chrome.windows

Description: Use the chrome.windows API to interact with browser windows. You can use this API to create, modify, and rearrange windows in the browser.
Availability: Since Chrome 29.
Permissions: The chrome.windows 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 objects.

Manifest

When requested, a windows.Window will contain an array of tabs.Tab objects. You must declare the "tabs" permission in your manifest if you require access to the url, title, or favIconUrl properties of tabs.Tab. For example: 

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

The current window

Many functions in the extension system take an optional windowId parameter, which defaults to the current window.

The current window is the window that contains the code that is currently executing. It's important to realize that this can be different from the topmost or focused window.

For example, say an extension creates a few tabs or windows from a single HTML file, and that the HTML file contains a call to tabs.query. The current window is the window that contains the page that made the call, no matter what the topmost window is.

In the case of the event page, the value of the current window falls back to the last active window. Under some circumstances, there may be no current window for background pages.

Examples

Two windows, each with one tab
You can find simple examples of using the windows module in the examples/api/windows directory. Another example is in the tabs_api.html file of the inspector example. For other examples and for help in viewing the source code, see Samples.

Summary

Types
WindowType
WindowState
Window
CreateType
Properties
WINDOW_ID_NONE
WINDOW_ID_CURRENT
Methods
get − chrome.windows.get(integer windowId, object getInfo, function callback)
getCurrent − chrome.windows.getCurrent(object getInfo, function callback)
getLastFocused − chrome.windows.getLastFocused(object getInfo, function callback)
getAll − chrome.windows.getAll(object getInfo, function callback)
create − chrome.windows.create(object createData, function callback)
update − chrome.windows.update(integer windowId, object updateInfo, function callback)
remove − chrome.windows.remove(integer windowId, function callback)
Events
onCreated
onRemoved
onFocusChanged

Types

WindowType

The type of browser window this is. In some circumstances a window may not be assigned a type property; for example, when querying closed windows from the sessions API.
Enum
"normal"
A normal browser window.
"popup"
A browser popup.
"panel"
Deprecated in this API. A Chrome App panel-style window. Extensions can only see their own panel windows.
"app"
Deprecated in this API. A Chrome App window. Extensions can only see their app own windows.
"devtools"
A Developer Tools window.

WindowState

The state of this browser window. In some circumstances a window may not be assigned a state property; for example, when querying closed windows from the sessions API.
Enum
"normal"
Normal window state (not minimized, maximized, or fullscreen).
"minimized"
Minimized window state.
"maximized"
Maximized window state.
"fullscreen"
Fullscreen window state.
"docked"
Deprecated since Chrome M59. Docked windows are no longer supported. This state will be converted to "normal".

Window

properties
integer (optional) id

The ID of the window. Window IDs are unique within a browser session. In some circumstances a window may not be assigned an ID property; for example, when querying windows using the sessions API, in which case a session ID may be present.

boolean focused

Whether the window is currently the focused window.

integer (optional) top

The offset of the window from the top edge of the screen in pixels. In some circumstances a window may not be assigned a top property; for example, when querying closed windows from the sessions API.

integer (optional) left

The offset of the window from the left edge of the screen in pixels. In some circumstances a window may not be assigned a left property; for example, when querying closed windows from the sessions API.

integer (optional) width

The width of the window, including the frame, in pixels. In some circumstances a window may not be assigned a width property; for example, when querying closed windows from the sessions API.

integer (optional) height

The height of the window, including the frame, in pixels. In some circumstances a window may not be assigned a height property; for example, when querying closed windows from the sessions API.

array of tabs.Tab (optional) tabs

Array of tabs.Tab objects representing the current tabs in the window.

boolean incognito

Whether the window is incognito.

WindowType (optional) type

The type of browser window this is.

WindowState (optional) state

The state of this browser window.

boolean alwaysOnTop

Whether the window is set to be always on top.

string (optional) sessionId

Since Chrome 31.

The session ID used to uniquely identify a window, obtained from the sessions API.

CreateType

Specifies what type of browser window to create. 'panel' is deprecated and is available only to existing whitelisted extensions on Chrome OS.
Enum
"normal", "popup", or "panel"

Properties

-1 chrome.windows.WINDOW_ID_NONE The windowId value that represents the absence of a chrome browser window.
-2 chrome.windows.WINDOW_ID_CURRENT The windowId value that represents the current window.

Methods

get

chrome.windows.get(integer windowId, object getInfo, function callback)

Gets details about a window.

Parameters
integer windowId
object (optional) getInfo

boolean (optional) populate

If true, the windows.Window object has a tabs property that contains a list of the tabs.Tab objects. The Tab objects only contain the url, title, and favIconUrl properties if the extension's manifest file includes the "tabs" permission.

array of WindowType (optional) windowTypes

Since Chrome 46.

If set, the windows.Window returned is filtered based on its type. If unset, the default filter is set to ['normal', 'popup'].

function callback

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

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

getCurrent

chrome.windows.getCurrent(object getInfo, function callback)

Gets the current window.

Parameters
object (optional) getInfo

boolean (optional) populate

If true, the windows.Window object has a tabs property that contains a list of the tabs.Tab objects. The Tab objects only contain the url, title, and favIconUrl properties if the extension's manifest file includes the "tabs" permission.

array of WindowType (optional) windowTypes

Since Chrome 46.

If set, the windows.Window returned is filtered based on its type. If unset, the default filter is set to ['normal', 'popup'].

function callback

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

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

getLastFocused

chrome.windows.getLastFocused(object getInfo, function callback)

Gets the window that was most recently focused — typically the window 'on top'.

Parameters
object (optional) getInfo

boolean (optional) populate

If true, the windows.Window object has a tabs property that contains a list of the tabs.Tab objects. The Tab objects only contain the url, title, and favIconUrl properties if the extension's manifest file includes the "tabs" permission.

array of WindowType (optional) windowTypes

Since Chrome 46.

If set, the windows.Window returned is filtered based on its type. If unset, the default filter is set to ['normal', 'popup'].

function callback

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

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

getAll

chrome.windows.getAll(object getInfo, function callback)

Gets all windows.

Parameters
object (optional) getInfo

boolean (optional) populate

If true, each windows.Window object has a tabs property that contains a list of the tabs.Tab objects for that window. The Tab objects only contain the url, title, and favIconUrl properties if the extension's manifest file includes the "tabs" permission.

array of WindowType (optional) windowTypes

Since Chrome 46.

If set, the windows.Window returned is filtered based on its type. If unset, the default filter is set to ['normal', 'popup'].

function callback

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

function(array of Window windows) {...};
array of Window windows

create

chrome.windows.create(object createData, function callback)

Creates (opens) a new browser window with any optional sizing, position, or default URL provided.

Parameters
object (optional) createData
string or array of string (optional) url

A URL or array of URLs to open as tabs in the window. Fully-qualified URLs must include a scheme, e.g., 'http://www.google.com', not 'www.google.com'. Non-fully-qualified URLs are considered relative within the extension. Defaults to the New Tab Page.

integer (optional) tabId

The ID of the tab to add to the new window.

integer (optional) left

The number of pixels to position the new window from the left edge of the screen. If not specified, the new window is offset naturally from the last focused window. This value is ignored for panels.

integer (optional) top

The number of pixels to position the new window from the top edge of the screen. If not specified, the new window is offset naturally from the last focused window. This value is ignored for panels.

integer (optional) width

The width in pixels of the new window, including the frame. If not specified, defaults to a natural width.

integer (optional) height

The height in pixels of the new window, including the frame. If not specified, defaults to a natural height.

boolean (optional) focused

If true, opens an active window. If false, opens an inactive window.

boolean (optional) incognito

Whether the new window should be an incognito window.

CreateType (optional) type

Specifies what type of browser window to create.

WindowState (optional) state

Since Chrome 44.

The initial state of the window. The minimized, maximized, and fullscreen states cannot be combined with left, top, width, or height.

boolean (optional) setSelfAsOpener

Since Chrome 64.

If true, the newly-created window's 'window.opener' is set to the caller and is in the same unit of related browsing contexts as the caller.

function (optional) callback

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

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

Contains details about the created window.

update

chrome.windows.update(integer windowId, object updateInfo, function callback)

Updates the properties of a window. Specify only the properties that to be changed; unspecified properties are unchanged.

Parameters
integer windowId
object updateInfo
integer (optional) left

The offset from the left edge of the screen to move the window to in pixels. This value is ignored for panels.

integer (optional) top

The offset from the top edge of the screen to move the window to in pixels. This value is ignored for panels.

integer (optional) width

The width to resize the window to in pixels. This value is ignored for panels.

integer (optional) height

The height to resize the window to in pixels. This value is ignored for panels.

boolean (optional) focused

If true, brings the window to the front; cannot be combined with the state 'minimized'. If false, brings the next window in the z-order to the front; cannot be combined with the state 'fullscreen' or 'maximized'.

boolean (optional) drawAttention

If true, causes the window to be displayed in a manner that draws the user's attention to the window, without changing the focused window. The effect lasts until the user changes focus to the window. This option has no effect if the window already has focus. Set to false to cancel a previous drawAttention request.

WindowState (optional) state

The new state of the window. The 'minimized', 'maximized', and 'fullscreen' states cannot be combined with 'left', 'top', 'width', or 'height'.

function (optional) callback

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

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

remove

chrome.windows.remove(integer windowId, function callback)

Removes (closes) a window and all the tabs inside it.

Parameters
integer windowId
function (optional) callback

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

function() {...};

Events

onCreated

Fired when a window is created.

Filters

array of WindowType windowTypes

Conditions that the window's type being created must satisfy. By default it satisfies ['normal', 'popup'].

addListener

chrome.windows.onCreated.addListener(function callback)
Parameters
function callback

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

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

Details of the created window.

onRemoved

Fired when a window is removed (closed).

Filters

array of WindowType windowTypes

Conditions that the window's type being removed must satisfy. By default it satisfies ['normal', 'popup'].

addListener

chrome.windows.onRemoved.addListener(function callback)
Parameters
function callback

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

function(integer windowId) {...};
integer windowId

ID of the removed window.

onFocusChanged

Fired when the currently focused window changes. Returns chrome.windows.WINDOW_ID_NONE if all Chrome windows have lost focus. Note: On some Linux window managers, WINDOW_ID_NONE is always sent immediately preceding a switch from one Chrome window to another.

Filters

array of WindowType windowTypes

Conditions that the window's type being removed must satisfy. By default it satisfies ['normal', 'popup'].

addListener

chrome.windows.onFocusChanged.addListener(function callback)
Parameters
function callback

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

function(integer windowId) {...};
integer windowId

ID of the newly-focused window.