Sensor

Limited availability

This feature is not Baseline because it does not work in some of the most widely-used browsers.

Secure context: This feature is available only in secure contexts (HTTPS), in some or all supporting browsers.

The Sensor interface of the Sensor APIs is the base class for all the other sensor interfaces. This interface cannot be used directly. Instead it provides properties, event handlers, and methods accessed by interfaces that inherit from it.

This feature may be blocked by a Permissions Policy set on your server.

EventTarget Sensor

When initially created, the Sensor object is idle, meaning it does not take measures. Once the start() method is called, it prepares itself to read data and, once ready, the activate event is sent and the sensor becomes activated. It then sends a reading event each time new data is available.

In case of an error, the error event is sent, reading stops, and the Sensor object becomes idle again. The start() method needs to be called again before it can read further data.

Interfaces based on Sensor

Below is a list of interfaces based on the Sensor interface.

Instance properties

Sensor.activated Read only

Returns a boolean value indicating whether the sensor is active.

Sensor.hasReading Read only

Returns a boolean value indicating whether the sensor has a reading.

Sensor.timestamp Read only

Returns the timestamp of the latest sensor reading.

Instance methods

Sensor.start()

Activates one of the sensors based on Sensor.

Sensor.stop()

Deactivates one of the sensors based on Sensor.

Events

activate

Fired when a sensor becomes activated.

error

Fired when an exception occurs on a sensor.

reading

Fired when a new reading is available on a sensor.

Specifications

Specification
Generic Sensor API
# the-sensor-interface

Browser compatibility

desktop mobile
Chrome
Edge
Firefox
Opera
Safari
Chrome Android
Firefox for Android
Opera Android
Safari on iOS
Samsung Internet
WebView Android
WebView on iOS
Sensor
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 67 (Release date: 2018-05-29)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 79 (Release date: 2020-01-15)
footnote Full support
Firefox – No support
Firefox
footnote
footnote See bug 1432631
Opera – Full support
Opera 54 (Release date: 2018-06-28)
footnote Full support
Safari – No support
Safari
footnote
footnote See bug 81352
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 67 (Release date: 2018-05-31)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – No support
Firefox for Android
footnote
footnote See bug 1432631
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 48 (Release date: 2018-11-08)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – No support
Safari on iOS
footnote
footnote See bug 81352
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 9 (Release date: 2018-09-15)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 67 (Release date: 2018-05-31)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – No support
WebView on iOS
footnote
footnote See bug 81352
activate event
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 67 (Release date: 2018-05-29)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 79 (Release date: 2020-01-15)
footnote Full support
Firefox – No support
Firefox
footnote No support
Opera – Full support
Opera 54 (Release date: 2018-06-28)
footnote Full support
Safari – No support
Safari
footnote No support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 67 (Release date: 2018-05-31)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – No support
Firefox for Android
footnote No support
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 48 (Release date: 2018-11-08)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – No support
Safari on iOS
footnote No support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 9 (Release date: 2018-09-15)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 67 (Release date: 2018-05-31)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – No support
WebView on iOS
footnote No support
activated
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 67 (Release date: 2018-05-29)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 79 (Release date: 2020-01-15)
footnote Full support
Firefox – No support
Firefox
footnote No support
Opera – Full support
Opera 54 (Release date: 2018-06-28)
footnote Full support
Safari – No support
Safari
footnote No support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 67 (Release date: 2018-05-31)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – No support
Firefox for Android
footnote No support
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 48 (Release date: 2018-11-08)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – No support
Safari on iOS
footnote No support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 9 (Release date: 2018-09-15)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 67 (Release date: 2018-05-31)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – No support
WebView on iOS
footnote No support
error event
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 67 (Release date: 2018-05-29)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 79 (Release date: 2020-01-15)
footnote Full support
Firefox – No support
Firefox
footnote No support
Opera – Full support
Opera 54 (Release date: 2018-06-28)
footnote Full support
Safari – No support
Safari
footnote No support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 67 (Release date: 2018-05-31)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – No support
Firefox for Android
footnote No support
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 48 (Release date: 2018-11-08)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – No support
Safari on iOS
footnote No support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 9 (Release date: 2018-09-15)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 67 (Release date: 2018-05-31)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – No support
WebView on iOS
footnote No support
hasReading
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 67 (Release date: 2018-05-29)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 79 (Release date: 2020-01-15)
footnote Full support
Firefox – No support
Firefox
footnote No support
Opera – Full support
Opera 54 (Release date: 2018-06-28)
footnote Full support
Safari – No support
Safari
footnote No support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 67 (Release date: 2018-05-31)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – No support
Firefox for Android
footnote No support
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 48 (Release date: 2018-11-08)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – No support
Safari on iOS
footnote No support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 9 (Release date: 2018-09-15)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 67 (Release date: 2018-05-31)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – No support
WebView on iOS
footnote No support
reading event
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 67 (Release date: 2018-05-29)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 79 (Release date: 2020-01-15)
footnote Full support
Firefox – No support
Firefox
footnote No support
Opera – Full support
Opera 54 (Release date: 2018-06-28)
footnote Full support
Safari – No support
Safari
footnote No support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 67 (Release date: 2018-05-31)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – No support
Firefox for Android
footnote No support
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 48 (Release date: 2018-11-08)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – No support
Safari on iOS
footnote No support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 9 (Release date: 2018-09-15)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 67 (Release date: 2018-05-31)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – No support
WebView on iOS
footnote No support
start
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 67 (Release date: 2018-05-29)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 79 (Release date: 2020-01-15)
footnote Full support
Firefox – No support
Firefox
footnote No support
Opera – Full support
Opera 54 (Release date: 2018-06-28)
footnote Full support
Safari – No support
Safari
footnote No support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 67 (Release date: 2018-05-31)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – No support
Firefox for Android
footnote No support
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 48 (Release date: 2018-11-08)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – No support
Safari on iOS
footnote No support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 9 (Release date: 2018-09-15)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 67 (Release date: 2018-05-31)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – No support
WebView on iOS
footnote No support
stop
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 67 (Release date: 2018-05-29)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 79 (Release date: 2020-01-15)
footnote Full support
Firefox – No support
Firefox
footnote No support
Opera – Full support
Opera 54 (Release date: 2018-06-28)
footnote Full support
Safari – No support
Safari
footnote No support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 67 (Release date: 2018-05-31)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – No support
Firefox for Android
footnote No support
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 48 (Release date: 2018-11-08)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – No support
Safari on iOS
footnote No support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 9 (Release date: 2018-09-15)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 67 (Release date: 2018-05-31)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – No support
WebView on iOS
footnote No support
timestamp
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 67 (Release date: 2018-05-29)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 79 (Release date: 2020-01-15)
footnote Full support
Firefox – No support
Firefox
footnote No support
Opera – Full support
Opera 54 (Release date: 2018-06-28)
footnote Full support
Safari – No support
Safari
footnote No support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 67 (Release date: 2018-05-31)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – No support
Firefox for Android
footnote No support
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 48 (Release date: 2018-11-08)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – No support
Safari on iOS
footnote No support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 9 (Release date: 2018-09-15)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 67 (Release date: 2018-05-31)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – No support
WebView 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
See implementation notes.