extension.getBackgroundPage()

Alias for runtime.getBackgroundPage().

Note: This method cannot be used in Private Browsing mode — it always returns an empty array. For more info see bug 1329304.

Syntax

var page = browser.extension.getBackgroundPage()

Parameters

None.

Return value

object. Window of the background page.

Browser compatibility

Update compatibility data on GitHub

	Desktop				Mobile
	Chrome	Edge	Firefox	Opera	Firefox for Android
`getBackgroundPage`	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 14	Firefox Full support 45	Opera Full support Yes	Firefox Android Full support 48

Legend

Full support: Full support

Examples

Suppose a background script defines a function foo():

// background.js

function foo() {
  console.log("I'm defined in background.js");
}

A script running in a popup can call this function directly like this:

// popup.js

var page = browser.extension.getBackgroundPage();
page.foo(); // -> "I'm defined in background.js"

Example extensions

Acknowledgements

This API is based on Chromium's chrome.extension API. This documentation is derived from extension.json in the Chromium code.

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.
//
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// 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
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// 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
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// OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

Last modified:

Mar 18, 2019, by MDN contributors