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browsingData

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
  • local storage
  • 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.removeLocalStorage()
Clears any local storage created by websites.
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

Desktop Mobile
Chrome Edge Firefox Internet Explorer Opera Safari WebView Android Chrome Android Firefox for Android Opera Android Safari on IOS Samsung Internet
remove
Yes
79
53
Specifying dataTypes.history will also remove download history and service workers.
?
Yes
No
?
?
57-79
Specifying dataTypes.history will also remove download history and service workers.
85
Specifying dataTypes.history will also remove download history and service workers.
?
?
?
removeCache
Yes
79
53
removalOptions.since is not supported.
?
Yes
No
?
?
57-79
removalOptions.since is not supported.
85
removalOptions.since is not supported.
?
?
?
removeCookies
Yes
79
53
?
Yes
No
?
?
56-79
85
?
?
?
removeDownloads
Yes
79
53
?
Yes
No
?
?
57-79
?
?
?
removeFormData
Yes
79
53
?
Yes
No
?
?
57-79
?
?
?
removeHistory
Yes
79
53
This function also removes download history and service workers.
?
Yes
No
?
?
No
See bug 1363010. Before Firefox for Android 79, browser.history.remove(options, {history:true}) can be used instead.
?
?
?
removeLocalStorage
Yes
79
57
removalOptions.since is not supported.
?
Yes
No
?
?
85
removalOptions.since is not supported.
?
?
?
removePasswords
Yes
79
53
?
Yes
No
?
?
No
?
?
?
removePluginData
Yes
79
53
?
Yes
No
?
?
85
?
?
?
settings
Yes
79
53
?
Yes
No
?
?
56-79
85
?
?
?

Example extensions

Note: 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.

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Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License v2.5 or later.
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/API/browsingData