Permissions API

The Permissions API provides a consistent programmatic way to query the status of API permissions attributed to the current context. For example, the Permissions API can be used to determine if permission to access a particular API has been granted or denied.

Note: This feature is available in Web Workers (although not current versions of Firefox, as WorkerNavigator.permissions is not implemented).

Concepts and usage

Historically different APIs handle their own permissions inconsistently — for example the Notifications API allows for explicit checking of permission status and requesting permission, whereas the Geolocation API doesn't (which causes problems if the user denied the initial permission request). The Permissions API provides the tools to allow developers to implement a better user experience as far as permissions are concerned.

The permissions property has been made available on the Navigator object, both in the standard browsing context and the worker context (WorkerNavigator — so permission checks are available inside workers), and returns a Permissions object that provides access to the Permissions API functionality.

Once you have this object you can then perform permission-related tasks, for example querying a permission using the Permissions.query() method to return a promise that resolves with the PermissionStatus for a specific API.

Not all APIs' permission statuses can be queried using the Permissions API. Notable APIs that are Permissions-aware include:

More APIs will gain Permissions API support over time.

Examples

We have made a simple example available called Location Finder. You can run the example live, or view the source code on Github.

Read more about how it works in our article Using the Permissions API.

Interfaces

Navigator.permissions and WorkerNavigator.permissions Read only

Provides access to the Permissions object from the main context and worker context respectively.

Permissions

Provides the core Permission API functionality, such as methods for querying and revoking permissions.

PermissionStatus

Provides access to the current status of a permission, and an event handler to respond to changes in permission status.

Specifications

Specification
Permissions

Browser compatibility

Desktop Mobile
Chrome Edge Firefox Internet Explorer Opera Safari WebView Android Chrome Android Firefox for Android Opera Android Safari on IOS Samsung Internet
Permissions_API
43
79
46
No
Yes
No
No
43
46
Yes
No
4.0
accelerometer_permission
62
79
No
No
?
No
No
62
No
?
No
8.0
accessibility-events_permission
62
79
No
No
?
No
No
62
No
?
No
8.0
ambient-light-sensor_permission
62
79
No
No
?
No
No
62
No
?
No
8.0
background-sync_permission
62
79
No
No
?
No
No
62
No
?
No
8.0
camera_permission
64
79
No
No
?
No
No
64
No
?
No
9.0
clipboard-read_permission
64
79
No
No
?
No
No
64
No
?
No
9.0
clipboard-write_permission
64
79
No
No
?
No
No
64
No
?
No
9.0
geolocation_permission
43
79
46
No
30
No
No
43
46
30
No
4.0
gyroscope_permission
51
79
No
No
?
No
No
51
No
?
No
5.0
magnetometer_permission
62
79
No
No
?
No
No
62
No
?
No
8.0
microphone_permission
64
79
No
No
?
No
No
64
No
?
No
9.0
midi_permission
43
79
No
No
30
No
No
43
No
30
No
4.0
notifications_permission
43
79
46
No
30
No
No
43
46
30
No
4.0
payment-handler_permission
66
79
No
No
?
No
No
66
No
?
No
9.0
persistent-storage_permission
71
79
53
No
58
No
No
71
53
50
No
10.0
push_permission
43
79
46
No
30
No
No
43
46
30
No
4.0
query
43
79
46
No
Yes
No
No
43
46
Yes
No
4.0
request
46
79
No
No
33
No
No
46
No
33
No
No
requestAll
48
79
No
No
35
No
No
48
No
35
No
No
revoke
46
79
51
47-51
No
33
No
No
46
51
47-51
33
No
No
speaker-selection_permission
No
No
92
No
No
No
No
No
92
No
No
No

BCD tables only load in the browser

See also

© 2005–2021 MDN contributors.
Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License v2.5 or later.
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Permissions_API