, theruntime.onMessage event will be fired in every frame of your extension (except for the sender's frame), orruntime.onMessageExternal, if a different extension. Note that extensions cannot send messages to content scripts using this method. To send messages to content scripts, usetabs.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 forweb 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+

  Thecallback 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 andruntime.lastError will be set to the error message.

Returns

• Promise<any>

  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.

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+

  Thecallback 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 andruntime.lastError will be set to the error message.

Returns

• Promise<any>

  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.

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+

  Thecallback parameter looks like:

  () => void

Returns

• Promise<void>

  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.

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

Please useruntime.onRestartRequired.

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

Parameters

• callback

  function

  Thecallback parameter looks like:

  () => void

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

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

Parameters

• callback

  function

  Thecallback parameter looks like:

  (port: Port) => void

  • port

    Port

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

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

Parameters

• callback

  function

  Thecallback parameter looks like:

  (port: Port) => void

  • port

    Port

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

  Thecallback parameter looks like:

  (port: Port) => void

  • port

    Port

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

  Thecallback 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'.

    • reason

      OnInstalledReason

      The reason that this event is being dispatched.

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

Fired when a message is sent from either an extension process (byruntime.sendMessage) or a content script (bytabs.sendMessage).

Parameters

• callback

  function

  Thecallback parameter looks like:

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

  • message

    any

  • sender

    MessageSender

  • sendResponse

    function

    ThesendResponse parameter looks like:

    () => void

  • returns

    boolean | undefined

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

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

Parameters

• callback

  function

  Thecallback parameter looks like:

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

  • message

    any

  • sender

    MessageSender

  • sendResponse

    function

    ThesendResponse parameter looks like:

    () => void

  • returns

    boolean | undefined

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

• callback

  function

  Thecallback parameter looks like:

  (reason: OnRestartRequiredReason) => void

  • reason

    OnRestartRequiredReason

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

  Thecallback parameter looks like:

  () => void

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

  Thecallback parameter looks like:

  () => void

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

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

Parameters

• callback

  function

  Thecallback parameter looks like:

  () => void

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

  Thecallback parameter looks like:

  (details: object) => void

  • details

    object

    • version

      string

      The version number of the available update.

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

Fired when a connection is made from a user script from this extension.

Parameters

• callback

  function

  Thecallback parameter looks like:

  (port: Port) => void

  • port

    Port

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

Fired when a message is sent from a user script associated with the same extension.

Parameters

• callback

  function

  Thecallback parameter looks like:

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

  • message

    any

  • sender

    MessageSender

  • sendResponse

    function

    ThesendResponse parameter looks like:

    () => void

  • returns

    boolean | undefined