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Notifications API

The Notifications API allows web pages to control the display of system notifications to the end user. These are outside the top-level browsing context viewport, so therefore can be displayed even when the user has switched tabs or moved to a different app. The API is designed to be compatible with existing notification systems, across different platforms.

Concepts and usage

On supported platforms, showing a system notification generally involves two things. First, the user needs to grant the current origin permission to display system notifications, which is generally done when the app or site initialises, using the Notification.requestPermission() method. This will spawn a request dialog, along the following lines:

From here the user can choose to allow notifications from this origin, block notifications from this origin, or not choose at this point. Once a choice has been made, the setting will generally persist for the current session.

Note: As of Firefox 44, the permissions for Notifications and Push have been merged. If permission is granted for notifications, push will also be enabled.

Next, a new notification is created using the Notification() constructor. This must be passed a title argument, and can optionally be passed an options object to specify options, such as text direction, body text, icon to display, notification sound to play, and more.

Note: This feature is available in Web Workers.

In addition, the Notifications API spec specifies a number of additions to the ServiceWorker API, to allow service workers to fire notifications.

Note: To find out more about using notifications in your own app, read Using the Notifications API.

Notifications interfaces

Notification: Defines a notification object.

Service worker additions

ServiceWorkerRegistration: Includes the ServiceWorkerRegistration.showNotification() and ServiceWorkerRegistration.getNotifications() method, for controlling the display of notifications.
ServiceWorkerGlobalScope: Includes the ServiceWorkerGlobalScope.onnotificationclick handler, for firing custom functions when a notification is clicked.
NotificationEvent: A specific type of event object, based on ExtendableEvent, which represents a notification that has fired.

Specifications

Specification	Status	Comment
Notifications API	Living Standard	Living standard

Browser compatibilityUpdate compatibility data on GitHub

`Notification`

	Desktop
	Chrome	Edge	Firefox	Internet Explorer	Opera	Safari
Basic support	22 22 Before Chrome 22, the support for notification followed an old prefixed version of the specification and used the `navigator.webkitNotifications` object to instantiate a new notification. Before Chrome 32, `Notification.permission` was not supported. Before Chrome 42, service worker additions were not supported. Starting in Chrome 49, notifications do not work in incognito mode. 5 Prefixed Prefixed Requires the vendor prefix: -webkit-	Yes	22 22 4 Prefixed Prefixed Requires the vendor prefix: -moz-	No	25	6
Available in workers	45	Yes	41	No	32	?
Secure contexts only	62	?	?	No	49	?
`Notification()` constructor	22 22 5 Prefixed Prefixed Requires the vendor prefix: webkit	Yes	22 22 4 Prefixed Prefixed Requires the vendor prefix: moz	No	25	6
`actions`	53	18	No	No	39	?
`badge`	53	18	No	No	39	?
`body`	Yes	?	Yes	No	?	?
`data`	Yes	?	Yes	No	?	?
`dir`	Yes	?	Yes	No	?	?
`icon`	22 22 5 Prefixed Prefixed Requires the vendor prefix: -webkit-	?	22 22 4 Prefixed Prefixed Requires the vendor prefix: -moz-	No	25	No
`image`	53	18	No	No	40	?
`lang`	Yes	?	Yes	No	?	?
`maxActions`	Yes	18	No	No	?	?
`onclick`	Yes	?	No	No	?	?
`onclose`	Yes	?	Yes	No	?	?
`onerror`	Yes	?	No	No	?	?
`onshow`	Yes	?	Yes	No	?	?
`permission`	Yes	?	Yes	No	?	?
`renotify`	50	No	No	No	37	No
`requireInteraction`	Yes	17	No	No	?	?
`silent`	43	17	No	No	30	No
`tag`	Yes	?	Yes	No	?	?
`timestamp`	Yes	17	No	No	?	?
`title`	Yes	?	No	No	?	?
`vibrate`	53	No	No	No	39	?
`close`	Yes	?	Yes	No	?	?
`requestPermission`	46	?	47	No	40	?

	Mobile
	Android webview	Chrome for Android	Edge Mobile	Firefox for Android	Opera for Android	iOS Safari	Samsung Internet
Basic support	No	Yes	?	22 22 4 Prefixed Prefixed Requires the vendor prefix: -webkit-	Yes	No	?
Available in workers	No	45	Yes	41	32	No	?
Secure contexts only	No	62	?	?	49	No	?
`Notification()` constructor	No	Yes	?	22 22 4 Prefixed Prefixed Requires the vendor prefix: moz	Yes	No	?
`actions`	No	53	No	No	39	No	?
`badge`	No	53	No	No	39	No	?
`body`	No	Yes	?	Yes	?	No	?
`data`	No	Yes	?	Yes	?	No	?
`dir`	No	Yes	?	Yes	?	No	?
`icon`	No	Yes	?	22 22 4 Prefixed Prefixed Requires the vendor prefix: -moz-	Yes	No	?
`image`	No	53	?	No	40	No	?
`lang`	No	Yes	?	Yes	?	No	?
`maxActions`	No	Yes	?	No	?	No	?
`onclick`	No	Yes	?	No	?	No	?
`onclose`	No	Yes	?	Yes	?	No	?
`onerror`	No	Yes	?	No	?	No	?
`onshow`	No	Yes	?	Yes	?	No	?
`permission`	No	Yes	?	Yes	?	No	?
`renotify`	No	50	No	No	37	No	?
`requireInteraction`	No	Yes	17	No	?	No	?
`silent`	No	43	17	No	30	No	?
`tag`	No	Yes	?	Yes	?	No	?
`timestamp`	No	Yes	17	No	?	No	?
`title`	No	Yes	?	No	?	No	?
`vibrate`	No	53	No	No	39	No	?
`close`	No	Yes	?	Yes	?	No	?
`requestPermission`	No	46	?	Yes	40	No	?