Enables extensions to clear the data that is accumulated while the user is browsing.
In the browsingData API, browsing data is divided into types:
- browser cache
- cookies
- downloads
- history
- plugin data
- saved form data
- saved passwords
You can use the browsingData.remove() function to remove any combination of these types. There are also dedicated functions to remove each particular type of data, such as removePasswords(), removeHistory() and so on.
All the browsingData.remove[X]() functions take a browsingData.RemovalOptions object, which you can use to control two further aspects of data removal:
- how far back in time to remove data
- whether to remove data only from normal web pages, or also from hosted web apps and add-ons. Note that this option is not yet supported in Firefox.
Finally, this API gives you a browsingData.settings() function that gives you the current value of the settings for the browser's built-in "Clear History" feature.
To use this API you must have the "browsingData" API permission.
Types
browsingData.DataTypeSet- Object used to specify the type of data to remove: for example, history, downloads, passwords, and so on.
browsingData.RemovalOptions- Object used to specify how far back in time to remove data, and whether to remove data added through normal web browsing, by hosted apps, or by add-ons.
Methods
browsingData.remove()- Removes browsing data for the data types specified.
browsingData.removeCache()- Clears the browser's cache.
browsingData.removeCookies()- Removes cookies.
browsingData.removeDownloads()- Removes the list of downloaded files.
browsingData.removeFormData()- Clears saved form data.
browsingData.removeHistory()- Clears the browser's history.
browsingData.removePasswords()- Clears saved passwords.
browsingData.removePluginData()- Clears data associated with plugins.
browsingData.settings()- Gets the current value of settings in the browser's "Clear History" feature.
Browser compatibility
| Chrome | Edge | Firefox | Firefox for Android | Opera | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DataTypeSet | Yes | No | 53 | No | Yes |
RemovalOptions | Yes | No | 53 * | No | Yes |
remove | Yes | No | 53 * | No | Yes |
removeCache | Yes | No | 53 * | No | Yes |
removeCookies | Yes | No | 53 * | No | Yes |
removeDownloads | Yes | No | 53 * | No | Yes |
removeFormData | Yes | No | 53 * | No | Yes |
removeHistory | Yes | No | 53 * | No | Yes |
removePasswords | Yes | No | 53 * | No | Yes |
removePluginData | Yes | No | 53 * | No | Yes |
settings | Yes | No | 53 | No | Yes |
The "Chrome incompatibilities" section is included from https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Add-ons/WebExtensions/Chrome_incompatibilities using the WebExtChromeCompat macro.
If you need to update this content, edit https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Add-ons/WebExtensions/Chrome_incompatibilities, then shift-refresh this page to see your changes.
Example extensions
This API is based on Chromium's chrome.browsingData API.
Microsoft Edge compatibility data is supplied by Microsoft Corporation and is included here under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
// Copyright 2015 The Chromium Authors. All rights reserved. // // Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without // modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are // met: // // * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright // notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer. // * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above // copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer // in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the // distribution. // * Neither the name of Google Inc. nor the names of its // contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from // this software without specific prior written permission. // // THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS // "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT // LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR // A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT // OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, // SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT // LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, // DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY // THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT // (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE // OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.