chrome.tabs

Description:	Use the `chrome.tabs` API to interact with the browser's tab system. You can use this API to create, modify, and rearrange tabs in the browser.
Availability:	Stable since Chrome 5.
Permissions:	The majority of the `chrome.tabs` API can be used without declaring any permission. However, the `"tabs"` permission is required in order to populate the `url`, `title`, and `favIconUrl` properties of `Tab`.

Manifest

You can use most chrome.tabs methods and events without declaring any permissions in the extension's manifest file. However, if you require access to the url, title, or favIconUrl properties of tabs.Tab, you must declare the "tabs" permission in the manifest, as shown below:

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

Examples

Two tabs in a window
You can find simple examples of manipulating tabs with the chrome.tabs API in the examples/api/tabs directory. For other examples and for help in viewing the source code, see Samples.

Summary

Types
Tab
InjectDetails
Methods
get − `chrome.tabs.get(integer tabId, function callback)`
getCurrent − `chrome.tabs.getCurrent(function callback)`
connect − `runtime.Port chrome.tabs.connect(integer tabId, object connectInfo)`
sendRequest − `chrome.tabs.sendRequest(integer tabId, any request, function responseCallback)`
sendMessage − `chrome.tabs.sendMessage(integer tabId, any message, function responseCallback)`
getSelected − `chrome.tabs.getSelected(integer windowId, function callback)`
getAllInWindow − `chrome.tabs.getAllInWindow(integer windowId, function callback)`
create − `chrome.tabs.create(object createProperties, function callback)`
duplicate − `chrome.tabs.duplicate(integer tabId, function callback)`
query − `chrome.tabs.query(object queryInfo, function callback)`
highlight − `chrome.tabs.highlight(object highlightInfo, function callback)`
update − `chrome.tabs.update(integer tabId, object updateProperties, function callback)`
move − `chrome.tabs.move(integer or array of integer tabIds, object moveProperties, function callback)`
reload − `chrome.tabs.reload(integer tabId, object reloadProperties, function callback)`
remove − `chrome.tabs.remove(integer or array of integer tabIds, function callback)`
detectLanguage − `chrome.tabs.detectLanguage(integer tabId, function callback)`
captureVisibleTab − `chrome.tabs.captureVisibleTab(integer windowId, types.ImageDetails options, function callback)`
executeScript − `chrome.tabs.executeScript(integer tabId, InjectDetails details, function callback)`
insertCSS − `chrome.tabs.insertCSS(integer tabId, InjectDetails details, function callback)`
Events
onCreated
onUpdated
onMoved
onSelectionChanged
onActiveChanged
onActivated
onHighlightChanged
onHighlighted
onDetached
onAttached
onRemoved
onReplaced

Types

Tab

properties
integer	(optional) id	The ID of the tab. Tab IDs are unique within a browser session. Under some circumstances a Tab may not be assigned an ID, for example when querying foreign tabs using the sessions API, in which case a session ID may be present.
integer	index	The zero-based index of the tab within its window.
integer	windowId	The ID of the window the tab is contained within.
integer	(optional) openerTabId	The ID of the tab that opened this tab, if any. This property is only present if the opener tab still exists.
boolean	selected	selected is deprecated. Please use tabs.Tab.highlighted. Whether the tab is selected.
boolean	highlighted	Whether the tab is highlighted.
boolean	active	Whether the tab is active in its window. (Does not necessarily mean the window is focused.)
boolean	pinned	Whether the tab is pinned.
string	(optional) url	The URL the tab is displaying. This property is only present if the extension's manifest includes the `"tabs"` permission.
string	(optional) title	The title of the tab. This property is only present if the extension's manifest includes the `"tabs"` permission.
string	(optional) favIconUrl	The URL of the tab's favicon. This property is only present if the extension's manifest includes the `"tabs"` permission. It may also be an empty string if the tab is loading.
string	(optional) status	Either loading or complete.
boolean	incognito	Whether the tab is in an incognito window.
integer	(optional) width	The width of the tab in pixels.
integer	(optional) height	The height of the tab in pixels.
string	(optional) sessionId	The session ID used to uniquely identify a Tab obtained from the sessions API.

InjectDetails

Details of the script or CSS to inject. Either the code or the file property must be set, but both may not be set at the same time.

properties
string	(optional) code	JavaScript or CSS code to inject.
string	(optional) file	JavaScript or CSS file to inject.
boolean	(optional) allFrames	If allFrames is `true`, implies that the JavaScript or CSS should be injected into all frames of current page. By default, it's `false` and is only injected into the top frame.
enum of `"document_start"`, `"document_end"`, or `"document_idle"`	(optional) runAt	The soonest that the JavaScript or CSS will be injected into the tab. Defaults to "document_idle".

Methods

get


              chrome.tabs.get(integer tabId, function callback)

Retrieves details about the specified tab.

Parameters

integer tabId

function

callback

The callback parameter should be a function that looks like this:

function( Tab tab) {...};

Tab

tab

getCurrent


              chrome.tabs.getCurrent(function callback)

Gets the tab that this script call is being made from. May be undefined if called from a non-tab context (for example: a background page or popup view).

Parameters

function

callback

The callback parameter should be a function that looks like this:

function( Tab tab) {...};

Tab

(optional) tab

connect


                  runtime.Port
              chrome.tabs.connect(integer tabId, object connectInfo)

Connects to the content script(s) in the specified tab. The runtime.onConnect event is fired in each content script running in the specified tab for the current extension. For more details, see Content Script Messaging.

Parameters

integer

tabId

object

(optional) connectInfo

string

(optional) name

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

sendRequest

sendRequest is deprecated. Please use runtime.sendMessage.


              chrome.tabs.sendRequest(integer tabId, any request, function responseCallback)

Sends a single request to the content script(s) in the specified tab, with an optional callback to run when a response is sent back. The extension.onRequest event is fired in each content script running in the specified tab for the current extension.

Parameters

integer tabId

any request

function

(optional) responseCallback

If you specify the responseCallback parameter, it should be a function that looks like this:

function(any response) {...};

any

response

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

sendMessage


              chrome.tabs.sendMessage(integer tabId, any message, function responseCallback)

Sends a single message to the content script(s) in the specified tab, with an optional callback to run when a response is sent back. The runtime.onMessage event is fired in each content script running in the specified tab for the current extension.

Parameters

integer tabId

any message

function

(optional) responseCallback

If you specify the responseCallback parameter, it should be a function that looks like this:

function(any response) {...};

any

response

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

getSelected

getSelected is deprecated. Please use tabs.query {active: true}.


              chrome.tabs.getSelected(integer windowId, function callback)

Gets the tab that is selected in the specified window.

Parameters

integer (optional) windowId Defaults to the current window.

function

callback

The callback parameter should be a function that looks like this:

function( Tab tab) {...};

Tab

tab

getAllInWindow

getAllInWindow is deprecated. Please use tabs.query {windowId: windowId}.


              chrome.tabs.getAllInWindow(integer windowId, function callback)

Gets details about all tabs in the specified window.

Parameters

integer (optional) windowId Defaults to the current window.

function

callback

The callback parameter should be a function that looks like this:

function(array of Tab tabs) {...};

array of Tab

tabs

create


              chrome.tabs.create(object createProperties, function callback)

Creates a new tab.

Parameters

object

createProperties

integer	(optional) windowId	The window to create the new tab in. Defaults to the current window.
integer	(optional) index	The position the tab should take in the window. The provided value will be clamped to between zero and the number of tabs in the window.
string	(optional) url	The URL to navigate the tab to initially. Fully-qualified URLs must include a scheme (i.e. 'http://www.google.com', not 'www.google.com'). Relative URLs will be relative to the current page within the extension. Defaults to the New Tab Page.
boolean	(optional) active	Whether the tab should become the active tab in the window. Does not affect whether the window is focused (see windows.update). Defaults to `true`.
boolean	(optional) selected	selected is deprecated. Please use active. Whether the tab should become the selected tab in the window. Defaults to `true`
boolean	(optional) pinned	Whether the tab should be pinned. Defaults to `false`
integer	(optional) openerTabId	The ID of the tab that opened this tab. If specified, the opener tab must be in the same window as the newly created tab.

function

(optional) callback

If you specify the callback parameter, it should be a function that looks like this:

function( Tab tab) {...};

Tab

tab

Details about the created tab. Will contain the ID of the new tab.

duplicate


              chrome.tabs.duplicate(integer tabId, function callback)

Duplicates a tab.

Parameters

integer tabId The ID of the tab which is to be duplicated.

function

(optional) callback

If you specify the callback parameter, it should be a function that looks like this:

function( Tab tab) {...};

Tab (optional) tab Details about the duplicated tab. The tabs.Tab object doesn't contain url, title and favIconUrl if the "tabs" permission has not been requested.

query


              chrome.tabs.query(object queryInfo, function callback)

Gets all tabs that have the specified properties, or all tabs if no properties are specified.

Parameters

object

queryInfo

boolean	(optional) active	Whether the tabs are active in their windows.
boolean	(optional) pinned	Whether the tabs are pinned.
boolean	(optional) highlighted	Whether the tabs are highlighted.
boolean	(optional) currentWindow	Whether the tabs are in the current window.
boolean	(optional) lastFocusedWindow	Whether the tabs are in the last focused window.
enum of `"loading"`, or `"complete"`	(optional) status	Whether the tabs have completed loading.
string	(optional) title	Match page titles against a pattern.
string	(optional) url	Match tabs against a URL pattern. Note that fragment identifiers are not matched.
integer	(optional) windowId	The ID of the parent window, or windows.WINDOW_ID_CURRENT for the current window.
enum of `"normal"`, `"popup"`, `"panel"`, or `"app"`	(optional) windowType	The type of window the tabs are in.
integer	(optional) index	The position of the tabs within their windows.

function

callback

The callback parameter should be a function that looks like this:

function(array of Tab result) {...};

array of Tab

result

highlight


              chrome.tabs.highlight(object highlightInfo, function callback)

Highlights the given tabs.

Parameters

object

highlightInfo

integer	(optional) windowId	The window that contains the tabs.
array of integer or integer	tabs	One or more tab indices to highlight.

function

callback

The callback parameter should be a function that looks like this:

function( windows.Window window) {...};

windows.Window

window

Contains details about the window whose tabs were highlighted.

update


              chrome.tabs.update(integer tabId, object updateProperties, function callback)

Modifies the properties of a tab. Properties that are not specified in updateProperties are not modified.

Parameters

integer (optional) tabId Defaults to the selected tab of the current window.

object

updateProperties

string	(optional) url	A URL to navigate the tab to.
boolean	(optional) active	Whether the tab should be active. Does not affect whether the window is focused (see windows.update).
boolean	(optional) highlighted	Adds or removes the tab from the current selection.
boolean	(optional) selected	selected is deprecated. Please use highlighted. Whether the tab should be selected.
boolean	(optional) pinned	Whether the tab should be pinned.
integer	(optional) openerTabId	The ID of the tab that opened this tab. If specified, the opener tab must be in the same window as this tab.

function

(optional) callback

If you specify the callback parameter, it should be a function that looks like this:

function( Tab tab) {...};

Tab (optional) tab Details about the updated tab. The tabs.Tab object doesn't contain url, title and favIconUrl if the "tabs" permission has not been requested.

move


              chrome.tabs.move(integer or array of integer tabIds, object moveProperties, function callback)

Moves one or more tabs to a new position within its window, or to a new window. Note that tabs can only be moved to and from normal (window.type === "normal") windows.

Parameters

integer or array of integer tabIds The tab or list of tabs to move.

object

moveProperties

integer	(optional) windowId	Defaults to the window the tab is currently in.
integer	index	The position to move the window to. -1 will place the tab at the end of the window.

function

(optional) callback

If you specify the callback parameter, it should be a function that looks like this:

function( Tab or array of Tab tabs) {...};

Tab or array of Tab

tabs

Details about the moved tabs.

reload


              chrome.tabs.reload(integer tabId, object reloadProperties, function callback)

Reload a tab.

Parameters

integer (optional) tabId The ID of the tab to reload; defaults to the selected tab of the current window.

object

(optional) reloadProperties

boolean

(optional) bypassCache

Whether using any local cache. Default is false.

function

(optional) callback

If you specify the callback parameter, it should be a function that looks like this:

function() {...};

remove


              chrome.tabs.remove(integer or array of integer tabIds, function callback)

Closes one or more tabs.

Parameters
integer or array of integer	tabIds	The tab or list of tabs to close.
function	(optional) callback	If you specify the callback parameter, it should be a function that looks like this: `function() {...};`

detectLanguage


              chrome.tabs.detectLanguage(integer tabId, function callback)

Detects the primary language of the content in a tab.

Parameters

integer (optional) tabId Defaults to the active tab of the current window.

function

callback

The callback parameter should be a function that looks like this:

function(string language) {...};

string language An ISO language code such as en or fr. For a complete list of languages supported by this method, see kLanguageInfoTable. The 2nd to 4th columns will be checked and the first non-NULL value will be returned except for Simplified Chinese for which zh-CN will be returned. For an unknown language, und will be returned.

captureVisibleTab


              chrome.tabs.captureVisibleTab(integer windowId,     types.ImageDetails options, function callback)

Captures the visible area of the currently active tab in the specified window. You must have host permission for the URL displayed by the tab.

Parameters

integer (optional) windowId The target window. Defaults to the current window.

types.ImageDetails (optional) options

function

callback

The callback parameter should be a function that looks like this:

function(string dataUrl) {...};

string

dataUrl

A data URL which encodes an image of the visible area of the captured tab. May be assigned to the 'src' property of an HTML Image element for display.

executeScript


              chrome.tabs.executeScript(integer tabId,     InjectDetails details, function callback)

Injects JavaScript code into a page. For details, see the programmatic injection section of the content scripts doc.

Parameters

integer (optional) tabId The ID of the tab in which to run the script; defaults to the active tab of the current window.

InjectDetails details Details of the script to run.

function

(optional) callback

Called after all the JavaScript has been executed.

If you specify the callback parameter, it should be a function that looks like this:

function(array of any result) {...};

array of any

(optional) result

The result of the script in every injected frame.

insertCSS


              chrome.tabs.insertCSS(integer tabId,     InjectDetails details, function callback)

Injects CSS into a page. For details, see the programmatic injection section of the content scripts doc.

Parameters
integer	(optional) tabId	The ID of the tab in which to insert the CSS; defaults to the active tab of the current window.
InjectDetails	details	Details of the CSS text to insert.
function	(optional) callback	Called when all the CSS has been inserted. If you specify the callback parameter, it should be a function that looks like this: `function() {...};`

Events

onCreated

Fired when a tab is created. Note that the tab's URL may not be set at the time this event fired, but you can listen to onUpdated events to be notified when a URL is set.

addListener


                    chrome.tabs.onCreated.addListener(function callback)

Parameters

function

callback

The callback parameter should be a function that looks like this:

function( Tab tab) {...};

Tab

tab

Details of the tab that was created.

onUpdated

Fired when a tab is updated.

addListener


                    chrome.tabs.onUpdated.addListener(function callback)

Parameters

function

callback

The callback parameter should be a function that looks like this:

function(integer tabId, object changeInfo, Tab tab) {...};

integer

tabId

object

changeInfo

Lists the changes to the state of the tab that was updated.

string	(optional) status	The status of the tab. Can be either loading or complete.
string	(optional) url	The tab's URL if it has changed.
boolean	(optional) pinned	The tab's new pinned state.
string	(optional) favIconUrl	The tab's new favicon URL.

Tab

tab

Gives the state of the tab that was updated.

onMoved

Fired when a tab is moved within a window. Only one move event is fired, representing the tab the user directly moved. Move events are not fired for the other tabs that must move in response. This event is not fired when a tab is moved between windows. For that, see tabs.onDetached.

addListener


                    chrome.tabs.onMoved.addListener(function callback)

Parameters

function

callback

The callback parameter should be a function that looks like this:

function(integer tabId, object moveInfo) {...};

integer

tabId

object

moveInfo

integer	windowId
integer	fromIndex
integer	toIndex

onSelectionChanged

onSelectionChanged is deprecated. Please use tabs.onActivated.

Fires when the selected tab in a window changes.

addListener


                    chrome.tabs.onSelectionChanged.addListener(function callback)

Parameters

function

callback

The callback parameter should be a function that looks like this:

function(integer tabId, object selectInfo) {...};

integer

tabId

The ID of the tab that has become active.

object

selectInfo

integer

windowId

The ID of the window the selected tab changed inside of.

onActiveChanged

onActiveChanged is deprecated. Please use tabs.onActivated.

Fires when the selected tab in a window changes. Note that the tab's URL may not be set at the time this event fired, but you can listen to tabs.onUpdated events to be notified when a URL is set.

addListener


                    chrome.tabs.onActiveChanged.addListener(function callback)

Parameters

function

callback

The callback parameter should be a function that looks like this:

function(integer tabId, object selectInfo) {...};

integer

tabId

The ID of the tab that has become active.

object

selectInfo

integer

windowId

The ID of the window the selected tab changed inside of.

onActivated

Fires when the active tab in a window changes. Note that the tab's URL may not be set at the time this event fired, but you can listen to onUpdated events to be notified when a URL is set.

addListener


                    chrome.tabs.onActivated.addListener(function callback)

Parameters

function

callback

The callback parameter should be a function that looks like this:

function(object activeInfo) {...};

object

activeInfo

integer	tabId	The ID of the tab that has become active.
integer	windowId	The ID of the window the active tab changed inside of.

onHighlightChanged

onHighlightChanged is deprecated. Please use tabs.onHighlighted.

Fired when the highlighted or selected tabs in a window changes.

addListener


                    chrome.tabs.onHighlightChanged.addListener(function callback)

Parameters

function

callback

The callback parameter should be a function that looks like this:

function(object selectInfo) {...};

object

selectInfo

integer	windowId	The window whose tabs changed.
array of integer	tabIds	All highlighted tabs in the window.

onHighlighted

Fired when the highlighted or selected tabs in a window changes.

addListener


                    chrome.tabs.onHighlighted.addListener(function callback)

Parameters

function

callback

The callback parameter should be a function that looks like this:

function(object highlightInfo) {...};

object

highlightInfo

integer	windowId	The window whose tabs changed.
array of integer	tabIds	All highlighted tabs in the window.

onDetached

Fired when a tab is detached from a window, for example because it is being moved between windows.

addListener


                    chrome.tabs.onDetached.addListener(function callback)

Parameters

function

callback

The callback parameter should be a function that looks like this:

function(integer tabId, object detachInfo) {...};

integer

tabId

object

detachInfo

integer	oldWindowId
integer	oldPosition

onAttached

Fired when a tab is attached to a window, for example because it was moved between windows.

addListener


                    chrome.tabs.onAttached.addListener(function callback)

Parameters

function

callback

The callback parameter should be a function that looks like this:

function(integer tabId, object attachInfo) {...};

integer

tabId

object

attachInfo

integer	newWindowId
integer	newPosition

onRemoved

Fired when a tab is closed.

addListener


                    chrome.tabs.onRemoved.addListener(function callback)

Parameters

function

callback

The callback parameter should be a function that looks like this:

function(integer tabId, object removeInfo) {...};

integer

tabId

object

removeInfo

integer	windowId	The window whose tab is closed.
boolean	isWindowClosing	True when the tab is being closed because its window is being closed.

onReplaced

Fired when a tab is replaced with another tab due to prerendering or instant.

addListener


                    chrome.tabs.onReplaced.addListener(function callback)

Parameters

function

callback

The callback parameter should be a function that looks like this:

function(integer addedTabId, integer removedTabId) {...};

integer	addedTabId
integer	removedTabId