search

Use the search API to retrieve the installed search engines and execute searches.

To use this API you need to have the "search" permission.

When choosing between search.query() and search.search(), consider the following:

  • search.query() is available in most major browsers, making it ideal for use in cross-browser extensions. However, it can only issue searches against the browser's default search engine.
  • search.search() is available only in Firefox. However, it has the advantage of being able to issue a search against any search engine installed in the browser.

Functions

search.get()

Retrieve all search engines.

search.query()

Search using the browser's default search engine.

search.search()

Search using a specified search engine.

Example extensions

Browser compatibility

desktop mobile
Chrome
Edge
Firefox
Opera
Safari
Firefox for Android
Safari on iOS
search
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 87 (Release date: 2020-11-17)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 87 (Release date: 2020-11-19)
footnote Full support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 63 (Release date: 2018-10-23)
footnote Full support
Opera – Full support
Opera 73 (Release date: 2020-12-09)
footnote Full support
Safari – No support
Safari
footnote No support
Firefox for Android – No support
Firefox for Android
footnote No support
Safari on iOS – No support
Safari on iOS
footnote No support
get
Chrome – No support
Chrome
footnote No support
Edge – No support
Edge
footnote No support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 63 (Release date: 2018-10-23)
footnote Full support
Opera – No support
Opera
footnote No support
Safari – No support
Safari
footnote No support
Firefox for Android – No support
Firefox for Android
footnote No support
Safari on iOS – No support
Safari on iOS
footnote No support
query
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 87 (Release date: 2020-11-17)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 87 (Release date: 2020-11-19)
footnote Full support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 111 (Release date: 2023-03-14)
footnote Full support
Opera – Full support
Opera 73 (Release date: 2020-12-09)
footnote Full support
Safari – No support
Safari
footnote No support
Firefox for Android – No support
Firefox for Android
footnote No support
Safari on iOS – No support
Safari on iOS
footnote No support
query.queryInfo
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 87 (Release date: 2020-11-17)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 87 (Release date: 2020-11-19)
footnote Full support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 111 (Release date: 2023-03-14)
footnote Full support
Opera – Full support
Opera 73 (Release date: 2020-12-09)
footnote Full support
Safari – No support
Safari
footnote No support
Firefox for Android – No support
Firefox for Android
footnote No support
Safari on iOS – No support
Safari on iOS
footnote No support
queryInfo.disposition
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 87 (Release date: 2020-11-17)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 87 (Release date: 2020-11-19)
footnote Full support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 111 (Release date: 2023-03-14)
footnote Full support
Opera – Full support
Opera 73 (Release date: 2020-12-09)
footnote Full support
Safari – No support
Safari
footnote No support
Firefox for Android – No support
Firefox for Android
footnote No support
Safari on iOS – No support
Safari on iOS
footnote No support
queryInfo.tabId
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 87 (Release date: 2020-11-17)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 87 (Release date: 2020-11-19)
footnote Full support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 111 (Release date: 2023-03-14)
footnote Full support
Opera – Full support
Opera 73 (Release date: 2020-12-09)
footnote Full support
Safari – No support
Safari
footnote No support
Firefox for Android – No support
Firefox for Android
footnote No support
Safari on iOS – No support
Safari on iOS
footnote No support
queryInfo.text
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 87 (Release date: 2020-11-17)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 87 (Release date: 2020-11-19)
footnote Full support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 111 (Release date: 2023-03-14)
footnote Full support
Opera – Full support
Opera 73 (Release date: 2020-12-09)
footnote Full support
Safari – No support
Safari
footnote No support
Firefox for Android – No support
Firefox for Android
footnote No support
Safari on iOS – No support
Safari on iOS
footnote No support
search
Chrome – No support
Chrome
footnote No support
Edge – No support
Edge
footnote No support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 63 (Release date: 2018-10-23)
footnote Full support
Opera – No support
Opera
footnote No support
Safari – No support
Safari
footnote No support
Firefox for Android – No support
Firefox for Android
footnote No support
Safari on iOS – No support
Safari on iOS
footnote No support
search.searchProperties
Chrome – No support
Chrome
footnote No support
Edge – No support
Edge
footnote No support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 63 (Release date: 2018-10-23)
footnote Full support
Opera – No support
Opera
footnote No support
Safari – No support
Safari
footnote No support
Firefox for Android – No support
Firefox for Android
footnote No support
Safari on iOS – No support
Safari on iOS
footnote No support
searchProperties.disposition
Chrome – No support
Chrome
footnote No support
Edge – No support
Edge
footnote No support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 111 (Release date: 2023-03-14)
footnote Full support
Opera – No support
Opera
footnote No support
Safari – No support
Safari
footnote No support
Firefox for Android – No support
Firefox for Android
footnote No support
Safari on iOS – No support
Safari on iOS
footnote No support
searchProperties.engine
Chrome – No support
Chrome
footnote No support
Edge – No support
Edge
footnote No support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 63 (Release date: 2018-10-23)
footnote Full support
Opera – No support
Opera
footnote No support
Safari – No support
Safari
footnote No support
Firefox for Android – No support
Firefox for Android
footnote No support
Safari on iOS – No support
Safari on iOS
footnote No support
searchProperties.query
Chrome – No support
Chrome
footnote No support
Edge – No support
Edge
footnote No support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 63 (Release date: 2018-10-23)
footnote Full support
Opera – No support
Opera
footnote No support
Safari – No support
Safari
footnote No support
Firefox for Android – No support
Firefox for Android
footnote No support
Safari on iOS – No support
Safari on iOS
footnote No support
searchProperties.tabId
Chrome – No support
Chrome
footnote No support
Edge – No support
Edge
footnote No support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 63 (Release date: 2018-10-23)
footnote Full support
Opera – No support
Opera
footnote No support
Safari – No support
Safari
footnote No support
Firefox for Android – No support
Firefox for Android
footnote No support
Safari on iOS – No support
Safari on iOS
footnote No support

Legend

Tip: you can click/tap on a cell for more information.

Full support
Full support
No support
No support