Web Navigation

webNavigation

High RiskCategory: CommunicationView Official Docs↗

⚠

Install Warning

"Read your browsing history."

Technical Context

Grants access to the chrome.webNavigation API for receiving notifications about navigation events in real-time. This includes frame navigation, history transitions, and error events.

What This Means For You

The extension can see when you navigate to different pages and how you got there, like clicking a link or using back/forward. It sees URLs as you browse.

Related APIs

This permission enables access to these Chrome APIs:

chrome.webNavigation

Common Use Cases

✓History tools
✓Parental controls
✓Analytics

⚠ Red Flags When Combined With

tabs <all_urls>

How to Declare in manifest.json

Add the "webNavigation" permission to your extension manifest:

{
  "manifest_version": 3,
  "name": "My Extension",
  "permissions": [
    "webNavigation"
  ]
}

What Users Will See

When users install your extension, Chrome will display this warning:

⚠

This extension can:

"Read your browsing history."

Related Permissions

Native Messaging

nativeMessaging

The extension can talk to other programs installed on your computer, not just things in the browser. This is used by password managers and system utilities.

high

Web Authentication Proxy

webAuthenticationProxy

The extension can intercept security key authentication requests. This is highly specialized and used for remote access to security keys.

high

Certificate Provider

certificateProvider

The extension can provide digital certificates for secure website authentication. This is used for smart card login or enterprise security.

high

Tabs

tabs

The extension can see what websites you have open in all your tabs, even if you are not actively using them. This is necessary for tab managers but means the extension knows your browsing patterns.

high

All URLs

<all_urls>

The extension can see and modify every single website you visit, including sensitive pages like banking and email. This is the most powerful and potentially dangerous permission an extension can have.

high