---
title: Permissions API
slug: Web/API/Permissions_API
tags:
  - API
  - Introduction
  - NeedsTranslation
  - Overview
  - Permissions
  - Permissions API
  - TopicStub
  - Web
  - access
translation_of: Web/API/Permissions_API
---
<p>{{DefaultAPISidebar("Permissions API")}}</p>

<div class="summary">
<p><span class="seoSummary">The <strong>Permissions API</strong> 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.</span></p>
</div>

<h2 id="Concepts_and_usage">Concepts and usage</h2>

<p>Historically different APIs handle their own permissions inconsistently — for example the <a href="/en-US/docs/Web/API/Notifications_API">Notifications API</a> allows for explicit checking of permission status and requesting permission, whereas the <a href="/en-US/docs/Web/API/Geolocation">Geolocation API</a> 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.</p>

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

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

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

<ul>
 <li><a href="/en-US/docs/Web/API/Clipboard_API">Clipboard API</a></li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/docs/Web/API/Notifications_API">Notifications API</a></li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/docs/Web/API/Push_API">Push API</a></li>
 <li>Web MIDI API</li>
</ul>

<p>More APIs will gain Permissions API support over time.</p>

<h2 id="Examples">Examples</h2>

<p>We have made a simple example available called Location Finder. You can <a href="https://chrisdavidmills.github.io/location-finder-permissions-api/">run the example live</a>, or <a href="https://github.com/chrisdavidmills/location-finder-permissions-api/tree/gh-pages">view the source code on Github</a>.</p>

<p>Read more about how it works in our article <a href="/en-US/docs/Web/API/Permissions_API/Using_the_Permissions_API">Using the Permissions API</a>.</p>

<h2 id="Interfaces">Interfaces</h2>

<dl>
 <dt>{{domxref("Navigator.permissions")}} and {{domxref("WorkerNavigator.permissions")}} {{readonlyinline}}</dt>
 <dd>Provides access to the {{domxref("Permissions")}} object from the main context and worker context respectively.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("Permissions")}}</dt>
 <dd>Provides the core Permission API functionality, such as methods for querying and revoking permissions.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("PermissionStatus")}}</dt>
 <dd>Provides access to the current status of a permission, and an event handler to respond to changes in permission status.</dd>
</dl>

<h2 id="Specification">Specification</h2>

<table class="standard-table">
 <tbody>
  <tr>
   <th scope="col">Specification</th>
   <th scope="col">Status</th>
   <th scope="col">Comment</th>
  </tr>
  <tr>
   <td>{{SpecName('Permissions API')}}</td>
   <td>{{Spec2('Permissions API')}}</td>
   <td>Initial definition.</td>
  </tr>
 </tbody>
</table>

<h2 id="Browser_compatibility">Browser compatibility</h2>

<div>
<h3 id="Permissions_interface">Permissions interface</h3>

<div>


<p>{{Compat("api.Permissions")}}</p>
</div>
</div>

<h2 id="See_also">See also</h2>

<ul>
 <li><a href="/en-US/docs/Web/API/Permissions_API/Using_the_Permissions_API">Using the Permissions API</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://blog.addpipe.com/using-permissions-api-to-detect-getusermedia-responses/">Using the Permissions API to Detect How Often Users Allow or Deny Camera Access</a></li>
 <li>{{DOMxRef("Notification.permission")}}</li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/docs/Web/Privacy">Privacy, permissions, and information security</a></li>
</ul>